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It will be difficult for the Wittenberg men's lacrosse team to top its breakout 2010 season, which included the first North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship and NCAA Division III Tournament berth in program history. With 23 letterwinners returning, including 10 starters, sixth-year Head Coach George Harris may have the necessary pieces in place to do just that.
The Tiger offense is once again led by Matt Lord (Pickerington, Ohio/North), who tied the school record with 42 goals a year ago. His 54 total points was just four shy of the school record, and he opens his senior season with career totals of 77 goals and 101 total points. He is within range of the career goals mark currently held by Jeff Mayer, who tallied 103 between 1987 and 1990, and Mayer's career points record, which stands at 168, despite missing more than half of his freshman season in 2008 due to injury.
Six of the team's top seven scorers from the 2010 season return to the pitch at Edwards-Maurer Field, including senior midfielder Mitch Cohagan (Pickerington, Ohio/North), a three-time All-NCAC selection who has tallied 47 goals and 17 assists over the last two seasons, while finishing second on the team in both goals and total points in 2009 and 2010. In addition, senior attackers Brady Christensen (Medina, Ohio/Medina) and Matt Snider (Cookeville, Tenn./Cookeville) return after finishing fifth and fourth on the team in scoring a year ago.
Rounding out the top returning offensive performers, sophomore Alex Previte (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) is back in the fold after earning 2010 NCAC Newcomer of the Year honors. He tallied 12 goals and four assists in his inaugural collegiate campaign.
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On the defensive end, senior Dan Gaines (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) leads a veteran unit after topping the Tigers by a wide margin in caused turnovers in 2010 with 15. He was a first-team All-NCAC selection, while senior Ryan Spain (Concord, NH/Bishop Brady) was a second-team all-conference honoree a year ago and senior Adam Ansel (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was named honorable mention. They are likely to be joined in the starting lineup by senior Charles Harreys (Essex, Conn./Valley Regional).
Senior Kevin Pfotenhauer (Chesterfield, Mo./CBC) and junior Elliot Avis (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) are also back after splitting the Tigers' face-off duties in 2010. They won approximately 54 percent of their face-offs in 2010, and the tandem combined for 50 ground balls. The team leaders a year ago in the important ground ball category were senior Danny Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill), who backed up his total of 79 in 2009 with a team-leading 53 in 2010, and junior Michael Cocking (St. Louis, Mo./CBC), who contributed 46 ground balls a year go to rank second on the team.
Finally, Wittenberg is solid in goal, starting with senior Mark DeOliveira (East Hanover, NJ/East Hanover), a first team All-NCAC honoree in 2010 who recorded 94 saves and a .580 save percentage while making 11 appearances and nine starts. Junior Spencer Baker (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) appeared in eight games, starting six, and he finished with 61 saves and a save percentage of .565.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photos By: Erin Pence