SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Wittenberg men's lacrosse team ran its overall record to 4-1 with a stirring 9-7 comeback victory over Saint Vincent on Saturday at Edwards-Maurer Field.

The Tigers scored the game's first goal out of the stick of junior Jordan Shoger (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) just 1:28 into the game, and scored the first quarter's last goal as well, but three straight Bearcat scores between the two set up a one-goal deficit that remained in place at the close of each of the next two periods.

Wittenberg responded to back-to-back Saint Vincent goals early in the second quarter with two late in the period to head into halftime trailing 5-4. One goal for each team in the third made it a 6-5 game heading into the fourth.

The final period is where the Tigers found their stride, firing off four consecutive goals to tie and take the lead. Shoger scored the equalizer to start the rally with an assist from freshman Thomas Fuss (New Albany, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) before an unassisted man-up goal from freshman Andrew Fuss (New Albany, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) gave Wittenberg its second and final lead.

Andrew Fuss struck again on an assist from Thomas Fuss to make it an 8-6 game, then provided an assist to Shoger for the Tigers' final goal. Saint Vincent mustered enough energy to score a man-down goal with 2:07 to go, but the Wittenberg defense tightened up again to hold off any more scoring.

Saint Vincent held a 36-29 advantage in shots, but sophomore goalkeeper Jesse Langer (New York, N.Y./Salisbury School) negated the edge with 12 saves to the Bearcats' 10. Wittenberg won 14-of-20 face-offs in the game thanks in large part to the 10-of-13 outing by Ryan Spitzer, while sophomore Riley Boehm (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) won 4-of-7 battles in the circle.

Shoger and Andrew Fuss split the scoring honors with four goals each, followed by one from Thomas Fuss, who also provided three assists. Boehm, senior Alex Previte (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) and senior Tyler Hall (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Twp.) all counted one assist by the time the clock expired.

Spitzer topped the Tigers with nine groundballs, followed by Boehm with four and Previte and Langer with three apiece. Hall and sophomore Brett Wilson (Lenexa, Kan./St. James Academy) each caused two turnovers in the game.

The Tigers play at home again when they open North Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday, March 23, hosting Kenyon College at 1 p.m.

John Strawn '07