Junior attackman Thomas Oster scoring one of his team-high five goals against Ball State. Photo by Josh Adams UPLAND, IND. – The Taylor University men’s lacrosse team dropped their season opener to the Ball State Cardinals by a score of 21–11 on Saturday afternoon at Wheeler Field.
Blessed with a beautiful turf field and clear skies, the Trojans came out of the gates firing, leading 5–2 after the first quarter. The offense was led by junior attackman Thomas Oster, who tallied two goals in the quarter and finished with a team-high of five. “We started strong,” said freshman attackman Josiah Peterson. The Trojans began to lose steam in the second quarter, being outscored by the Cardinals 5–1. The team’s offense dried up after Oster temporarily left the game with an apparent upper-body injury. At halftime the Trojans trailed the Cardinals 7–6. “Things did not go our way and we began to get frustrated,” Peterson said. After halftime, the Trojans looked to rebound from their poor quarter and regain the lead. Due in large part to turnovers and missed ground balls, the Trojans were unable to overtake the Cardinals the rest of the afternoon. After three quarters the Cardinals led 16–9. “We made mistakes,” said sophomore midfielder Rowen Walton. “Now we have a stepping stone to work off of. We know we can improve.” The Trojans fought through the fourth quarter, largely with younger and inexperienced players. The non-league game provided a chance to get those players valuable playing time and experience. “For my first game playing I really enjoy being on this team,” said freshman midfielder Michael Granata. “We all picked each other up.” Peterson and freshman midfielder Luke Borchelt also provided offense for the Trojans, each tallying three goals. After the final seconds ticked off the clock, the scoreboard read 21–11 in favor of Ball State. The teams gathered at midfield to say a quick prayer over their seasons. The Trojans return to action on Saturday as they host the Anderson Ravens. Face-off is set for 1 p.m.
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