The Boston University men’s lacrosse team (6-4) fell to Brown University (1-0) Friday at Nickerson Field in their last matchup of the regular season 5-12.
Prior to the game, BU’s 12-member senior class was honored, including midfielder Andrew Martin, who finished his last round of chemotherapy April 16.
The Terriers opened up the scoring early in the first period with a goal by senior attackman Kevin O’Hara. This was the first collegiate goal for O’Hara and head coach Ryan Polley spoke to the moment for the senior.
“It was great,” Polley said in a press conference Friday. “Kevin hasn’t gotten much time in his playing time here and he’s worked every day, hard in practice. We rewarded him on senior day by giving him a start and did his role, made a great read and then made a great shot.”
The Bears answered a minute later with their team’s first goal in 411 days. Brown was then able to take a three-goal lead by the end of the first period, with goals by senior midfielders Ryan Aughavin and George Grell, as well as junior attackman Darian Cook.
Terriers junior goalkeeper Alex Gainey, who started for the first time with BU after transferring from Johns Hopkins University this year, had three saves in the first, but was unable to keep the Bears from scoring four times in the first quarter.
Two minutes into the second, BU cut the lead to two with a goal by junior midfielder Matt Baugher. Prior to Friday’s game, Baugher — a transfer from the University of Massachusetts Amherst — sank eight goals in his first season with the Terriers.
Halfway through the second quarter, Bears junior midfielder Nolen Rockefeller scored two back-to-back goals. Brown continued to run up the scoring in the period, with a goal by midfielders sophomore Devon McLane and senior Grell — the latter’s second of the night.
BU could not find its footing by the end of the first half, trailing in goals by six as well as in shots on goal and faceoffs.
The second half started with the first penalty of the game by Terriers junior midfielder Blake Phillips, giving the Bears a man-up advantage for 30 seconds.
Scoring slowed down for both teams in the third quarter, before the Bears were able to earn another goal on the board five minutes in. Brown continued to dominate with another goal that brought the Bears’ score into the double digits.
The third quarter ended with a 10-goal lead by the Bears and a scoreless quarter for the Terriers.
After a rocky third quarter, BU’s freshman attackman Tommy Jepson scored the first goal of the fourth quarter and his first in the season. Later, Baugher was able to sink his second goal of the night and junior midfielder Jett Dziama was able to sink his first.
Despite the late rally, the Terriers ended the game with a loss and the team’s lowest score of the season.
Despite the finish, Polley said the Terriers had a great night honoring their seniors.
“Obviously, we’re not happy with the result, but it was great to honor the seniors before the game,” Polley said. “They’ve given a ton of blood, sweat and tears to this program.”
As it currently stands, the Terriers will play their first game in the Patriot League quarterfinals May 4 against Patriot League North No. 3 Colgate University.
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