Ohio Northern posted a strong showing in its first-ever Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Lacrosse Tournament appearance, but ultimately fell to Baldwin Wallace 8-6 on Wednesday night at Dial-Roberson Stadium.
The second-seeded Polar Bears end their season with a 14-3 record, while the third-seeded Yellow Jackets advance to Saturday'schampionship game with an 11-4 mark.
ONU won a share of the OAC Regular Season crown with a 7-1 league record in just the program's third year of existence.
Sophomore Kevin Giles (Williamsburg, Va./Warhill) scored two goals and junior Anthony Pavone (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) had two assists for ONU.
Alex Binner had a hat trick with three goals to lead BW.
The offenses were in control early as Giles opened the game with a goal just 1:05 into the contest to put ONU ahead 1-0 early, but BW answered with three goals in a 3:25 span to take a 3-1 lead.
Sophomore Patrick Moran (Austin, Tex./Bowie) and Giles scored 38 seconds apart and it was tied at 3-all just 9:30 into the game.
Junior Nicholas Groves (Fishers, Ind./Chatard) tied the game at 4-all with 28 seconds gone in the second quarter.
After BW tallied twice to go up 6-4, Freshman Mason Schmelling (Columbus/Hilliard Darby) got ONU within 6-5 with 8:31 left in the half.
The Yellow Jackets led 7-5 at halftime.
The defenses then dominated the final 30 minutes of the game with neither team finding the net until junior Noah St. Croix (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequiot) scored with 8:03 left in the game to bring Northern within 7-6.
BW then got an insurance goal with 6:40 to play to make it 8-6.
ONU would get five shots off in the final six minutes, but only one was on goal and it was saved as the Yellow Jackets would hold on for the win.
Baldwin Wallace out-shot Ohio Northern 33-29, but ONU won the ground ball battle 34-20.
Junior Alex Pizarro (Boonsboro, Md.) had seven saves in goals for Northern.
