The men’s lacrosse team (1-0, 0-0 NESCAC) began its season on a high note over the weekend, defeating No. 20 Babson (1-2) 14-13 in a back-and-forth game at home. Co-captain Cal Caputo ’24 led the team, scoring eight goals in triumph over the Beavers.
The victory comes on the heels of the Ephs’ loss to Babson in the second round in the NCAA Tournament.
“This really just felt like a redemption game, you can’t ask for anything more,” co-captain Bjorn Davidson ’24 said. “It was kind of just righting the wrong of the fluke tournament game.”
“I think there were a lot of nerves for us, which is kind of natural for the first game, but I think for the most part [we were] really excited,” Caputo added.
The team faced a long wait after last season and underwent extensive preparation for Saturday’s opener, adding to the excitement, goaltender Matt Wetmore ’25 said. “We’re a spring sport, but in the offseason we definitely work really hard, from September until now,” he noted.
The preseason training paid off for the Ephs, who played a strong first quarter, taking an early 7-2 lead. “Especially in the first quarter, you can say the team that is ready to come out is going to win, but really the team that is more comfortable with their game is going to win that [opening] moment,” Davidson said.
Davidson added that the team employed a new “10- man ride” strategy, which put additional defensive pressure on the Beavers by using the Ephs’ goalie as an extra zone defender, forcing turnovers and leading to early opportunities for the Ephs’ offense.
Caputo — who was named to the Div. III Honorable Mention Preseason Team by the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association — was also instrumental in the Ephs’ early success, scoring five goals in the opening frame, the first two of which were assisted by Davidson.
“What went well was Cal,” Wetmore said. “He’s an absolute monster in attack for us, he’s super dynamic, and I think him playing that well early on gave us the confidence we needed to continue on the rest of the game.”
But the Beavers did not relent, going on a four-goal run over six minutes in the second quarter to cut the Ephs’ lead to one, at 7-6. Will Doran ’26 found the net right before halftime to make it 8-6 going into the break.
“I think we took our foot off the gas, and we got a little cocky or complacent after getting out to a big lead, so it was kind of humbling to remember they’re a really good team,” Caputo said. “The message was to get the foot back on the gas, get that out of the system and just play well in the second half.”
The second half saw the lead oscillating between the Ephs and Beavers, with a 10-6 Eph advantage evaporating in around three minutes late in the third quarter as Babson put four goals in to tie the game at 10 heading into the fourth quarter. “It’s really a game of runs, and staying poised is the key,” Wetmore explained, accounting for the Ephs’ composure despite the up-and-down nature of the match.
In the fourth quarter, the Ephs clawed back from a 12-10 deficit to pull ahead 14-13 thanks to a goal from Matthew Johnson ’26 with 9:12 minutes remaining. From this point onwards, the Eph defense understood the stakes, Davidson said. “Once you’re up one goal in the fourth, that’s something to be cherished,” he said.
The Ephs were successful, preventing the Beavers from scoring over the final nine minutes to hold on to the 14-13 win. Caputo and Davidson credited the defensive stand with the team’s composure as well as the performance of Wetmore, who made 17 saves in the game and two critical ones in the fourth quarter.
Other impact players in the match included Harry Cross ’25, who finished with two goals, and co-captain Pearse Glavin ’24, who contributed two assists and scored his 100th point as an Eph. While pleased with the opening day win, the Ephs recognized room for growth, Caputo said. “I think definitely as fun as it was, the guys also [understood] that we could have played much better,” he said. “There’s a good balance of being pleased but also not being complacent and understanding our best lacrosse is still ahead of us.”
The team’s focus is already on its next opponent, No. 12 Union College (3-0), a team that has also had the Ephs’ number in recent years.
The Ephs play tonight at home at 6:30 p.m. “[Union] just beat Babson by the same score we did, so we expect it to be a great game, but more than anything I think guys just want redemption again,” said Davidson.
