It would have been difficult to script a tougher loss for the men’s lacrosse team.

With less than a minute left in the fourth sudden-death overtime, a Brown attackman fired a shot at Yale’s goalie. Goalie Adam Oppenheimer ’02 deflected the ball, and players scrambled for it in front of the goal. The ball bounced out of the pack, and Brown’s Chas Gessnar picked it up and scored to seize the win.

Yesterday, the men’s lacrosse team (3-4, 1-3 Ivy) dropped their third straight Ivy League game 15-14 at Brown. In the game, the Bears (4-2, 1-0) bounced back from a six-goal deficit to win their Ivy opener.

The Bears started their comback midway through the third quarter.

With his team down 13-7, Gessner scored his second goal of his four on the afternoon — the first of seven unanswered Bear goals. The offensive barrage put the Bears up 14-13 with four minutes left in the game.

In the midst of the Brown run, Brian Hunt ’02 scored two goals for Yale that were declared illegal for offensive infractions. Assistant coach Darryl Delia said the calls could have affected the game’s outcome.

“Obviously, with the difference in the game, [the calls were crucial],” he said. “Each time after the call, they came back and scored. They capitalized on them.”

But the Bulldogs battled back, and Ryan Floyd ’03 scored off a pass from Hunt and sent the game into overtime.

In the extra period, the Bulldogs struggled to gain control of the ball, which limited their offensive opportunities.

“They dominated us on the face-offs,” Delia said. “[The Bears] were able to get possession of the ball and that set us back. We had to play tough defense. Adam [Oppenheimer] came up big each time to get us the ball.”

Oppenheimer replaced Eric Wenzel ’03 early in the first quarter, and had 11 saves for the game. Wenzel had three saves.

On attack, the Bulldogs continued their high level of play. Hunt led the team with three goals and three assists. He also notched his 100th career point with his second goal of the game. Mike Scaglione ’03 also added three goals and one assist.

Despite some highlights, team members said they were disappointed with the game.

“It was really upsetting,” Brian Corey ’01 said. “The close losses [to Drexel, Cornell and Brown] have been frustrating. We’re a great team, and it’s not showing on our record. But as seniors, we’re still excited about the remainder of the season.”

Sunday, the Bulldogs will travel to Durham, N.C. to face-off against No. 16 Duke. The Blue Devils (6-4) are in the midst of a two-game losing streak, having lost to Harvard and Georgetown. Three weeks ago, Duke crushed Brown 16-10, so the Bulldogs are expecting a tough game.

“We have to come out ready to play,” Delia said. “We’ve got to step it up.”

[ydn-legacy-photo-inline id=”20564″ ]