While the DePauw student body enjoyed a week off from classes, the men's lacrosse team faced a difficult schedule.
The Tigers opened up their NCAC conference schedule in tilts with Hiram College and Denison University. DePauw also traveled across the country to California for matchups with Whittier College and Dominican University of California.
The week began on a high-note with a record setting matchup against Hiram. DePauw's Grant Skipper scored just seven seconds into the game and from there, the Tigers were off and running.
DePauw led Hiram 5-1 after the first 15 minutes, and then put the game away with six unanswered goals in the second quarter. When all was said and done, the Tigers easily handled the Terriers with a 19-5 win for the first conference win in program history.
"This was a big milestone win for us," first-year Benton Givens said, "especially because we had a chance to beat them last year and messed up a halftime lead."
The 19 goals set a record for tallies in a game for the Tigers. DePauw outshot Hiram by 38 and let in most every offensive category.
First-year Adam Bridges led the attack for the Tigers. Bridges scored five goals and picked up four assists in the winning effort.
DePauw then traveled to the west coast for a contest against the Whittier Poets on Mar. 25.
"I mean, we knew it was going to be tough playing against two really good teams," Givens said, looking back on the trip. "They both just played quality lacrosse."
This matchup turned out to be a complete reverse of DePauw's previous game with Hiram. The Poets raced out to an early 5-0 lead over the Tigers in the first 15 minutes and then added seven more goals in the second quarter.
The Poets continued the offensive onslaught and played lockdown defense as they earned a 14-0 win over the Tigers.
Whittier outshot the Tigers 56-13 and handed DePauw their first shutout loss of the season.
The Tigers then tried to rebound against the Dominican Penguins in a game again played in California. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Penguins claimed a relatively easy 24-3 victory.
After only three minutes, the Penguins already had a 3-0 lead and would go on to finish the first quarter up 8-1.
The Tigers then made no noise in the second quarter as they found themselves down 12-1 at halftime.
The final 30 minutes was more of the same, as the Penguins would put up eight goals in the third quarter. The Penguins would go on to add four more goals in the final 15 minutes and went on to win by a score of 24-3.
First-year Robert Lapp provided the little offense there was for the Tigers. Lapp scored two goals and Bridges scored once and added an assist.
When first-year Dan Kantor was asked if the long travel distance played a role in the team's poor record on the west coast, he said it had the opposite effect.
"No I don't think so," Kantor said. "I think it actually brought us closer together as a team."
DePauw then returned home for a NCAC matchup with Denison on Saturday to close out spring break. The fifth-ranked Big Red proved to be a tough opponent for DePauw, as they went on to defeat the host Tigers 21-0.
Seventeen different players combined to score the 21 Big Red goals, and no player scored more than twice. Denison outshot the Tigers 72-12 and dominated every other statistical category.
With the 1-3 record during Spring Break, the Tigers fell to 3-6 overall and 1-1 in NCAC play.
"Our goal is to get at least two conference wins this season," Givens said. "So it's nice to be able focus on that second one now."
DePauw will look to pick up that second conference win tomorrow when they host the College of Wooster at 1 p.m.
