Courtsey of Brian Beard

The men’s lacrosse team (13–2; 8–2 NESCAC) faced Hamilton College (7–8; 4–6 NESCAC) last Saturday in the NESCAC quarterfinals, winning in overtime with a 13–12 comeback victory. Fueled by a double overtime loss to undefeated Tufts University (16–0; 10–0 NESCAC) the previous week, the Polar Bears were eager to bounce back. The team will face Wesleyan University (11–4, 7–3 NESCAC) this Saturday in the semifinals, where it will look to secure a spot in the NESCAC championship and an NCAA tournament bid.

Midfielder Sam Raye Steiner ’26, who made the game-winning goal for the Polar Bears, emphasized the emotions leading up to quarterfinals.

“The two days of practice after Tufts were really intense and everyone was super fired up. It was a character building moment. We were ready to fight rather than disappointed from the loss. It was all on to the next, and we had our goal set to Hamilton, and it all worked out,” Raye Steiner said.

The game started off slow for the Polar Bears. With heavy rain falling, the team struggled with its stick work and unforced errors. The team trailed at halftime and was frustrated with its performance. Captain Jason Lach ’25 stepped up at halftime to rally the team.

“I thought that in the first half it obviously wasn’t our best half of lacrosse, but it just seemed like we were pretty flat and that they had a lot more energy than us. So I said, ‘It’s unacceptable that it seems like they are having more fun out there than us,’” Lach said.

However, after halftime, the Polar Bears began to capitalize on their opportunities, with fewer mistakes and more consistency on offense.

“It’s all a game of runs and momentum. After the second half, we started getting it back. And you know, even if the score did not jump off the charts to start, it’s the energy and people making what we call spark plays. Even if it’s not scoring a goal, it’s picking up a ground ball or hitting someone in the middle of the field—it sparks the engine and gets the play going,” Raye Steiner said.

After a low-scoring fourth quarter, the game tied up 12–12, sending the Polar Bears into their second overtime game in as many weeks. After losing to Tufts, the Polar Bears went into overtime knowing what to do and how to take advantage of the opportunity.

“[Tufts] was a pretty emotional loss because it was such a battle and a really close game. But I think in the long run it’s really good for our experience and for the guys on the team. It was a quick turnaround, but we had been through the highs and lows of an overtime game a few days prior, so just staying together and being tough was the attitude,” Lach said.

In overtime, Bowdoin ran an initial play but did not capitalize. The ball swung to Raye Steiner on the left wing and, with a short stick defender in front of him, he took his shot.

“I saw space in the middle, leaned into my defender and shot it low and hard,” Raye Steiner said. “I remember it hitting the back of the net, and we were so joyful, and it was just such a special moment, especially from the loss [against Tufts].”

Raye Steiner credited his teammates, especially the defense, for giving him that chance.

“Our defense is just the anchor of our team, and Hamilton got possession right after overtime started, and then your mind goes to, ‘Oh, we’re out of this again.’ But they battled it out and gave us a chance,” Raye Steiner said.

Tomorrow, the Polar Bears will travel to Middletown, Conn. to face Wesleyan at 3 p.m. Securing a win would send the Polar Bears to the NESCAC championship against the winner of the Tufts and Middlebury College (6–4; 9–7 NESCAC) match on Sunday.

“We still have the chance to achieve all the goals we set at the beginning of the year. You have to take it one game at a time, so not trying to look too far in advance,” Lach said. “But I think it’s fair to say that we still have our goals in front of us, which not every team can say, so we just gotta focus on ourselves and take it one game at a time.”