WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- The Washington & Jefferson men's lacrosse team was dealt a 19-13 loss by Otterbein in nonconference action on Wednesday night, March 15.

Both teams exchanged two goals to begin the game with Pat Heidecker (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg Area) and Sam Lex (Butler, Pa./Butler) finding the back of the net for the Presidents. Otterbein scored six of the next seven goals to take an 8-3 lead with 12:43 remaining in the third quarter. 

Bryan Whipkey (Poland, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney) and Kyle Heinig (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) scored back-to-back goals to pull the Presidents within three scores before the Cardinals answered with two goals of their own. The teams then each exchanged five goals before Otterbein scored four straight goals to take a 19-10 advantage. The Presidents rounded out the scoring in the game by scoring the final three goals, one each from Whipkey, Rocco Ruscitto (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and Heinig.

Heinig recorded his third five-point game of the season as he scored three goals, his third hat trick of the season, in addition to two assists. Whipkey and Ben Ward (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) both turned in three-goal, one-assist performances. Whipkey's hat trick was his second this year in addition to his third game with at least four points while Ward's four points were the second most in a game this season, including his second hat trick. Lex scored his first two career goals in the game and Mark Mandak (Enola, Pa./Trinity) recorded his first two career assists.

Jake Bow (Newfane, N.Y./Newfane) and Noah Cohen (Hewlett, N.Y./George W. Hewlett) both scooped up a team-high four ground balls and Whipkey finished with three. Six different Presidents recorded one caused turnover each for W&J on defense.

Cohen (1-4) took the loss as he made 11 saves. James Gundling (1-3) received the win for the Cardinals, making nine saves in the first half. Connor Hinson and Matt Niemi combined to play the second half as goalies for the Cardinals with Hinson stopping two shots.

The Presidents will return to the field on Saturday, March 18, when they travel to Hanover for their 2017 Ohio River Lacrosse Conference opener at 1 p.m.