Hampden-Sydney College (H-SC) held its second annual One Love lacrosse game April 7, seeking to help bring an end to relationship violence.

Adrienne Traylor, H-SC’s Wellness Center care coordinator and Title IX prevention & education planner, noted that the One Love Foundation is named after Yeardley Love, who was a lacrosse player.

On the foundation’s website, www.joinonelove.org, it notes that the organization exists for one reason: “Yeardley Love was killed, and her death was avoidable if anyone in her life had truly understood the unhealthy and increasingly dangerous relationship behaviors they were seeing.”

“At One Love,” the foundation website states, “we believe that the more we know about how to identify and navigate healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors, the less likely we will end up in abusive relationships.”

“We’re raising awareness for relationship violence,” Traylor said. “… As Tigers, we’re against violence, so we started the One Love lacrosse game, and all of our proceeds go to the One Love Foundation.”

Love was a lacrosse player at the University of Virginia.

Despite rainy, windy and cold conditions April 7, a good crowd came out to see Hampden-Sydney take on Roanoke College, No. 16-ranked team in the nation among NCAA Division III schools. The Tigers did their part to make the One Love-themed game a good draw for spectators and potential donors, winning 10-9 after senior Connor Pool scored with 26 seconds remaining.

“It was an honor for our team to play the game in support of the One Love Foundation, which educates, empowers and activates campus communities to end relationship violence,” H-SC Lacrosse Head Coach Jason Rostan said. “Hopefully our game played at least a small part in raising awareness in our own community for this important and powerful cause.”

To help promote the One Love theme, Traylor and some helpers manned a table where they sold raffle tickets and T-shirts that featured the One Love Foundation heart logo, the No. 1, which Love wore as a player, and the Hampden-Sydney logo.

Summarizing the purpose of the event, Traylor said, “It’s to educate the boys on domestic violence and healthy relationships. That’s really what the foundation is about — promoting healthy relationships, ending domestic violence between boyfriends, girlfriends, anyone, really.”

She noted Hampden-Sydney also participates in the #ItsOnUs campaign.

“It’s on us to recognize and intervene,” she said. “… So, it’s on us to stop your brother from making a bad choice, and if you see any domestic violence, speak up.”