Men's lacrosse ends in disappointing 3-10 season

The men's lacrosse team finished a disappointing season last Friday, losing to Northwood College 17-6. The game typified the Yeomen's season; injured, inexperienced and crippled, leaving them open for a severe beating from their opposition.

"The same things that hurt us in the game hurt us all season," Coach James Donovan said. He said the biggest obstacles for the team were untimely illness, injury as well as inexperience.

Donovan said, however, that the team played with a lot of heart and good attitude. "The team really showed what it was made of regardless of the record," he said.

The record was pretty dismal, however. In the end opponents scored 202 point against the Yeomen to their 63. The team finished last in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) this year with a conference record of 0-5. Their overall record was 3-10.

Two team members were honored by the NCAC however; senior David Kumpe received honorable mention and junior Sam Krasnow was nominated to the second all-conference team.

The team hoped to pull off a victory for their final game as they have for the last three years, but came up very short. Entering the game with enthusiasm and hope for victory the team pulled ahead of Northwood 4-1 in the first quarter. However as their opposition stepped up the game, the teams' confidence dropped and Northwood soon dominated.

Kumpe, one of the team's powerhouses, had suffered a bad hamstring injury in the game before and his playing time was limited. Other players including Krasnow and junior Raphael Jacoby were also "recovering from nagging injuries" according to Donovan. Jonathon Steckel, a first-year, was also ill.

"We just didn't have the number of players of experience that can replace an experienced player," Michael Brown, a senior, said. He said no matter who was injured "there was going to be a lack of leadership or talent out there."

The loss was the end to a frustrating season for may players. Ragnar Bloom, sophomore and long-time devoted follower of the team said the team's 10 losses started to get some players down. "In a long season it is really easy to get down after losses," he said.

"It wasn't the kind of season some of the players and Donovan really expected," Ben Bernard, a first-year said. However he said he thought the team really came together despite being very inexperienced. The team greeted four new players this semester, most of whom were unfamiliar with lacrosse.

"We are not pleased with the number of losses but we are pleased with the attitude and performance of our players," Donovan said.

Team members agreed that the team's main improvement over the season was increased team unity. "We definitely improved our team effort and ability to adjust to adversity under certain circumstances," Brown said.

"We were a pretty inexperienced team but we came together and played as a team," Bernard said.

"We had a lack of numbers and experience but we have never had a lack of heart," Matt Jenson, a sophomore, said of the team as a whole.

Donovan said the team improved its skill level a lot over the semester. He said a consistent weakness was shooting and scoring. The team lost two important scorers last year as Ryan Kelley and Tasker Gundy graduated.

Prospects for next year depend on the team's ability to recruit new members, some players and observers said. Bloom said that without bringing new talent to the team it will be hard for it to ever really develop.

The team is losing five players to graduation this year. Jenson said that this year the team lost a lot of key offensive players and "now we won't have any defense."

Donovan's outlook is more positive. "Some of our younger players this year have grown up and will be the kind of players to really help the team next year," he said. He also said recruitment is turning out three or four definite additions, with several more up in the air.

"We're going to come back and have a lot more experience," Bernard said.

Scramble and break:Players from both lacrosse teams prepare for a play. (photo by Marian Maloney)