Lacrosse Gearing Up for Saturday's Home Opener

Led by Head Coach Jim Donovan, the Oberlin College men's lacrosse team prepares the squad for its season opener versus St. Vincent College tomorrow at 1 p.m. on North Fields. The team hopes to improve on last year's disappointing 2-11 campaign.

With the mixture of a core of returning players and the addition of some talented freshmen, the 2000 season looks to be a bright one.

"The team has to play hard and has to put forth a great effort every game in order to win. The team has practiced well and has made much progress in the last four weeks," said Donovan. Donovan, OC '61, is returning for his 18th season as head coach, with a record of 99-117. In four of the last 11 seasons, his teams have finished .500 or better in a competitive conference. Assistant coach Jeff Ramsey joins him this year. Although he is a newcomer to lacrosse (Ramsey just finished his first season as head football coach), Ramsey brings enthusiasm to the position. Ramsey will be responsible for defense and goaltending this year, leaving Donovan to concentrate on the offense.

Though there is little depth on the team, there is a fair amount of talent. Sophomore David Smolev is returning as the number one goaltender. Last season he started in all 13 games, compiling a .556 save percentage. He is improving from last season, and having one college season under his belt will be prove invaluable. Leading the defense is senior captain Andrew Kim. He will be joined by junior Tyler Smith, who returns from last season's squad. Due to injuries, the final defender has not yet been chosen.

On the offensive side, sophomore sensation David Rooklin will lead the offense. He compiled 35 points in 13 games last season. With the help of an improved offense, Rooklin looks to be one of the top players in the conference. Sophomore Isaiah Chase will play both as an attacker and as a midfielder. Chase is a versatile player who has gained more confidence from his experiences last season.

First-year Erick Vachon leads a talented freshmen class. Vachon is a talented shot-maker and stick handler. In his senior season in high school, he played for the National Championship Landon (MD) team. Handling the face-off duties is first-year Matt Iorio. A strong, physical player, Iorio has dominated the job in practice. Iorio will also be playing multiple positions. First-years Sam Bryar and Luke Tracy are also expected to contribute.

The squad suffered three losses this off-season. Matt Jensen, a four-year starter and team leader, graduated. Another capable all-around player, Ben Bernard, left the team via transfer. Suffering a serious knee injury last season, junior John Buff will miss the entire 2000 campaign. There are also two minor injuries of note: junior Evan Kelley and Chase are probable for Saturday's game due to shoulder injuries.

The NCAC is one of the toughest conferences in Division III Lacrosse. Denison University and Ohio Wesleyan University are the cream of the division. Last season Denison won the division title but lost in the Division III semifinals to Salisbury State. The rest of the conference is fairly evenly matched. Although the Yeomen will be underdogs against their divisional rivals, this season they will play more competitive games. "The team is looking more solid on offense than last year," added Rooklin. "We play teams with better programs, but our team will be competitive."

The future is bright for the Men's Lacrosse Team. A talented freshman class combined with exceptional returning players will propel the Yeomen to an improved record this season. The lack of depth will prevent the team from competing with the like of Denison and Ohio Wesleyan. However, Oberlin will be much more competitive than in the past few seasons.