The men’s basketball team lost in the Elite Eight. So did the women. It sucks. Big time. I’m bummin’.
As a matter of fact, the whole campus has been bummin’. I don’t know how to put this, but basketball’s kind of a big deal around here.
So Tuesday I decided to cheer myself up and do something I hadn’t done in a long time—I went to a men’s lacrosse game not because I had to, but because I wanted to.
Unfortunately I was forced to show up 40 minutes late to the game. I wasn’t too concerned about missing the first quarter.
Imagine my surprise, however, when I finally arrived and saw the Koskinen Stadium scoreboard—Duke 15, Mount St. Mary’s 1.
15-1 in the second quarter! Most teams don’t score 15 goals in an entire game! My friends, men’s lacrosse is becoming a big deal around here.
Just like its roundball-dribbling counterpart, the men’s lacrosse team has started its season with an incredible streak, winning an unprecedented 10 games in a row.
Now that basketball season is over, the time has come for the student body to embrace this team and give it the support it needs to win the school’s seventh NCAA Championship. You did the same for the men’s soccer team in the fall, and here are six reasons why you should do the same this spring.
First, you have to love head coach Mike Pressler. Iron Mike grew a “playoff beard” before the season started. That takes cojones. The beard has since been trimmed, but the man is still intimidating.
Second, the bone-crunching hits. Admit it, ever since football season you’ve wanted to see someone get decked, and the best you’ve gotten since then is an Alison Bales-Laura Kurz chest bump. Big hits don’t occur very frequently in lacrosse, but when the ball is loose, pretty much anything is fair game and the spectators are always on the edge of their seats, waiting for that thunderous collision.
Third, you have to see goalie Aaron Fenton in action. You know how good outfielders can tell where a fly ball is going just from the position of the bat at impact? Fenton does the exact same thing. With a lacrosse ball. Fired from point-blank range. At his chest.
Fourth, it’s the only sport that somewhat resembles ice hockey. Playoff beards? Big hits? Tempo-controlling goalies? Throw in a red light, an organ and a Zamboni and this sport IS hockey.
Five, Tailgate. It’s warm outside, and Koskinen Stadium has a parking lot. This should be a no-brainer.
Finally, and most importantly, this team has more character than any other collection of individuals on this campus. Last year I had the distinct pleasure of sharing a freshman dorm with a number of lacrosse players, and through my experiences with them it is clear that this team has formed a brotherhood that no fraternity on this campus can match.
You do not need to live with them, however, to understand the bond that these players share. Whether they are at a tailgate, on campus, or on the playing field, the members of this team are a close-knit bunch, dedicated to collectively ensuring that they “carpe diem that s---.”
Likewise, I implore you to “Carpe Diem.” The men’s lacrosse team has two more home games before the ACC Tournament, and I implore you to intend. This Saturday, they play Ohio State. Two weeks later they finish the ACC regular season against No. 3 Virginia.
Don’t sleep on this team. In the words of senior defender Bill Gerrish, “You sleep, you’re dead.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.