The men’s lacrosse team hit the ground running at its season opener with an 11-8 win against the Air Force Academy last Saturday.
On a windy day with gusts up to 25 mph, the Leopards (1-0 overall) trailed the Falcons (0-1 overall) until the fourth quarter when they finally edged out a lead courtesy of a strong performance from the team’s freshmen.
Air Force was quick to draw blood first, scoring in the game’s first minute. The Leopards found their footing halfway through the first quarter with a wide shot from freshman midfielder Joseph Duggan, but Air Force answered quickly with a behind-the-back goal less than a minute later.
Duggan, who netted three goals in the game, credited his success to the team’s leaders.
“They made my job really easy moving off the ball,” he said. “Playing as a team really just helped me get open, and I just had to put it in the back of the net.”
The teams traded goals in the second quarter, finding success in opposite offensive strategies: the Falcons on tight drives and the Leopards getting looks from the outside. The Maroon and White trailed by two entering halftime.
Senior attacker Riley Sullivan said that the team members had proved their ability to return from score deficits with scrimmages in the off-season.
“Going into the Maroon Club at halftime, down 6-4, we weren’t really worried,” he said. “We knew what we needed to work on and then we finally put it together.”
The Leopards came out from the locker room roaring as freshman midfielder Nicholas Blalock found the back of the net in the first ten seconds of the third quarter to make it a one-score game. The Falcons managed another score before back-to-back goals from Sullivan and junior defender Lukas DiGiovanni tied the game entering the fourth quarter.
The Maroon and White’s first lead of the game was earned by a tight scoring drive around the crease from junior attacker Nick Muller early in the final quarter. The Leopards quickly gained momentum and widened their lead with another pair of goals from freshman attacker Clifford Chapman and Duggan.
“I think our strength is probably just playing balanced offense,” Duggan said. “Being able to take what the defense gives us.”
With the defense holding Air Force to a single goal, the Maroon and White dominated ball possession in the fourth quarter, getting another successful shot from freshman attacker Benjamin DiBattista.
The match was physical — Air Force earned penalties for unnecessary roughness and pushing — and filled with mishaps on both sides: a busted stick, lost gloves and even a slipped shoe. However, the Maroon and White were able to maintain a multiple-goal lead to earn the victory.
“We have such a young team, and whatever opportunity comes our way, we’re going to hopefully bury them and finish our opportunities,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to learn from this and get better each day.”
The Leopards will look to carry their momentum to Binghamton University for their first away game of the season on Saturday.
