Our season came to an abrupt end last Wednesday against Springfield in the first round of NCAA's.  I have to credit Coach Bugbee, his kids, and most of all his goalie for hanging in there after we peppered them early on.  Our guys came out and played well to start the game with some nice stops on defense and some outstanding looks on the offensive end.  Unfortunately, their goalie made some wild kick saves early when we had looks on the doorstep and while we took a 3-0 lead after the first quarter, it could have easily been 5 or 6 to 0.  In the 2nd quarter Springfield started to chip away at the lead and got themselves back into the game.  It was 4-3 at the half and we found ourselves down 8-7 after three.  As we had done all year, our guys battled back and Jack Gould tied up the game at 8 early in the fourth.  When Springfield scored the next two goals, our guys responded.  First with another Jack Gould goal off a Jack Cleary feed and then Sean Carroll tied it up late in the game off a broken clear.    Both teams had good looks throughout the first few overtimes and finally Springfield got the game winner in the 3rd OT.  Springfield really did play a heck of a game.    

Our team was in shock after the game, that's the only way I can describe it, I think we all were.  This past week has been one of reflection and frankly has been a very difficult one for all of us.  While we didn't come out flat and while I do think our guys were ready to play on Wednesday, there is still a sentiment that we may have been looking ahead and were more excited about the shot at revenge against St. Lawrence and potentially RIT in the following round, than another shot at Springfield who we had beaten earlier in the year.  As you all know, there's truth in the old cliché, you have to take it one game at a time, we were reminded of that last week.  I also think after coming off the NESCAC Championship game appearance on Sunday, we (I) may not have done a good enough job of preparing the guys for the kind of emotion we would see on Wednesday out of the Pride. 

This group was incredibly resilient and tough, mentally as well physically.  They could get themselves back on track in the face of almost any adversity on the field.  The weakness of the team was how we handled success and the lack of focus that went along with it, that came back to bite us in the end. We were anything but frontrunners! I told the team as much in our end of the year meeting, now we need to grow and learn from this going forward.  I do think it was a building block year for the returners who have now been to a NESCAC Championship game, been to the NCAA tourney the past two years, and been in a TON of close games, both won and lost against the best teams in the country.

I realize I never provided a recap of the NESCAC Championship game vs. Tufts, it's a little late now but it was a great, great lacrosse game.  

Our end of the year awards were voted on late last week and here's what the team decided on:

Lou Munro  "MVP" - Tim Giarrusso – Sr.  

Tim had just a fantastic senior year, he finished as our leading scorer with 43 goals and 8 assists.  Tim spent most of the regular season on our first midfield and by the time the playoffs rolled around he was in at attack for transition and then bumping into the midfield once we settled the ball down.  He put the team on his back in the come from behind win at Trinity late in the year and then had a monster weekend down in Medford during NESCAC Championship weekend.   He had four huge goals vs. Bowdoin in the semi's and 5 goals, 2 assists vs. Tufts in the championship.  Tough, tough kid, we will miss Timmy next year.

Ric Rosbeck "MIP" - Jon Hurvitz – Jr. 

Hurv started every game at close defense for us this year, probably a surprise to many coming into the season.  He did a great job throughout the year on ball and improved as a communicator, as a leader, and with his off ball awareness as the season went along.  The biggest factor in him winning this award was the way he worked to get better off the ground.  Sometime around the middle of the season Jon began heading out to practice early each day with the face off unit in order to get more reps on ground balls.  He went from being one of the weakest gb guys on the team to one of our most reliable by the end of the season and it was pure determination on his part.   He won the game ball against Bowdoin in the NESCAC Semis after coming up with a few huge gb's over the course of the game.  

Baggataway  - Spirit and Leadership – Miller Steinle – Sr.

Miller had an outstanding career in our program and didn't step onto the field in a game until the last four minutes of the regular season this year.  Miller is everything you would want out of a teammate, he was often more excited about his buddies success than they were. He brought great energy to practice each day and was a wild man (in a good way) on the sideline after a teammate put one on the back of the net.  It was clear how much our team respected Miller and what he gave to our team this season, another well deserved award.

Time to move forward to 2017.  For the first time in years we will return a good amount of experience on the defensive end but will have some holes to fill on offense.  We have plenty of guys in the program who could step up and be out there next year, it will be interesting to see who wants it.