With the spring lacrosse season in full swing, the Colgate University men’s lacrosse team prepares for a demanding schedule that sees them play the majority of their games on the road. The team hopes to improve upon their 2-9 record from their 2023 Spring season, and with wins against number four ranked Penn State University and Hobart College under their belt, things are evidently looking up for the Colgate Raiders.
Sophomore Hunter Drouin, totaling five goals and one assist thus far in the 2024 season, reflected on the team’s improvements since the 2023 season. Drouin spoke on the areas of play where the team has most improved.
“[We] play much more fast-paced this year. The team isn’t afraid to make mistakes and aims to dictate the pace of the game as opposed to reacting to the other team’s pace,” Drouin said.
Freshman Liam Connor, who scored the game-winning goal against Penn State with four seconds left in the season-opener, expressed his excitement over the win and his aspirations for the upcoming season. Connor commented on what it took to beat Penn State.
“Being committed to and trusting the work that we did all week prepared [us] to be in a position to come away with a win,” Connor said.
Led by Head Coach Matt Karweck, the team’s mixture of veteran players and promising rookies sets the stage for a successful season. Karweck’s leadership had had a strong influence on the team”s camaraderie, which Connor mentioned.
“Coach Karweck always talks about having each other’s backs and supporting each other, and I can say without a doubt I know that any guy on the team, no matter the class, would be there for me whenever I need them, on and off the field,” Connor said.
So far, the men’s team has had games against Penn State, neighboring rival, Syracuse University and, most recently, Hobart. Although their first game against Penn State ended in a Raider victory, their second result against Syracuse was not what the team had hoped for, as the Orange won 18-8.
The team learned from their mistakes during the Syracuse game and it showed through in their most recent contest against Hobart on Feb. 11. Sophomore midfielder Charlie Lohman described how, in the aftermath of their loss against Syracuse, the team was able to quickly change their mindset and treat the loss as a learning experience. The Raiders worked extra hard in practice during the following days.
“We turned the page on the Syracuse game [and] identified the key things that needed to be fixed, and also treated practices like they were games,” Lohman said.
The Raiders’ hard work clearly paid off, as they defeated Hobart with a final score of 16-11.
Drouin is looking forward to Patriot League play.
“[I’m} most excited to show people the product of our preparation over the last five months,” Drouin said. “Ever since we’ve stepped on campus, we’ve have been battling every day with one goal: to win a national championship.”
The Raiders have their first conference game on March 2 against Loyola University Maryland, which will take place in Andy Kerr stadium at 12 p.m.
