The Colgate University Men’s Lacrosse team began their highly anticipated season this past weekend with a 14-18 loss to then-No.7 ranked Penn State. The Nittany Lions held a narrow lead throughout the game, and while the Raiders fought hard, they ultimately fell short of winning their season opener.
Sophomore Casey Quinson led the offense with three goals, while senior captain Hunter Drouin followed close behind with two. Drouin was recognized for the third consecutive season as a USA Lacrosse Preseason Honorable Mention at midfield. Sophomore goalie Andrew Lehrman led the defense with an outstanding 15 saves against a high-powered Penn State offensive lineup.
The team’s loss to Penn State is only the beginning of what is set to be a challenging, yet competitive, season. The Raiders are slated to play 13 regular season games, six of which are against nationally ranked opponents such as No. 14 University of Virginia, No. 13 Harvard University, No. 17 Boston University, No. 3 Syracuse University and No. 12 Army.
Senior captains Drouin and Patty Eldredge expressed their confidence in leading the team through another successful season and, hopefully, another conference championship.
“This year’s team is the most cohesive and talented unit that I have been a part of in my four years at Colgate,” Eldredge said. “Thanks to our coaches, our team will be well prepared for every opponent we match up against this season.”
“While the roster has changed, team culture and identity remains the same. We train the same, practice the same and expectations are even higher,” Drouin added. He mentioned how the team will be relying on younger players like sophomores Freddy Fowler, Casey Quinson, Andrew Lehrman and Andrew Kiefer to have breakout seasons.
Head Coach Matt Karweck also shared his hopes and expectations for the season.
“Our program values will always be grit, growth and gratitude. That is our identity. Our first years have been recruited that way, and our returners live it everyday,” he said.
Coach Karweck went on to praise the senior leadership from players like Ben Thomas, Miller Marks, Will Rose, Larkin Divine, Jake Kozlowski and Cam Essensa as the backbone of the program.
Both the players and Karweck stressed the importance of honing in on fundamentals throughout their preseason.
“We’ve been hammering away at these [fundamentals] for weeks, and now we begin to solidify our style of play. Expect physical, high-pace and fearless energy if you come out to a game this year,” Karweck said.
As prepared as the team feels for the season, they also acknowledge the obstacles that lie ahead.
“There are always ups and downs over the course of a season. As long as our team is able to recognize that growth is not linear, we will be able to get past any bump in the road,” Eldredge said.
Drouin agreed with Eldredge, saying how the biggest challenge for the Raiders this year will be their own expectations.
“The marker of a good season is a lot different this year than it has been in previous ones. We need to keep our end goal in mind despite the ups and downs,” Drouin said.
With four players transferring in the offseason, key roles have opened up, and attention has turned towards the players who might be ready to take on a bigger role this season.
“We have some guys that are going to make a name for themselves this season. While I could name a handful, one to really look out for is Quinn Spillet,” Drouin said. “He’s an older offensive guy that is fully healthy and ready to make an immediate impact. Also guys like Jack Carrabine — who has been an impact player for years — is stepping into a veteran leadership role.”
Despite a difficult schedule, both in and out of conference, there is no question that the Raiders are set to endure a competitive and exciting season with a young and lively roster. When asked to reflect on what would make the team feel as though they had a successful season, Karweck shared a question his mentor always told him: “Have you ever played a game that you didn’t want to win?”
His players echoed this mindset and stressed that the end goal is a national championship.
