Men’s Lacrosse Loses Championship to Salisbury

Recognized as the 2nd seeded team in the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) tournament, Frostburg State University’s Men’s Lacrosse team advanced to the championship game May 2 against Salisbury University. However, the Bobcats lost to Sea Gulls  14-5.

Before entering the championship game, Mary Washington University competed against Frostburg State University in the semifinal CAC tournament game, on April 25, 2015. The Bobcat men were able to take a 7-6 victory after trailing behind the Eagles with a score of 6-5. The Bobcat men were able to score back to back goals, allowing them to not only take the victory but advance into the finals.

Sophomore Sterling Hardy spoke out about the CAC tournament and what the team’s goals were. When asked what the team’s mindset is going into the upcoming championship titled game, Hardy stated, “going into the upcoming CAC tournament I would say our team’s mindset would be confident. We train day in and day out and we know that when we play within our strengths and do what we practiced, we can win this CAC championship. No one has any doubt that winning the CAC championship can be accomplished”.

The team’s feeling of confidence is a self-assured one. The season had gone extremely well which has allowed for the team to gain confidence knowing that they have the potential to go far. “I would say the season is going phenomenal. As a team we all bought into what our coaches have preached to us, and with how we have been playing, we really are very fortunate to be in the position that we are,” Hardy states.

Along with the CAC tournament being the team’s top priority goal, the NCAA tournament has been in the eyes of the coaches and players since day one. Hardy adds, “along with our team’s expectation of winning the CAC tournament, our goal since the beginning of the season has been to make it to the NCAA tournament for the first time. And with the success we have had throughout the season it is safe to say that expectation still remains.”

These Bobcat men are proving that they are capable of accomplishing anything when it comes to hard work along with teamwork. This effort is done by “encouraging and challenging each other to be more than what we are. Whether it’s a practice or game, we all want to see each other go 110 percent every time we step on the field”. Hardy also stated that in order to reach their NCAA tournament goal, the team must play hard in practice in order for them to be successful come game time.

At the season’s end, Frostburg Men’s Lacrosse team’s record is 16-3.

Head Coach Tommy Pearce was named CAC Coach of the Year, and five players were selected to the first team all-CAC. These five are senior defender Zach Burkhardt, senior attack Devin Colegrove, senior midfielders Chris Rios and Tate Rolland, and junior goalkeeper Tom Kraemer

Senior defender Paul Newman, senior midfielder Greg Bourne, and junior faceoff specialist Erik Geiser were named to the second team all CAC.