By Amir Abdelrady//The Hood College Men’s lacrosse team experienced a rough start to their 2016 season due to snow, but now enter the third week with one win and two losses.
“Working around the snow was difficult,” said Brad Barber, head coach of the team. “With limited field time, it’s hard to implement a full-field, game scenario during practices, and it’s even harder to work the players’ with such little space.”
Along with multiple practices being cancelled or rescheduled before the season had begun, Hood’s season opener against Southern Virginia was cancelled on February 13th, due to inclement weather.
Junior captain, Nick Masucci felt very strongly about the cancellation of the season opener against Southern Virginia.
“The snow at the beginning of the season was really frustrating because it caused us to miss a lot of practices on the field, and even our first game,” said Masucci. “We didn’t get a chance to practice what we planned to execute during the season.”
“Having an extra game to play during the beginning of the season is always a good thing,” Barber adds. “It gives the players a chance to get out any butterflies and really get a feel for the field as it was in fact some of the players first collegiate level game.”
Members of the Hood lacrosse team.
The following week, the Blazers faced off against Rosemont on February 21st, but lost in the last few seconds 10-9.
“We could have won that game, and we should have,” said senior defensive captain, Tucker Palmer. “We were up five to two at the half, but we just couldn’t hold the lead. Everyone was too tense.”
The Blazers were able to overcome their rough start as they clenched their first victory over Immaculata University ten to six on February 25th.
“The guys didn’t fold at all after the half, they came out knowing what they wanted, and followed through with the game plan,” Barber said. Palmer would seem to agree as he said “, the team went in with more of a game plan. We got ourselves ahead early in the game, and we simply stayed up.”