Stevenson University men’s lacrosse (2-1) will travel north across the Mason-Dixon line to face the No. 6 Gettysburg Bullets (1-1) on at noon Saturday, March 2, at Musselman Stadium in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
The Mustangs hope to carry the momentum from their 18-12 win against Catholic University (0-2) on Wednesday, Feb. 28, into their upcoming match against a ranked opponent.
Hot from start to finish, the Mustangs took care of business against the Cardinals. Grant Zick, a junior midfielder, led the team with 5 goals, and freshman midfielder Hunter Bryant was not far behind with 3 goals and an assist of his own. Sophomore midfielder Max Racich scored a hat trick as well along with 4 assists.
“We try and treat every opponent the same. You can’t prepare for week 17 if you haven’t done the work for week one,” head coach Paul Cantabene said. “We take it one week at a time. Although, when you play a ranked team, you have to be able to handle their intensity because those games are always a bit more ramped up.”
The odds are stacked against the Mustangs this season. Their schedule pits them against many ranked teams and challenging conference games, the team has their work cut out for them.
Even with a decorated coaching staff, the team’s younger demographic allows the older players, such as senior midfielder Andrew Searing, to step up and help lead the team. This leadership translates past team lifts and practices, it’s applicable off the field, too.
“Our team operates in a collaborative environment. We are extremely open to each other’s opinions, regardless of whether you’re a freshman or a senior, your voice has just as much value,” Searing said. “We always push and try to motivate each other to get the most out of everyone in all we do. This is especially important in the offensive end because of how young we are.”
Despite the odds, Cantabene (249-82) and his notoriously successful team are ready to take on the challenge and return to the NCAA tournament after two years. The intensity of the match this weekend versus the Gettysburg Bullets sets the tone for the rest of their season.
“The team that makes the most plays between the lines is probably going to win. They’re a very good and organized team that usually plays very tough defense, and they face off very well,” Cantabene said. “We’re going to have to be prepared to limit our mistakes in order to get the W, but we’re confident we can get it done.
While the men’s team heads north for Gettysburg, the Stevenson women’s lacrosse team (0-3) will stay home to face Otterbein University (2-0) this Sunday, Mar. 3, at Mustang Stadium.
