We’re midway through the spring semester which means that one of Concordia’s most exciting sports is out in full swing. Both men’s and women’s lacrosse have gotten going with mixed results so far.

The women are off to a flyer so far starting their preseason tournament 4-0. Senior midfielder Jessi Borton said, “I think we can go even further than 12-7 this year. We may have less numbers this season, but there is so much more talent and grit and we are closer as a team than ever before.”

“I believe this team this year will accomplish much more than last year, not only on the field but also on campus as well!” said senior attacker Riley Finch. “I’ve played lacrosse here for four years now and this roster has been the most consistent and driven team by far.”

The women have grown as a unit both on and off the field, and they’re ready to put it all together this year. “The key to our success in this season so far has been the fact that we are bonded more as teammates,” said Borton. “We had so much confidence going into the Santa Barbara tournament, and that definitely played a role in our overall record.”

“I believe this team is closer than ever. You can see on campus, and we are in continuous contact and want to be together,” said Finch.

Effort and discipline are the message for these ladies and none of them are sleeping on the importance of hard work.

“Coach Dylan is emphasizing E+R=O, which is our events plus our reactions to those events will be our outcome,” said Finch. I believe this phrase for our team will help us grow together and get us further down the road, especially when the teams grow tougher in competition.”

The team has a lot to be excited for this season as they want to continue their hot hand moving forward.

“I am most looking forward to playing USD this season, as they have been one of our close rivals for a few years now. They have a lot of talent and athleticism across the board, so it will be a great matchup,” said Borton.

“I think Santa Barbara, for our playoffs in April,” said Finch when asked what game she’s most excited for. ”It’s always an enjoyable time together when we go away and stay in a hotel and also a way to test our abilities together on a big stage.”

Stay up to date with the lady Eagles on Instagram @cuiwlax and make sure to attend their first home game vs UCI on March 4.

On the other side, it’s been rough sledding for our men’s team so far. They started the season 1-2 after narrowly falling to Lees-McRae in Tennessee.

The team knows that this record is not reflective of how the rest of their season will go.

“What we believe we are capable of is to win the RMAC conference and go to the NCAA Div II National Tournament,” said junior attackman Reece Lapham.

Lapham netted a goal in their second game victory over Alabama Huntsville. “What changed was being disciplined in what we do and playing hard,” said Lapham when asked how they bounced back from their opening loss. “We all played to our strengths and for one another.”

The team is working hard to ensure that that win is the first of many.

“The key for us to take another step in the right direction is to keep adding to our game individually and as a team,” said Lapham. “Another thing that we focus on is that we need 100% commitment from all our teammates to be a successful program. This starts with creating a brotherhood so we are willing to go all out for the guys next to us.”

That culture is going to be needed from top to bottom for the team with Lapham citing Jake Cloutier, Joseph Switzer and Matt Carresi as key leaders for this team.

Coach Jesse Foss is working hard every day in practice to make sure that the men are at the top of their game mentally and physically, practicing “quality” play with “intent.”

Make sure to come support the men in their next home game on March 12 against Northwest Nazarene University and stay up to date on instagram @cuilax.

Tags: Lacrosse, Men's Athletics, women's athletics

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