Many might have been skeptical about the Cavaliers success this season without All-American Casey Grugan on the team anymore. Starting the season 0-2 for the first time since 2005 didn’t make matters any better.
On Saturday, March 12, the Cabrini men’s lacrosse team proved everyone wrong after picking up their second win in a row at home and dominating over Kenyon College 15-7.
“It’s just like every year when you’re trying to figure everything out and which guys to put in which position,” head coach Steve Colfer said. “Casey was obviously a very good player and I wouldn’t say that since he’s no longer on the team is the reason we haven’t won every game. It’s just guys finding new roles and us starting to click on offense. I think we’re starting to do that in the last two games with scoring double digit goals. I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Although the weather wasn’t that warm on Saturday, it didn’t stop the Cavs from being on fire with their shots. The offense had 54 shots on goal and had 13 players with at least one point. Sophomore midfielder Jeff Crosby led all scorers with a team-high four points with four goals for the Cavaliers in the victory. Senior midfielder Dan Terenick and freshman attackman Matt Biegel both followed with three points each and a combined total of five goals.
“Whether they’re underclassmen or upperclassmen, everyone always has a strong vibe and is picking each other up,” Ryan Sankey, junior communication major, said. “The underclassmen know what to do when they get in because they go with the upperclassmen. It’s just continuous coming down the line. Everyone just feeds off each other.”
The defensive line also contributed to the victory allowing only 26 shots on goal. Sophomore Erick Zarzecki started in goal for the Cavs and played almost 50 minutes while letting up only five goals and recorded eight saves. Freshman Steve Oppenheimer replaced Zarzecki in the fourth quarter, playing 11 minutes and recording two saves.
“We are all improving as the season goes but we are hoping to improve in all areas of the game,” Mike Guerenlian, senior business major, said. “Our strongest point is our defense. They are an impenetrable fortress of awesomeness.”
Guerenlian had two assists in Saturday’s game and contributed eight out of the 15 face-off wins while seniors Joe Strain and Mark Hamilton had a combined seven face-off wins.
Although the season might have started off a little rocky, the Cavs and coach Colfer are still confident in having a successful season with hopes of winning the CSAC title for the eleventh year in a row and going as far into the tournament as possible.
“We played two really good teams that we lost to,” Colfer said. “We want to win every game and that’s our expectation especially when we’re at home. We just had to keep firing and keep working and moving guys around the board. If we did that I thought the goals would start to come and the last two games they have. We bounced back with two good wins this week so we’re happy.”
The Cavaliers will try to continue their winning streak when they play their second game of the season on the road against Fairleigh Dickinson University on Saturday, March 19.
