(Feature photo courtesy of Berry Athletics)

By Bryce Koon, Reporter

The Berry men’s lacrosse team has felt the struggles that come with the one of the toughest out-of-conference schedules in the nation. The Vikings currently sit at 1-4 on the season after a brutal opening stretch that saw them face the number two ranked team in the country, Salisbury.

There can be pros and cons of having such a tough non-conference slate. If you are victorious, then you can rest knowing that you beat one of the top teams in the country while boosting your NCAA tournament resume. If you lose, it will not be considered a bad loss and the team can take lessons from those losses.

According to senior Josh Baker, this is the approach the Vikings are trying to take when reflecting on their season so far.

“Our schedule so far has helped us make tremendous strides as a team,” Baker said. “When you play against the best, it reveals both strengths and weaknesses that you might have not been aware of.”

After dropping their first four games, two of them in overtime, it seems the Vikings figured themselves out in their first victory of the year over Virginia Wesleyan, 17-7.

With the Vikings starting to gain momentum, their preseason goals remain the same.

“Our goal is still the same and that is to be conference champions,” Baker said. “It is something that we seniors have worked for almost four years now.”

As the Vikings wrap up their non-conference slate and begin SAA play, they are seeking to keep a positive and upbeat attitude.

“We are at our best when we work together as a team,” Baker said, “It doesn’t matter who makes the play or scores, in the end we just want to win.”