Ward Sutlive, Campus Carrier sports editor
Cole Baggett, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor
After a string of losses, a win can be exactly what a team needs to regain their inspiration. Curtis Gilbert, coach of the men’s lacrosse team, said this about his team’s two consecutive wins against Oglethorpe University and Southern Virginia University. While Gilbert had felt that his team struggled in certain areas during earlier games, he feels like his team fired on all cylinders this time around, especially during the Oglethorpe match.
“It was definitely an earned win,” Gilbert said. “This is one of our better team efforts, and if we’re able to play like we did last night, I think that we’re going to be really tough down in the home stretch.”
Several players this season have been motivated to improve in various ways. Senior long stick midfielder Derek Black is now in a leadership position that incentivizes him to be more vocal on the field than he has been in the past. Being one of three senior players on defense, Black has dedicated himself to being a reliable mentor for newer players as previous upperclassmen were for him.
“We had a lot of really good mentors our freshman and sophomore year that showed us how to do things the right way, and so if we can be that for underclassmen then it feels like paying it forward and keeps us going,” Black said.
Being a senior, Black has had ample time to reflect on his journey with lacrosse over the past four years. He sees his leadership role as a culmination of his hard work and growth across many seasons. His role as a mentor for the team has allowed Black to reflect on where he once was as he now finds himself in the very position he once looked up to.
“Freshman year I was 150 pounds soaking wet, and wasn’t passing any lifting tests, so to see where I am now, where I’m considered to be someone you could get advice from for the lifting tests, has been really cool,” Black said.
Another example of where players find their motivation to improve can be seen in Finny McClendon, a junior offensive midfielder, who attributes his strength and motivation to his relationship with God. McClendon reflects back on this season so far with pride in how he has maintained his composure through tough losses and difficult times. Despite these hurdles, McClendon says, his faith in God has always pushed him to get back up and push himself even harder.
“In everything I do, even when times are tough and I don’t feel like putting in the extra work, I want to perform the best so that I can glorify God,” McClendon said.
Each player’s drive to improve was put on full display in the team’s 20-2 victory over Oglethorpe University. Coach Gilbert described the game as a strong boost in confidence and a well-earned victory amidst a recent string of losses. Gilbert said that despite recent losses, the team remained confident in their ability to win going into the game.
“We believe in one another, and we believe in ourselves, so we just have to trust the process,” Gilbert said.
The team’s camaraderie has also been strengthened this season. According to Black, his fellow players are very good at recognizing and playing off each other’s strengths. During the game against Oglethorpe, Black felt that his strengths were clear during the game, including the hyper-awareness that he tries to display on the field. In general, Black wants to honor the hard work that he puts into the team, and he believes that the best way for him to do that is being the best leader and player he can be.
“I’ve played lacrosse for as long as I can remember,” Black said. “And a lot of it for me is honoring people like my parents and past coaches who have made a lot of sacrifices to
get me here.”
McClendon states that during their game against Oglethorpe, the team scored first and ultimately racked up a staggering nine goals in the first quarter.
“We haven’t been the first team to score for the majority of our losses, and the majority of our games in general, so we wanted to be the first team to score this time,” McClendon said.
The team has several goals that they want to achieve. Gilbert’s primary goal is to win the conference championship. It has been about two years since the team was the best in the conference, and Gilbert wants to help the returning players regain that level of skill as well as inspire new ones. He also wants to build the team’s confidence. He wants them to know when to make the proper plays, and also get them to the point where they can possess the assess themselves without being overly critical.
“We’re always chasing this version of our best, and I hope it’s out there somewhere,” Gilbert said.
According to Black, the team’s practice strategies were a major contributor to their victory. During the week leading up to the game, the team dedicated certain days to specific types of training. On Monday, they focused primarily on honing their offensive and defensive sets. On Tuesday, they watched recording of Oglethorpe in action analyzing their moves and looking for weaknesses to exploit.
“In practice, you have to execute not just whatever you’re emphasizing that day, but also the little parts of the game,” Black said. “So it’s a lot of stuff in a short amount of time, but it helps us try to be the best that we can be.”
The team’s next game will be against the University of the South this Saturday in Sewanee, Tenn. The players are eagerly preparing for this match, and plan to employ many of the same strategies that they previously used. The team hopes to keep up their winning streak, but will make adjustments if necessary.
“Every year’s different, but this year they’ve had some adversity,” Gilbert said. “And it’s just awesome to see them still want to be together with one another.