After winning against Bates this past Wednesday, the Bowdoin men’s lacrosse team is on an eight-game winning streak. Though they lost their first game of the season to Amherst in a close 10-7 contest, the Polar Bears have won every game since. So far, the team’s record is 8-1 (5-1 NESCAC). The team currently sits at 13th in the Division III standings.
The team is at the point in the season in which almost all of the remaining games are against conference opponents. This usually marks the most difficult stretch of the season.
After a disappointing season last year (the team finished with a record of 3-12), captain Adam Fitzgerald ’16 said that the team has set out to make things different this year.
“Last year left a bad taste in our mouths,” said Fitzgerald. “I think all of us came together and decided that this year couldn’t be like that again. We spent a lot of time in the off-season together as a team, and I think right now we’re seeing some of the benefits of that. Hopefully we can keep that going.”
Head Coach Jason Archbell agrees that the work the team did in preparation for this season has really paid off. With the strong leadership from six seniors, who have set examples on and off the field, the team has already had much success. During the off-season, the team worked on stick skills, shooting and lifting. As a result, Archbell said that the players started the year off in great shape which is a testament to their dedication.
“It was a clear dedication from day one to making themselves the best lacrosse players they can be,” said Archbell. “When you have that dedication, you have a lot of ownership in your success. You work that hard at something, you want to be really good at it. I think our guys have worked really hard.”
What Fitzgerald sees as the key to its success is the team’s chemistry and unity.
“We’ve always been a really close team,” said Fitzgerald. “We’re all out there doing it for each other, and we know we have each other’s backs.”
Archbell added that in comparison to other years’ teams he has coached, this team has shown itself to be an especially cohesive unit.
“The team has always been really tight knit,” said Archbell. “But [this year], there’s just this positive connection between all of them, from the freshmen all the way to the seniors. More than anything, it’s a fun group to be around, and they really like being around each other too.”
The team has also gained some valuable first year players this year who have contributed a lot to the team’s success. Most notable are Clayton Wright ’19, who has 12 goals and 12 assists, and Sam Carlin ’19, who has done well during face-offs this season with a percentage of 54.6.
Other player performances that have stood out so far this season include Peter Mumford ’17 in goal, Matt Crowell ’18 and Daniel Buckman ’18 in midfield, Shawn Daly ’18 and Brett Kujala ’17 on attack and Parker Sessions ’18 on defense. Both Mumford and Kujala have been named NESCAC Players of the Week already this season.
Archbell noted that Mumford had an especially stellar performance during the game against Middlebury, in which he allowed only two goals in the second half and helped the Polar Bears win a nail-biter, 9-8, in overtime. His save percentage is 61.6, and he has had a total of 117 saves this season.
However, despite these individual performances, Fitzgerald emphasized that the team’s success comes from each of its players.
“It’s no one guy that is doing all the work,” said Fitzgerald. “We’ve figured out how to play as a team, and everyone contributes. From the starters to the end of the bench, everyone plays an important role.”
While Archbell thinks the team played well in Florida during Spring Break, both he and Fitzgerald believe that the Polar Bears have yet to play at their full potential for all four quarters of a game. In order to do so in the future, Archbell said that the team must figure out how to play with and hold on to a lead and to put constant pressure on the other team.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald emphasized that the team will need to continue staying motivated and hungry with the goal of winning the NESCAC Championship.
The team is back on the field this Saturday at Connecticut College at 1 p.m. in a conference matchup.