“They were out of control.”
That was the description that Head Coach Ted Spencer gave of the reception the men’s lacrosse team received in upstate New York last season. The opponent was Hobart, the game was a challenging ECAC contest against a premier opponent, and while the focus was on lacrosse, their attention was quickly diverted.
“Last year, Hobart’s fans were nothing short of hostile,” said Spencer. “Was it intimidating for our players? Yes.”
Shouts and curses from the dorms, obscenities from the cheering section, streakers running across the field – and that was only during the Stags’ pregame practice.
As for the actual game, Fairfield fell to the Statesmen by one, albeit controversial, “goal.”
Video evidence showed that a shot from Greg Downing ’07 did indeed creep pass the goal line with only a few seconds remaining in regulation.
The referees, however, disagreed at the time. The ruling on the shot was a save, and the call secured a win for Hobart.
A season later, Fairfield is hoping to turn the tables as the team takes on Hobart Saturday at 1 p.m. at Lessing Field
The Stags are hopeful that a strong turnout from the Red Sea and some tweaks on offense will be enough to end a three-game losing streak and put a young team back on track.
The Stags’ most recent loss came last Friday at Alumni Field in a 7-2 loss to Penn State, evening the team’s record to 3-3 on the season and 1-1 in the ECAC.
“Other than the second quarter, it was a tight game,” Spencer said, referring to the quarter in which the Stags were outscored by a 5-1 margin. “Those goals were predominantly based on our mistakes.”
“We are very young on offense, and it really showed on Friday night,” Spencer said.
Despite what may seem like a lopsided loss, the coach took several positives from the effort.
“We played as good of defense as we’ve played all year against Penn State,” said Spencer. “They played with passion, with intensity. They were aggressive – it really looked great.”
The Stags are hopeful that a fantastic defensive effort against Penn State will translate into an all-around effort against Hobart on Saturday afternoon on Lessing Field – a vital ECAC game that Spencer labeled as a “must-win.”
To aide a potential turnaround, the coaching staff has subtly tweaked the offense, including new sets at attack and changes to certain offensive formations.
One of the more significant changes includes the return of senior attackman Brendan Finnerty, who has missed two consecutive games due to injury.
The addition of a veteran player to an attackman unit that starts two freshmen certainly bodes well for Fairfield.
Another adjustment comes at goalkeeper, where senior Jeff Cilente will start again following an impressive outing against Penn State.
“I think Cilente played so well that there is a goalie controversy now. Given the way that he played, I think that it is his to lose,” said Spencer. “He did a nice job. He is going to be the stopper until he proves us otherwise.”
Spencer added, “I think there is a direct correlation between the leadership of Jeff Cilente, the way he cleared the ball, and our best defensive game all year.”
Fairfield hopes that adjustments and an optimistic outlook will translate into a successful day on Lessing Field in front of a raucous crowd, something that the men’s lacrosse team has yet to experience yet this season.
The Stags have only played two home games this season; the first game against Dartmouth fell on Spring Break, and the team’s most recent game against Penn State took place on Easter Weekend.
“I know our kids are really psyched up for that [upcoming home game] because this is our first opportunity to really get some fan support,” Spencer said. “You feed off of it. [Last season] Hobart was a tough place to play. We need that.”
The Stags are more than hopeful that a loud student section can provide the same type of home field advantage the Stags witnessed at Hobart a season ago.
“There is nothing better than being right in the heart of your campus with your fans there,” said Spencer.
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