BSU Men’s Lacrosse Team Looks for Repeat Stellar 2016 Season
By David Creed
Staff Writer
The Bridgewater State Men’s Club Lacrosse team is experiencing what could be their greatest season in the program’s history. The Men’s Lacrosse Team is a club team that is a part of the Division II Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse League (PCLL), where they generally compete against other club teams in the New England area.
This season the players hope to improve after last seasons success. The team is expected to come in full throttle this upcoming season. “Coming off a trip to the MCLA National Tournament powered by Under Armour, to go along with BSU’s first PCLL Championship as a program, we are obviously looking to repeat (as champions) this season,” said Duarte. “With a defense that did not graduate one player from last year, we plan on being a defensive powerhouse this spring” he added.
As Duarte pointed out, this most recent PCLL Championship was the first in the program’s history, which goes to show just how far this men’s lacrosse program has come in these most recent years. For Duarte and the rest of the men on this team, they’ve seen a noticeable change in the program over these past 3-4 years. “My freshmen year was when the program really stepped up and began to make a name for ourselves,” said Duarte. “With some of our coaches being past players, it is crazy to hear their stories of practicing in a parking lot and playing on the grass.”
This program has gone from having close to nothing, with very little expectations from the students and staff that make up this University, to having great expectations to live up to. Duarte reflects on the team’s success, stating, “We start this season ranked 16th in the nation, something that guys who played throughout the 2000s could have never imagined.” The players certainly have plenty of expectations to live up to, but with the return of many key players and a championship pedigree now next to their name, they’re more than ready to take on the challenge.
