Sports

Men's lacrosse finally absolves Red Devils with win

In print | March 26, 2009

For the first time since 2003, Garnet men’s lacrosse scored a victory against the Red Devils of Dickinson.

This Saturday, the Garnet flew past Dickinson in a 10-5 contest at Clothier Field, marking the team’s first Centennial Conference victory of the season. The win boosts Swarthmore to a record of 2-3 overall and a record of 1-1 in conference play.

Goalie Kevin Friedenberg ’10 continued to be a powerful and reliable force for Swarthmore. “Nothing got past him,” commented Joe Niagara ’12. Indeed, Friedenberg posted a career-high 18 saves, with seven in the first period alone. Friedenberg also came away with four ground balls, a team-high for the day.

Not to be outdone, the Garnet offense also did not disappoint. Shooting precision was key: Out of 23 shots, Swarthmore managed to find the back of the net ten times.

On the flip side, of 40 shots put up by Dickinson, only five slipped past Friedenberg.

An assortment of players combined to reach success on the offensive end. Tyler Bradshaw ’10 led the Garnet with four goals, a career-high. Max Hubbard ’12 came away with two unassisted goals, as did Will Predun ’09.

Gavin Musynske ’10 also scored two goals, one of which was assisted by co-captain Ben Young ’09. Co-captain David DeSimone ’09 also recorded an assist, aiding one of Bradshaw’s four tallies.
The impressive performance of the Swarthmore attacks stood in stark contrast to past struggles. “We were able to hold on to the ball and win possession time,” Bradshaw said.

He continued that, earlier in the season, “the team has been plagued by an inability to control the ball in high-pressure situations.”

Much has been said about replenishing the Garnet roster, which was hit hard by graduation in 2008. Several new faces have stepped up and made an impact so far.

Bradshaw cited Hubbard in the attack, along with John Buckawyn ’12 in the midfield and Matt Bowers ’12 on defense, as important additions to the team.

Players with experience aim to aid the transition to college lacrosse for the newcomers. “The older guys on the team … understand that freshmen make mistakes and are encouraging when you mess up,” Hubbard said.

Classmate Niagara cited Jake Metzger ’09 as a key figure in his development, noting him as someone “who has developed into a team leader that the younger guys like myself look up to.”
As the middle of the season approaches, the team has high hopes as they integrate into a cohesive, revamped Garnet squad.

According to Bradshaw, “this year’s team goal is to win those close conference games that slipped through our hands last year” and, as always, to make it to the Centennial Conference championship.
The Garnet will return to Clothier Field on Saturday, when they will take on conference rival Muhlenberg (0-2, 0-5 CC) at 2:30 p.m.

Disclosure Note: Sports Columnist Kevin Friedenberg is a member of the men’s lacrosse team but had no role in the production of this article.