A trip to Florida during Spring break would sound great to almost any UMB student that had to remain behind in this “cooler” clime. The UMass Boston lacrosse team will be heading to Orlando to face New England College on Wednesday March 19 for their opening game this season.
Although UMass Boston annually fields one of the better teams in the Little East Conference, this season looks to be a tough one for the lacrosse team. Coach Myles Berry returns at the helm for his 16th season at UMB. He has been the coach of the lacrosse team since its beginning.
Berry will have to work a bit of magic this season if the team is to produce another winning season. Eastern Connecticut State and Keene State will once again field the top two teams in the LEC. Although the UMB squad returns three players that made All-conference First Team, there is a serious concern about shortage of midfielders. Coach Berry hopes that it can be overcome.
“If it weren’t for the losses at midfield, we would be in pretty good shape. For various reasons, five players that were expected back did not return.”
Depth is a major concern for Berry. In order to combat the shortage, the coach has had to make some significant changes on the field. Senior Craig Archambault is a perfect example. An All-Conference first teamer as a defender last season, Archambeault will become a midfielder in order to combat the lack of numbers. But even with such changes, Berry feels that the overall depth is “worse than usual” and that it could be a huge problem.
“We’ve never had a huge number of players on the roster. Look, two years ago, we had 16 players and we made the ECAC playoffs. It comes down to having good players.”
The team, however, has demonstrated a fine work ethic in practice and the players appear to be in good shape.
Berry sees the key to a successful season summed up in three important points: maximize their strength at the offensive and defensive ends of the field; hide their inexperience; and play smart in the midfield.
If individuals with lacrosse experience are interested in playing for UMass Boston, contact coach Berry at (617) 287-7822.