The UMass Boston’s men’s lacrosse team had a very busy spring break. They fell 6-13 to Skidmore College March 12, followed by another disappointing 10-17 loss against the College of Wooster March 15. But things started looking up for the Beacons as they brought home a 9-7 win against Southwestern University March 18, followed by a 14-10 win over Eastern Connecticut State Warriors March 23.
After Skidmore shot the opening goal in their March 12 game against UMass Boston, senior Matt Hutchings netted the first goal for the Beacons. The second quarter saw six goals from the opponents, while the Beacons registered only two. Hutchings completed a hat-trick by the end of the quarter.
The trajectory for the rest of the game was set. By the end of the first half, it was very clear that the day did not belong to the Beacons. The third quarter saw four more goals from the opponent, compared to one from the Beacons netted by junior Patrick Dwinnells.
The fourth quarter concluded with a 6-13 loss for the Beacons, the lowest they have scored in a game so far.
The Beacons tried their best to make it up in their next game against Wooster.
Wooster scored four goals in the first six minutes — the Fighting Scots controlled possession and tempo for majority of the first quarter, ending with a 8-3 lead over the Beacons. Throughout the second quarter, the Beacons were still struggling offensively and defensively, while the opponent extended their lead to 12-4 by halftime.
The Beacons picked up their pace in the third half and outscored Wooster 4-3, driven by sophomore Tyler Hilgert and senior Brayden MacLean. Senior Holden Kuznair walled up the Beacons’ defense, holding his ground against their opponents. UMass Boston continued their efforts in the fourth quarter, but could not make up for their lack of in the first half. Wooster successfully secured its 17-10 victory over the Beacons.
Things finally started looking up for the Beacons on March 18 as they took over Southwestern University. The Beacons shot first when senior Nolen Beauregard found his way to the back of the Pirates net. After this, the opponent’s fate was sealed, but for now, they closed the first quarter with a 3-3 tie.
In the second quarter, the Pirates responded to the Beacons attack and secured a late 7-6 lead by the end. The second half saw a fired-up James Boldy holding down the fort — this allowed the offense to pick up their momentum. Seniors Matt Laverty and MacLean secured UMass Boston’s 9-7 win.
This game helped the Beacons gain their momentum back, and they took on the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors with much more confidence and determination March 23. The Beacons wasted no time — they already had three goals to their name in under 90 seconds. After junior Jaden Cronin opened the game, the first quarter ended with a whopping 6-2 lead for the Beacons.
The Warriors picked up in the second quarter as they cut their deficit to just 7-6 by the end of the first half. The third quarter saw an 8-8 tie between the teams, but Dwinnells did not agree with this. He started a four-goal run, outshooting the opponent and finishing out the quarter with a 12-8 Beacons lead.
The fourth quarter was the final nail in the Warriors’ coffin as the Beacons protected their lead. Beauregard anchored the defense, securing the 14-10 victory.
