UMass Boston Men’s Lacrosse started their season with a hot 18–9 win against the Emmanuel College Saints Saturday, Feb. 24. Their promising season opener was followed by a well-deserved 13–9 victory against the Clark University Cougars. Beginning the year 2–0 against extremely tough teams, it’s safe to say the team went head-on with their opponents and put them in their place.
Many names came up during these matches—both old and new—but freshman goalie James Boldy was a constant for the team. Emmanuel’s Tyler Cardinal gave Boldy a rather rude awakening, netting the first goal of the match for an early 1–0 lead. Even though this was unfortunate for the Beacons, they gave an eye-for-an-eye response as transfer Sean Daly put his strength to the test, dicing through the Saints and tying the game at one apiece via his first as a Beacon. Afterwards, the Beacons wasted no time to strike again, as freshman Dale Wills flaunted his skills with the stick, nabbing three assists in no time for UMass Boston. Rookie Jaden Cronin combined forces with returning graduate midfielders Luke Murphy and Zach Mann to inflate UMass Boston’s lead to 4–1, all three of which were assisted by Wills. However, with just four minutes left in the first quarter, the Saints utilized the man-up opportunity to make it two scores at 4–2. Despite the early battle, this was far from enough to stop the Beacons.
Daly and Greg Wolff gained momentum and closed the first quarter with a 7–3 lead. At this point, the opponent might as well have retreated, as the Beacons were putting up a tough defense with Boldy at the center of it all. The offense was picking up pace as both the newcomers and veterans joined bringing both old and new tricks to the field.
The second match against Clark proved to be a little more of a challenge as compared to the Saints. Daly was up to his usual tricks; he got the Beacons started with a completely unassisted goal. The Cougars were quick to tie the game, and this earned them retaliation from none other than Mann, as he broke through the walls of the Cougars and potted an unassisted goal of his own. Clark proceeded to tie the game at 2–2 after the first quarter.
As the second quarter began, Wills successfully landed his tenth point in his first two matches, adding more layers to his spectacular debut campaign. His goal was assisted by Patrick Dwinnells. The Cougars wasted no time in responding with a goal of their own after five minutes. Later, they gained an advantage with an extra player due to a Beacon penalty but were unable to achieve anything. Instead, Cronin and Patrick Carey scored a player-down goal together.
The teams went into half-time tied at five courtesy of an impressive show of skills by Wolff, who was assisted by Dwinells. Clark was quick to snatch the lead, but that was the last time they scored through the entirety of the match as this earned them a response from Charlie Chapman, who scored his first goal of the season. Then, it all went downhill for the Cougars; UMass Boston netted six consecutive goals. This streak was marked by star defender Sean Cullagh.
On the defensive front, Boldy held down the pipes and saved a total of 12 shots. He protected the post, making it nearly impossible for the opponents to sneak a shot past him.
The Beacons came out hard, strong and fast. Proving that they are here to stay, any foe that comes between them and the LEC title could be subject to perish. The season is off to a great start, and hopefully they continue on this track. The freshmen have proven to be a great addition to the team, and what they bring to the table is priceless. The veterans are aiming to make the best of their last season and this is translating to more goals on the field. Their dedication, determination and hard work is what separates them from the other teams. They are striving toward perfection and it can be seen on the field. The Beacons are going to be unstoppable this season. They are passionate and here to make a statement.
