The team traveled to Foley, Alabama to compete against four other schools over the weekend. PHOTO CREDIT: Instagram – @rhodylax
The University of Rhode Island men’s club lacrosse team finished the weekend with a four game winning streak in their Battle by the Bay tournament against the University of Miami, North Texas, Kennesaw State, and Texas A&M held in Foley, Alabama.
The Rhody Rams flew down to Alabama with just about half the team in attendance. According to third-year player Luke Senecal, there were scheduling conflicts that were resolved too late to the point when prices got too expensive for the team. Senecal discussed that even with the several practices and drills that the team went through leading up to the weekend, there was still a playing curve that the team had to adjust to.
The tournament started off on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. as Rhody took on the University of Miami. In the close game, the Rams came out on top with a 12-11 win. As relieved as the team was to win their first game, they knew they had to start preparing for their second game of the tournament that took place later that day. At 4 p.m, the team went up against North Texas, sweeping them off the field with a 21-3 game win.
Bright and early at 9 a.m. Sunday morning the team got ready to play against Kennesaw State in their third game of the tournament. Senecal acknowledged before heading into the tournament that Kennesaw State was their biggest competitor in the tournament.
The Rams started off the day with another close game beating their opponent in a 10-9 win. To close out the weekend, on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. the team faced Texas A&M in Foley, defeating them with a 12-3 win.
Senecal highlighted a few points he has picked up as a lacrosse player over the years and how it has benefited him from working with this team. Senecal explained that one of the big aspects of being a part of a team is that each player should hold themselves as well as others accountable for the input they give to the team.
“If they are not getting the playing time they want, don’t just say my bad, redeem yourself in the next play and continue to redeem yourself,” Senecal said.
Head coach Larry Madeira wants the team to succeed just like any other coach, and just like any coach he has his own catchphrase. That phrase has stuck with the team’s players throughout the season.
“Your best is good enough,” Madeira said.
Senecal added more context to this catchphrase, by elaborating that he means he expects the team to give it their all and by doing so that will allow the team to become more successful.
Heading into the first game, coach Madeira noticed that the team was prepared and ready to play. Senecal expressed that the University of Miami was a tough school to beat but even so Rhody still came out on top.
“We knew that they were going to be a hard team to beat. We really had to be prepared to play them,” Senecal said.
As the team looked forward to the second game of the weekend, Senecal explained that they were aware the University of North Texas would not be their biggest competitors.
“We went into the game knowing that it was going to be easy,” Senecal said. “They scored on us twice in the beginning and that’s when we realized that we had to get our head in the game and really start to focus.”
He went on to explain that even though that team might have been an easy win, they initially walked into the game with a little bit too much of an ego that could have cost them the game if they didn’t start to focus as early on in the game as they eventually did.
Other than a typical pregame playlist, Senecal added that each team member keeps to themselves while traveling. On the way back home was the biggest part of the journey that the team struggled with. Senecal himself has faced some injuries since being home from the tournament.
“21 guys, a little bit more than half of the team, everyone’s hurting in some capacity,” Senecal said.
With the team’s next game against Iona within the week, Senecal discussed that this would be a competitive game. He also explained that the team will be competing against the University of Connecticut at the end of the season.
“Last game against UConn will be the toughest game of the season,” Senecal said.
As the team prepared themselves for this past weekend’s tournament, they knew that a couple of the teams were going to be more challenging for them than others. However, the Rams still managed to make it out on top and came home with a four game winning streak.