By Jodie Ng, News Correspondent
The score was tied, 4-4, and with only seconds left to go, senior attacker David Rapp scored the winning goal for the Northeastern men’s club lacrosse team, bringing the Huskies their first win at the annual Boston Autumn Classic tournament.
“It was great to come from behind in the last couple minutes and get the W,” sophomore attack Christian Nichols said.
The Boston Autumn Classic, hosted by Northeastern, took place this past Sunday at Parsons Field. It kicked off with a battle between the University of New Hampshire and the University of Vermont. The Huskies first played the UNH Wildcats in which Rapp’s tally brought the score to 5-4 – a highlight of the weekend.
It was a close game throughout all four quarters, with the lead changing back and forth. The Huskies momentum continued as they dominated Vermont, defeating them 8-0, but their streak was cut short when they went head to head with Boston College and faltered, 6-3.
“The UNH game was great because we shaped the course that pulled out the win,” coach Ben Severance said, “but with the BC game, I think we’re just trying to make individual plays so we lost that team effort.”
“I think the first half on defense we played really, really well,” senior Justin Miller said. “I think that was attributed to the whole team’s defense being really tight. Everyone was helping each other out. I just really want our defense as a unit to be one of the best in the country.”
Despite one loss, the team showed their strong passion and their talent on the field. Miller is confident that they are “going to be contenders” in the Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse League (PCLL). However, Boston College is the only team that stands in the way of the Huskies’ journey to victory at the PCLL.
“They’ve won the conference the past five or six years so they’re definitely the team we want to knock off,” Miller said.
For these Huskies, it doesn’t matter if they are in pre-season or the spring season, they remain just as diligent and committed. Severance said he is proud of the team because they “showed a lot of fight” during the tournament and a “no-quit attitude, which is exciting to see from a coach’s perspective.”
Sunday’s games could be only the beginning of what the Huskies will bring.
“I’m excited about the spring and what we can do,” Severance said. “I think there’s a positive energy within the group and everyone wants to be there and play, so from the top and the bottom of the roster we’ve got a united front and excitement that will hopefully let us work a little harder and make us win a few more games. ”
While the Boston Autumn Classic is the last game the team will play before the holidays, both the players and Severance are optimistic about the spring season, knowing that the team’s talent could carry them far.
“We’re always just trying to get better and take one step forward to being the best team that we can be,” Nichols said. “We’re out here getting as much time as we can even when it’s cold, night, morning, weekends, we’re trying to get better. Going off from last year, we’re hungry. We want to win.”
