For the Geneseo men’s lacrosse team, this season hasn’t gone according to plan, but that has not deterred its players. The Knights are currently sitting at 3-7 with three games to go – guaranteeing them a sub-.500 record.
All three of the remaining games should be winnable for the team, due to the extra time the Knights have had to prepare. They dropped their last game to St. John Fisher College on Saturday April 12. According to head coach Jim Lyons, having more time to prep is an extremely valuable thing.
“Having the extra time is always a benefit. We were able to give the guys a day off, then watch a day worth of film which we haven’t been able to do recently due to so many games,” he said. “We now have three good days on the field to prepare for an important conference game.”
The break in play should allow any bumps and bruises to heal by next game – leaving the mental side of the game left to be handled. With many of their losses coming by just one goal, the Knights have naturally been dealing with frustration.
“Losing so many one-goal games puts a strain on us mentally, but that is something that we sort out every day in practice,” Lyons said.
The extra practices should provide ample time for the team to sort out how to stop SUNY Oswego on Saturday April 19.
If Geneseo can win its last games of the year, then the conference tournament is very much within reach – and once there, the team can wipe the slate clean and start over.
The message Lyons has been preaching all year is to take the season one game at a time.
“It could be three games left, or one game or 10 games the message is the same. Practice hard, prepare for the next game and focus on the task in front of you,” Lyons said of his coaching philosophy.
With the season winding down, this mentality might be the Knights last shot into the SUNYACs.
After the Lakers, the Knights face SUNY Cortland and SUNY Potsdam, currently the first and second seeded teams in the conference, respectively.