Despite their loss to SUNY Oswego on Sunday April 15, the Geneseo men’s lacrosse team is looking forward to improving as the weather warms up.
After this 5-3 loss, the Knights now have an overall record of 6-5 and a conference record of 1-2. The team currently sits at fourth place in the SUNYAC standings.
The game against Oswego was tight from beginning to end, and the Lakers were only able to pull away after scoring two consecutive goals in the fourth quarter. The Geneseo offense was led by freshman midfielder James Pratt, who scored twice.
The Knights did not catch the breaks that they would have liked to against Oswego, but they intend to work hard on fundamentals, according to head coach Nick Fiorentino. The key to becoming a winner is preparation inside and outside of practice, Fiorentino added.
“With putting in the effort outside of practice, you have the ability to come into practice with a high expectation of what you want to achieve,” Fiorentino said. “With this, you can hold yourself and your teammates accountable.”
The team’s practices highlight the fundamentals by dedicating a considerable amount of time to individual skill. The practices start by working on shooting and dodging. They then progress into repetitive action of specific concepts, both defensively and offensively. The last leg of practice is dedicated to running full field and specific game day situations.
As the season has progressed, the team has taken some positive steps forward defensively. They have also improved on clearing the ball. The Knights look to play at a faster pace, as this style of play is hard to defend.
With this being Fiorentino’s second year coaching the Knights, he has dedicated a considerable amount of time into forming a strong team culture.
“I’m grateful every day to coach and lead [these] young men. I knew going into college I wanted to be an educator, and I wanted to teach. I have a strong passion for it,” Fiorentino said.
Fiorentino stated that hard work, facing adversity and recognizing opportunities are the things he wants the Knights to appreciate.
“The values and principles that I learned from my college coach really carried me to where I am now,” Fiorentino said. “These are the type of things I want to instill in these young men.”
There are many factors impacting which players get time on the field. Fiorentino explained that the ultimate goal is for the best players to play—it goes into what you contribute on and off the field, as well as consistently putting forth the maximum effort.
The relentless energy of this year’s team is one of the main things that Fiorentino finds admirable.
“They have a strong will to win each and every game,” Fiorentio said. “This is a team that wants to leave a legacy, as they hold the lacrosse program in high regard.”
The Knights are excited to continue to develop skills as the season comes to a close. The men will host SUNY Potsdam on Saturday April 21 at 1 p.m.