Senior defender Ryan Cates (pictured above) scoops up a ground ball against SUNY Oswego on April 15. The men fell to Oswego with a score of 5-3, but the Knights competed hard in a game that was tight until the end (courtesy of Ben Gajewki ‘07).
As the season comes to a close, the Geneseo men’s lacrosse team wants to end on a successful note. With only two games left before competing in the SUNYAC Tournament, the team looks to elevate their energy level. In a game against SUNY Potsdam on Saturday April 21, the Knights came out with a strong performance and won 9-4.
“It’s fun to see everyone get up and down and see everyone be involved and engaged,” head coach Nick Fiorentino said. “You can see within each individual that the win was much bigger than playing a game that they love.”
Senior defender and captain Ryan Cates also believed that the Knights demonstrated their determination to defeat SUNY Potsdam.
“Everyone played their hearts out,” Cates said. “Our goalie Tyler Wetzel played really well in goal, he made the saves he had to make to keep us where we need to be and he got the ball to offense.”
The confidence and effort the team displayed during the game motivated everyone. Finally getting the ball in the back of the net sparked the team to believe how good they really can be.
Cates believes the team has a strong chance to win a SUNYAC Championship this year more than any other.
“Everyone as a team definitely knows it’s time and it’s ours for the taking,” Cates said. “As a team, we all know what we have in front of us, and that it is time to step up and run with it, as it has been a while that this program has had this opportunity.”
The Knights fell to SUNY Cortland by a score of 17-7 on Wednesday April 25. The team was looking to display their high level of energy in the game. Despite the loss, the men had a gameplan against Cortland that they plan to use in their upcoming games.
“We have just as much talent and more to match theirs” Cates said. “And a big factor that goes into that talent is our confidence.”
A factor contributing to the Knights’ success this season is the team culture that Fiorentino has created. The culture resonates in the desire to strive for greatness. Fiorentino said that striving for success is a value and principle that the team would take with themselves for the rest of their lives.
Cates said that being part of a team with high expectations and strong chemistry has helped him immensely throughout his four years at Geneseo.
“I love all the camaraderie that the guys have had” Cates said. “It’s nice to be able to talk to all of my team now, through the journey of our four years about how this program has helped each of us.”
The Knights end regular season play at home on Saturday April 28 against SUNY Potsdam. The men look to end the season on a postive note and transition into SUNYAC Tournament play with some momentum. A win against Potsdam and the final game could improve the Knights’ seeding in the SUNYAC. Look for them to come out with enthusiasm and play to the best of their ability.