By: Wyatt E. Gorman | May 6, 2021
The Albany men’s lacrosse team is entering the semifinals of the America East tournament later today without their star attackman to play against number 1 seed University of Maryland and Baltimore County on UMBC’s home turf.
The Men’s lacrosse team, which will be traveling by bus for roughly 4 hours, has 7 wins and 4 losses this season and is the number 4 seed heading into the semi-finals of the tournament. UMBC has 8 wins and 2 losses.
Albany men’s lacrosse coach Scott Marr said the team feels good heading into the tournament despite not playing “their best” and “to the standards the team wanted” against Vermont in the previous week. That game ended in a 14-12 score. He said he believes the great Danes match up well, athletically and physically, with their next opponent, UMBC.
The UAlbany men’s lacrosse team played UMBC in the regular season during the first weeks of April. They beat UMBC in a14-9 victory. Marr said believes the team played a great 3rd and 4th quarter against them and if they can do that for all four quarters this time around, the team will have no problem making their way to the finals of the tournament.
The lacrosse team dismissed its star attackmen during the 2021 regular season on March 31 due to “internal team issues,” said Coach Marr. Tehoka Nanticoke was the #1 college lacrosse recruit in the class of 2017 and is a member of the Iroquois National lacrosse team. He is a leader in points on the lacrosse field for the university of Albany before his leave. It was reported that Nanticoke had a pattern of confrontations with his teammates and coaches. Marr added that the decision was not quick and easy but had developed overtime.
The team has been practicing, watching film, making corrections and some adjustments leading up to the America East tournament. “Our game is a sport of run,” Marr said, adding they are focused on their next opponent and will not overlook them.
Midfield Junior Sam Swingruber is looking forward to the competition and overall challenge of the tournament this year, “especially because of how this past year has been with COVID-19.”
“For many teams it has been a difficult season with many setbacks. Luckily for us there have been few interruptions,” said Swingruber. The team’s regular season final was canceled against the University of Hartford because of their COVID-19 protocols before the start of the American East tournament.
On the other side of the bracket is the University of Vermont (no. 2 seed) and Stonybrook (no. 3 seed). The semifinal winners will play in the tournament’s championship game and it will be televised on ESPNU at 10 a.m. this Saturday.
The University of Albany has not beat Vermont or Stonybrook yet this season, all teams mentioned are in the America East Conference. The conference consists of ten teams.