Ealges Fall to Bay State Rival

Pit a team in the top 20 against a team whose future existence is shrouded in doubt and you don’t exactly need to phone the Psychic Friends Network to see the results: Goliath always wins.

Such was the case on Wednesday night when the men’s lacrosse team faced the UMass Minutemen, the 16th ranked team in the country, in a predictable early season loss under the lights at Alumni Stadium.

The Eagles, who went into Wednesday’s game 1-2, were overmatched and outgunned 17-5 by a team with postseason hopes, but the men of the Heights valiantly fought hard. It was clear that it was going to be one of those days when UMass midfielder Jeff Seals speared the ball off the face-off, blew through the BC defense, and fired a laser at Eagle goaltender and captain, Tom Gallagher. Gallagher responded brilliantly, turning away the game’s first test in the opening seconds.

But UMass would not be denied so easily.

For the majority of the first quarter, UMass swarmed the net, attacking Gallagher from all angles. The senior goaltender did what he could, making some phenomenal reaction saves as he bounded from post to post, but the Minutemen were too much. Their speed and off-the-ball movement often exposed the weary BC defensemen and left Gallagher to protect the twine by himself.

When the UMass fury had ebbed, the Eagles stared wide-mouthed at a 7-0 deficit. But in the face of a discouraging loss on their home field, the team rallied behind first year coach Dave Curnick.

Curnick has been able to slip into the coaching void left by former commander-in-chief Ed Moy. Curnick, an assistant last year, has made an easy transition to his new role; his familiarity with his team showed in the Eagles’ sudden resurgence after an early timeout.

With nothing to lose, the attackmen flew out of the huddle and began to take chances, giving the audience some brilliant individual efforts. Taking advantage of a Minuteman penalty, junior James Garth bobbed and weaved his way through the sparse defense to find an opening. In that split second, he released a screaming shot towards the far post and BC was on the board. The goal boosted morale and, with a mere 12 seconds remaining on the clock, Dan Hayden broke in from the corner, dropped a devastating spin move, and left UMass goalie Chris Campolettano baffled as the Eagles registered their second goal of the night.

The second quarter saw the flashes of individual success give way to a more team-directed effort. UMass would tally three more times before the half, but the Eagles adapted to the stifling Minuteman defense through patience. Again on the man advantage, Garth would be the go-to man. In his second goal of the night, a pass from Tom Smith found Garth’s netting at the top of the point. The junior snapped a shot that snuck through the defense and past Campolettano.

The Eagles were rolling, but then UMass showed why they are so highly regarded. The Minutemen answered with deadly precision, scoring six goals to seal the fate of a struggling team. BC put the ball away twice more, but the hard effort put forth just couldn’t contend with the amount of sheer skill possessed by the Minutemen.

Still, victory may not be far away. In one game, the Eagles showed their schizophrenic side, showing struggles one moment, then rising just long enough to break from the shackles and play well.