Lacrosse team searches for solace

Sam Longton
Staff Writer

The lacrosse team is looking to get back on track and are taking a different approach to their new season.
After finishing 1-9 last season, the team realized that they needed to change some things about their game in order to add more games in the win column.
“We definitely underachieved last year,” said Vikings lacrosse head coach, Matthew Johnson. “We had a lot of talent but we failed to execute throughout the season.”
According to Johnson, the team will be switching their focus this year from an offensive mindset to clearing the balls and working together.
“The focus really this year is on fundamentals,” said the coach. “It’s a lot of passing and catching with ground ball work.”
With the construction of the new sports complex underway, the team will be using the Albany College of Pharmacy field for their Saturday and Sunday practices and for home games. Weekday practices are held in the McDonough Gymnasium.
Although it may seem inconvenient to practice on a separate campus and inside a shared gymnasium, Johnson believes the team is still going to come back stronger than ever this season.
“I think we have a lot more talent than we did last year,” said sophomore midfielder Kresimir Kratalic from Durham, N.C. “It’s just going to be a lot about effort, putting in the hours and strength training.”
“We’re working harder and harder each day,” said freshman attack Austin Lyle from Wappingers Falls, N.Y. “Lacrosse is a team sport. There’s still a lot of fundamentals we need to work on but other than that we’re in good shape.”
“We have small guys but we’re working really hard and I think it’s going to show on the field,” said sophomore midfielder John LaMonica from Carmel, N.Y.
LaMonica also added that he isn’t worried about this season because of how far the team has progressed since last season.
“We’ve got a smart team and a good group of guys that have been playing together since the first week of school,” said Kratalic.
“Our goal is to win the Mountain Valley Conference and put ourselves in a position so we can make the playoffs,” said coach Johnson.
The Viking’s first regular season game will be on Saturday, Mar. 26 at the Albany College of Pharmacy as they play host to Jefferson, the only team Hudson Valley defeated last year.