Men’s Lacrosse Sweeps Weekend Double-Header in First Intercollegiate Action Since March

Liberty’s men’s lacrosse team cruised to two easy victories in scrimmages against the University of Virginia and NC State on Nov. 8, giving a lot of backup players rotation and bringing the Flames back into action for the first time since COVID-19 cut their season short in March. 

The Flames began the day with a 10-1 rout of the Cavaliers, following the performance with a 16-9 victory over the Wolfpack. UVA and NC State played each other in between the two Liberty games in the third scrimmage of the day as all three teams aimed to increase their match fitness for the upcoming season. 

In the game against NC State, Liberty scored two goals in the first 8 minutes and never trailed the Wolfpack in the second game. The Wolfpack briefly tied the game 4-4 with 10 minutes left in the second quarter, but never managed to gain a lead. 

After halftime, NC State never came within a goal of the Flames, with the Flames outscoring the Wolfpack 6-3 in the fourth quarter to seal a confident win. 

After a challenging offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was elated for the opportunity to compete against other teams.

“Aside from how we played, just the fact that we’re playing: we’re super grateful,” Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said. 

These scrimmages provided the team with the opportunity to showcase its talent, ramping up the Flames motivation for the rest of the fall semester.

“What I told the guys before the game today is how much I appreciated their commitment and their willingness to be here and to work so hard,” McQuillan said. “For them to be able to come out and have an opportunity to show what that hard work can turn into was great and I’m sure it’s a good feeling for them to feel like it’s worthwhile.”

Practicing without any certainty about returning to intercollegiate play can be a challenge for players trying to stay motivated. But the team received a morale boost from the strong effort it displayed Saturday.

The bench players played an integral role in the Flames success. Even when winning by a large margin, the team continued to apply the offensive pressure.  

“We just played really consistently from top to bottom,” Assistant Coach Mike Zumpano said. “The level of depth we were able to showcase – there really wasn’t a drop off from a first-line guy to a third- or fourth-line guy. (We were) pretty consistent across the board, and I think that gives us a lot of confidence going into the spring.”

“That’s a really good feeling as a coach,” McQuillan said. “I think it’s a great feeling as a team to know that you’ve got those guys behind you supporting your primary cast. That’s the thing we’re most excited about is the depth that we have on this roster.”

Ryan Merbach, a freshman on the team, scored two goals late in the game to extend the Flames lead to 13-7, and freshman Stephen Westlake contributed a goal of his own late in the fourth quarter, according to Liberty Club Sports.

A third freshman made his mark on the game through assists. In the second quarter, freshman Keaton Mohs provided two assists to junior Cooper Branham, who finished with four goals, according to Liberty Club Sports.

Even though the team performed well, the coaching staff examined aspects of the games in which the team could improve. 

“We’re going to have to get better at running our systems,” Zumpano said. “Every team has to continue to build chemistry and understand their role in the systems that we run.”

As the team moves forward, the players will become better acquainted with the plays and style of play required by the team leadership. 

The team also requires more attention to its offensive tempo. 

“We want to continue to practice patience on the offensive ball,” McQuillan said. “I think when you have as much offensive talent as we do, sometimes it’s easy to just kind of go to the cage and score. You think, ‘Isn’t that what you want?’ but lacrosse is a possession game and it’s about controlling the clock.”

The team looks forward to next season, confident in its ability to compete with the top teams in the country.

“I think club lacrosse is going to be in its best form coming to the spring,” Zumpano said. “I think we’re going to have a lot of challenges, but our expectations are high, and we expect to be competing for championships.”

Christian Shields is a Sports Reporter.