The preparation of the fall semester was put to the test for the Idaho men’s lacrosse team Saturday, as the Vandals faced Gonzaga.
In front of a rowdy SprinTurf crowd, the Vandals played a physical and competitive match, as both teams became more aggressive down the stretch.
In the end, the Bulldogs got the better of the Vandals, as Idaho fell 12-7 to Gonzaga on a cold and rainy season opener.
The victory was Gonzaga’s first win of the season. The Bulldogs previously lost to Washington 11-8.
Idaho coach James Courter said he’s proud of the team’s performance Saturday.
“They came out and put on a great effort,” Courter said. “Gonzaga came out and played a tough fought game and possessed the ball really well.”
The Idaho head coach said the team must manage each possession effectively.
“If we can take care of a few things such as possession and stay out of the penalty box we’ll be fine this season,” Courter said. “We need to continue to focus on ground balls and work hard every day at practice. If we focus on what we need to do rather than what our opponents do on the field, we’ll find success this season.”
Senior captain A.J. Gravel said the crowd’s interaction was a staple of the men’s club lacrosse program.
“It’s Vandal lacrosse, you get all the frats coming out and they get rowdy,” Gravel said. “Gonzaga was feeding off from it and it’s great to see everyone out to support our team.”
Idaho started off the game by scoring early, but Gonzaga fought back to tie the game 4-4.
In the second quarter, the Vandals had an alarming moment when Gravel attempted to shoot the ball around the net, accidentally striking teammate Calvin Burton.
Burton lay on the ground for five minutes, but was able to walk off the field and sat out the rest of the game.
“When I took that shot, Calvin got in front of the cage and took it off the head,” Gravel said. “But he’s doing really well and should be back within a week. He took a hard shot so I hope he’s okay.”
Gravel said Burton may have concussion, but could not discuss his condition any further.
Both teams in the second quarter scored a single point in to enter halftime locked at 6-6.
The pace of the game changed in the second half, as fatigue took a toll on Idaho, allowing Gonzaga to score four unanswered points in the third quarter.
Late in the game, Grant Hill brought some momentum for the Vandals and rallied the team to keep the game close. But the comeback attempt fell short as the Bulldogs scored three more points to earn the victory.
Gravel led the Vandals in goals with three, with Hill adding another two. Drew Welch and Drew Pickins each scored a goal for Idaho.
Goalie Noah Kubowitsch made 12 saves in Saturday’s loss.
Gravel said he was proud of the team’s performance, especially of the freshmen that played in their first collegiate game.
“A lot of our freshman weren’t used to seeing collegiate level zone,” Gravel said. “The first home game was a big experience for them. But the collegiate game is a lot faster, (with) bigger guys and bigger hits.”
Gravel added there were not many substitutes for the Vandals as the result of Burton’s injury. The College Lacrosse Association requires 12 players on a roster in order to compete, and Idaho had 15 on Saturday.
“A lot of the guys were gassed Saturday,” Gravel said. “Going along with those bigger hits and faster players, it’s hard to keep up when you don’t have any breathing time.”
Gravel said conditioning and ball handling are the two things the Vandals need to improve on before playing Washington State this weekend.
Idaho begins a five game road trip, beginning with Washington State on Saturday.
Luis Torres can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @TheLTFiles