The final score suggests otherwise, but the Boston University men’s lacrosse team was in need of a gut check when the University of Massachusetts Lowell visited Nickerson Field Friday afternoon.
The Terriers (2-0) ultimately cruised to an 8-5 win over the River Hawks (0-1), but, as head coach Ryan Polley put it, his team was “out-hustled” and “didn’t play very hard” at times. The scoreboard reflected that too, as a 4-1 deficit stared BU in the face when it entered the locker room at halftime.
Step in freshman attack James Burr, who finished the game with four goals and clawed BU back into the contest when several more experienced players otherwise struggled to find their groove.
“We needed it, and we need someone to step up and make some plays,” Polley said. “ … We started to [create] more in the second half, guys started to dodge a little bit harder, we created some turnovers on defense, we scored a couple transition goals and certainly James made some shots.”
While it’s still early in the season, it’s no surprise that Burr answered the call, as he already has six goals and an assist to his name. Polley previously highlighted the Hamilton native as a newcomer who could come in and contribute right away, but Burr himself never expected such a role.
“Definitely not,” Burr said of whether he anticipated so much of the limelight. “I just tried to work hard every day during the fall, and luckily our offense is clicking really well right now. They’ve been creating opportunities for us to get open, so the offense is playing really well.”
Burr also attributed much of his success to sophomore attack Jack Wilson, a player he described as a “smart lacrosse player” that’s been guiding him since he arrived on campus. Granted, Burr stole the show Friday, but just as much credit is arguably owed to junior goalkeeper Christian Carson-Banister.
Carson-Banister turned aside six Lowell shots in the first half, keeping the scoreline in check when it could have otherwise gotten out of hand. The junior also recorded three second-half saves, but, much like Burr, shied away from acknowledging his starring role.
“I just think we stayed calm and we stuck to what we know how to do best,” Carson-Banister said. “We played very solid defense, we played fundamentally and I think we just stuck with that. I think at times it got a little rough, but again, we fell back on our fundamentals and it worked out in the end.”
Perhaps most importantly of all, the third-year program navigated the ups and downs of Friday’s game with grace and maturity. There were times when Lowell was in control and an upset appeared to be a real possibility, but proceedings never quite got out of hand.
Carson-Banister touched on this, speaking to the large cast of characters BU can lean upon when the going gets tough.
“That was a huge game for us because we had to rely on experienced guys who have been there before, and then guys like James and other freshman really stepped up and played a great game,” Carson-Banister said. “We have had to be in tough positions before where we’ve had to come back and ride that storm. It was just great to get the win today.”
Looking forward, the Terriers don’t have to wait long for the chance to put together a more cohesive performance. They travel down to High Point University Monday, taking on the Panthers (0-1) in a rare Tuesday afternoon affair.
Polley recognized that his players will have to keep on discovering themselves, and the win over Lowell is part of that ever-evolving process.
“We’re going to have to play a lot better as a program if we want to be at the level that we strive to be at,” Polley conceded. “ …We’re just going to have to play better in all phases, and that’s okay.”
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
