The men’s lacrosse team is heading into the most important part of their season, as they are hoping to regain the energy of their historic start ahead of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament.
After starting the season 10-0, the Pioneers are faced with a reality check after losing three straight conference matchups to Quinnipiac University on Apr. 4, Siena University on Apr. 11, and Marist University on Apr. 18.
Against Siena, the Pioneers were ahead for most of the game before a second-half surge by the Saints, where they scored six consecutive times.
“It was about five minutes into the third quarter where we kind of lost our heads a little bit, and that’s where they scored all their goals,” said head coach Jon Basti.
The possession battle was a major factor, as Siena dominated the Pioneers in the face-off circle, forcing Sacred Heart to play defensively oriented for the second half.
“I thought we played really, really hard, but we just weren’t buttoned up,” said Basti.
As the team prepares for the five-team MAAC playoff, the defensive unit, one of the main pieces of the team’s early success, is focusing on communication and timing.
Senior defenseman Michael Amoruso highlighted the 45 goals allowed in the past three games.
“We’ve been going slow on sliding defensively, things like that,” said senior midfielder Michael Moreschi. “We’ve been a little bit slower setting the tone defensively at the start of the games, too.”
Moreschi noted how the team shifted from their original game plan during the loss to the Saints on the offensive side of the ball.
“I think we kind of started to change some things from our original game plan, and I think that’s kind of what slowed us down a little bit,” said Moreschi.
The team’s focus is now on playing consistently for a full 60-minute game.
The Pioneers’ fate rests in their own hands. To establish itself in a favorable position in the five-team MAAC playoff, Sacred Heart needs to play its best brand of lacrosse before its last game against Iona University on April 22.
A win at home against Iona likely gives the Pioneers a higher seed in the tournament, possibly securing themselves a first-round bye, depending on the outcomes of the Merrimack and Quinnipiac games.
After Saturday’s 14-13 loss against Marist, the Pioneers are hanging on to the three-seed and first-round bye by virtue of the goal differential tiebreaker.
Basti’s message to his team is straightforward: to just return to the mindset that made their magical start come to fruition.
The vibes are still high in the locker room, the team is keeping their head up despite the recent three-game skid, creating a sense of unfinished business.
The Pioneers are locked in and ready to prove that their hot start was not a fluke and that they deserve the opportunity to compete for a MAAC Championship.
Athletic Communications contributed to this article.
