By Jack Sullivan
After an 8-7 win on March 25 against Hobart, two Sacred Heart men’s lacrosse players earned NEC Player of the Week honors.
Senior long-stick middie Ryan O’Donoghue was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week and freshman goalie Brooks Dutton received Rookie of the Week honors for the fourth week this season.
“It is definitely good to get this honor,” said O’Donoghue.“I could not have had these stats without my teammates, talking off ball and communicating and sliding. It is good to have teammates to help me reach these goals that I have.”
O’Donoghue averages 3.13 caused turnovers per game, which is tied for first in the nation. He had four in the game against Hobart to go along with five ground balls.
He believes he has an edge with experience and skill set that sets him apart from the rest of defenders in the league
“I have a key eye just for taking the ball away. I think it is one of my specialties in that field of lacrosse,” said O’Donoghue.
As a senior, O’Donoghue is a leader for the whole team. He sets a good example for his team in practice and in games to keep the rest of the players motivated and ready to play.
“Ryan has had that success ever since he was a freshman,” said coach Jon Basti. “The team puts him in a spot for him to be really successful. I guarantee you that the rest of the team would say the same thing.”
Dutton as a freshman has a .598 save percentage this season and an 8.20 goals against average. He had 14 saves against Hobart which earned him another NEC Rookie of the week honor.
“I am very excited and happy to receive this honor,” said Dutton. “It takes a lot of hard work and there are a lot of good rookies in this league, so it is a good feeling.”
Although he is a freshman, Dutton does not feel
pressure because he has his teammates and coaches helping him out and teaching him along the way. He knows that there is much to improve on even with the talent he has.
“I need to work on my footwork and hand speed, I’ve got a lot to work on there. As well as communicating with my defenders,” said Dutton.
Similar to O’Donoghue, Dutton has his teammates to support his game to allow him to achieve this success.
“Brooks has been pretty impressive all year from the fall and learned a lot,” said Basti. “I think he gets pushed pretty hard by the other goalies. They are all doing a nice job in keeping him on his toes.”
Never playing college lacrosse before, Dutton hopes for a good season for both himself and his teammates.
The theme of playing and winning as a team is a huge part of the team’s and player’s success.
“We try to play a complete team game and this is the reason why those guys have had such success,” said Basti.
O’Donoghue, Dutton and the rest of the men’s lacrosse team play against Bryant on April 8.
