By Greg Spracklin Poosted on The Minaret Last Friday night, the University of Tampa’s lacrosse team made history. They opened against conference rival Florida Southern in the first lacrosse game the school had ever seen. They did not disappoint, winning 7-4.
Leading up to the game, the men’s lacrosse team had been forming the camaraderie on and off the field that helped them become a solid unit that plays as a team. The week before their home opener against Florida Southern they had an exhibition game against Florida State. They won that game, too.
“Florida State was a big test,” Head Coach Rory Whipple said. “They were a club team last year and ranked No. 8 in the country. We had solid defense against them throughout, and we won it as a team.” The Florida State lacrosse game was a healthy warm-up for the UT men. They saw the game as a massive opportunity to get sufficiently prepared and test their chemistry before the official games of the seasons started.
“I think it was a great win. We showed great improvement from the fall and capitalized on a great percentage of our chances,” sophomore Mike Tyrell said before the game. “We got a chance to work on some things and I think we should be firing on all cylinders for the home opener.”
Fans came in droves, totaling over 2,100 in attendance. It was one of the most enthusiastic crowds that Polly & Art Pepin Stadium has seen in a long time. “It was an awesome experience,” junior spectator Mike Primavera said. “It was packed out here tonight. It was a lot of fun to watch. I’m glad they won it for us.”
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