The Colonels lacrosse club is primed to make the playoffs and a trip to Stephen F. Austin is the first stop.
The Colonels and Stephen F. Austin both share the same conference record at 2-1. A win would put the Colonels in a solid position to make the playoffs for the first time in history.
“This is a huge game for us. Anytime a game with major playoff implications arrive, there is a bigger sense of urgency that the team feels,” Billy Tauzin, head lacrosse coach, said.
Both conference losses for the two teams came at the hands of the University of Houston. Had the Colonels won that game, they would have been in the driver’s seat for post-season play. Tauzin said the loss only serves as a motivational tool for the Colonels.
“That loss against Houston earlier in the season was a tough one. We were beating those guys by four goals at the half, but ended up losing by one in the final minute of the game. I think this upcoming game is going to be a serious challenge. Judging by the way we both played against Sam Houston, we are pretty evenly matched. We are going to have to pull out all the stops for SFA because they also realize the importance of this game,” Tauzin said.
Since the Colonels are relatively new to the league, their knowledge of the upcoming opponent is at a minimum.
“We do not know a whole lot about this team, so that makes our strategy approach a little difficult. We are just going to have to get a quick feel of way they decide to come out and play. Our guys adapt very well to different situations and teams. The main thing that we have to focus on is whether to play a zone defense or a man-to-man defense,” Tauzin said.
The Colonels are looking to continue their productive offensive performances.
“We are very confident in our ability to score,” Tauzin said. “If our guys play to their potential we should be okay. Jacob Degate had an outstanding game for us against Sam Houston. He led the team with four goals and showed great hustle. Efforts like that will make us hard to beat.”
Facing all the different elements that come with playing on the road, the Colonels will need to be mentally focused.
“We know those guys have the advantage of playing at home. That will undoubtedly have them very excited. Everyone wants to play well in front of their home crowd. It is also going to be a tough trip because it is maybe a six or seven hour drive away. The game will be under the lights, so we will have to concentrate and fight off the glare that the lights can sometimes bring. We are just going to have to take care of business,” Tauzin said.
The positive side of playing under the lights for the Colonels is the evening adrenaline rush that it brings.
“There is just something about playing at night that gives a team that extra push. More people usually come to the game and get us motivated to prove something by playing even better,” Tauzin said.
Team member Tony Fontenot said that this game is the biggest stepping for the Colonels.
“If we can pull off this game, it will be awesome. This is what it is all about. We have a home game coming up after this game, and a win will give us so much momentum coming home. I think we are really tough to beat at home. Our fans are great, and we appreciate all of them.”