As Marist men’s lacrosse enters the back half of their schedule with a 4-5 overall record and 1-3 MAAC conference record, we gathered some writers to analyze where the reigning MAAC champions stand at the current moment.
Has the team met or exceeded your expectations for the season thus far?
Danny Destler, Men’s Lacrosse Beat Writer: After losing three of their top four goal scorers last season, the team has met my expectations thus far. There was a big hole left by the graduating class from last season. The team has had some gut-wrenching losses thus far, but their wins against Jacksonville and Canisius should give the team a much-needed spark during MAAC play. The Red Foxes looked stellar starting off with a 3-1 record. Many players have stepped up for the Red Foxes, especially the young freshman in attackmen Christian Colantonio and midfielder Sean Mullan. The team had a slow start last year but ended up winning the conference title.
Marley Pope, Assistant Managing Editor: The team is meeting my expectations for the season given the circumstances. Head coach Keegan Wilkinson’s top three goal-scorers from last season all graduated, leaving a cargo ship-sized hole in the offense and questions about who will help fill that void. So far, a youth movement has taken over Poughkeepsie with three freshmen providing top-five production on the team and playing big minutes from the jump.
Freshman attackman Collin Patrick, freshman midfielder Christian Colantonio and freshman attackman Sean Mullan have stepped up big in their first year playing Division I lacrosse. Despite many roster changes, the Red Foxes jumped out to a 3-1 record before losing four of their last five games. This volatility of results is expected with such a young team that is building chemistry. Last year, Marist began the season 0-4 and 2-6 through eight games before winning the MAAC title. What matters is their conference play, where they are currently 1-3 in the MAAC and have some work to do.
Hayden Shapiro, Contributing Writer: Having to fill a void as large as the one the Red Foxes needed is no simple task. Having lost three players who led the team in goals, Marist needed answers fast if they wanted to retain their MAAC trophy. Painful is an understatement when talking about the losses suffered early on this season for the Red Foxes, but bounceback wins in Buffalo against Canisius and at Tenney Stadium topping Jacksonville lifted the spirits of this gritty crew. As we know, Marist started last season at a rather slow pace but ultimately ended up lifting the conference trophy. It is fair to say that the Red Foxes have met my expectations for the season thus far.
Tommy Jacobellis, Contributing Writer: Coming off a conference championship, it’s safe to say expectations were high for the 2024 Red Foxes. With that being said, Marist lost some extremely key pieces from that team including 3 of the top 4 goal scorers from that season in JoJo Pirreca, Jamison Embury and James Lyons. This will just make the challenge of going back-to-back that much harder, but it is more than just a possibility.
Marist got off to a hot start with two big out-of-conference wins against good Bucknell and Jacksonville teams. They have since come back down to earth with some gut-wrenching losses along the way. With that in mind, Marist had numerous stretches like this in the 2023 season which leaves hope that they can pick it back up and hoist the MAAC Trophy once again. With high expectations yet losing a bunch of key players, it is warranted to say Marist has reached my expectations up to this point.
In your opinion, who has been your biggest surprise player this season?
Danny: I could name about five freshmen who have stepped into bigger roles. I am going to go with freshman attackman Colin Patrick. Having to step into a role left by attackmen JoJo Pirreca is not an easy thing. Patrick is third on the team in goals this season with 10 and is second on the team with 21 points.
Marley: Freshman long-stick midfielder Michael Cassano has quickly stepped into another void on the team in the LSM spot. He ranks second on the team in caused turnovers and picked up 12 ground balls. A Long Island native, Cassano fits into the mold of a Marist player, one who plays with discipline and grit. The lefty has added two goals so far, showing his ability to push transition when the opportunity arises.
Hayden: Many players including Collin Patrick and Michael Cassano come to mind here, but in my eyes, no one has made a bigger jump than California product Drew Anderson. Anderson looks fluid in his movements and has taken on a leadership role for the Foxes this season. He exploded against Jacksonville, netting four goals and recording eight shots. He is an absolute spark plug off the bench, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get some starting nods later in the campaign.
Tommy: With playing time available for the taking, young players have stepped up nicely. One that stands out most is freshman Midfielder Christian Colantino. Colantino fit in very nicely with this Marist offense instantly. The Mount Sinai product has already started 6 out of the possible 9 games as a freshman and has netted 10 goals up to this point in the season which is good for 3rd on the team. He has also tallied 6 assets making him good for 16 points up to this point in the season.
What has been the biggest concern for this team thus far?
Danny: Undoubtedly the team’s biggest concern is its offensive efficiency. It is definitely not a matter of shooting as the team is ranked first in the MAAC in shots per game. The problem is the team not burying those shots. It is probable that if the team keeps shooting the ball, more will eventually end up going in. I am optimistic head coach Keegan Wilkinson and his staff will make the adjustment that is needed to get back to postseason play.
Marley: The biggest concern for this team is its offensive efficiency. The Red Foxes rank first in the MAAC in shots per game, but only sixth in shots on goal per game, fifth in goals per game and seventh in shot percentage. These discrepancies are a product of, at times, poor shot selection and a lack of ball movement. Marist ranks sixth in the MAAC in assists per game, leaving room for the offense to share the ball more when attacking defenses. Only four Marist players have five or more assists on the season through nine games, which can certainly improve given the talent of this roster. With time, the offensive personnel will learn how to work off of each other and create better shots. Right now, a lot of the offense is isolated dodging without enough off-ball movement.
Hayden: The Red Foxes rank first in the conference in shots per game, but only seventh in shot percentage. This is a glaring issue in Poughkeepsie as they just can’t seem to get their shots on the net. The offense is there, it’s evident and fluid when watching them play and run their offense, but it just doesn’t translate to goals. As fellow contributor Marley Pope said, there is not enough movement away from the ball, something that will open up lanes and allow shooters to see the net more clearly.
Tommy: The clear concern for this Marist team is putting the ball in the back of the net. Marist is getting the looks as they rank first in the MAAC in shots per game but are struggling to finish. I think they should start looking for the extra pass and trying to get the easy goal. The offense is moving with good flow, but only two players have more than 10 assists. If they swing the ball a few more times which will get the goalie’s head moving, I think the goals per game will start to go up, and wins will follow.
What must the team do to defend their MAAC title?
Danny: The team has to rely on their veterans who have been there before. Having an almost underclassmen-heavy roster, the team needs to rely on seniors like senior attackman Josh Balcarcel, graduate student defender Kurt Wessner and company.
Marley: Stay the course. Game by game the youth of the team will grow and get better and Marist has enough veteran leadership to get the young players up to speed ahead of the MAAC tournament. Marist will need to string together some wins to get hot at the right time and make another run to defend their title. With five games left in the regular season, there is plenty of opportunity to build momentum but the time is now to win games.
Hayden Shapiro: The team is extremely young, meaning that they are still finding their roles and searching for schemes that will benefit such an underclassmen-heavy squad. If the offense keeps up their push, a push that has them sitting at the top of the MAAC in shots per game, a strategy that will inevitably lead to more goals. This team is an offensive juggernaut, and when the shots start to land on the cage, watch out for these Red Foxes.
Tommy: Marist must take each game one game at a time, quarter by quarter. Win the 50/50 battles and do the little things right. There is skill up and down the roster, with championship DNA. The returning players who were on the championship roster last season must lead by example and use their championship experience to their advantage. Lacrosse is a game of runs and once you get momentum it is hard to slow down. If Marist gets a little win streak going few teams can stop them, and they just may be looking at back-to-back MAAC championships.
What is your record prediction for this season, and do you see this team making the playoffs?
Danny: With a current record of 4-5, I will predict them to finish the season 3-2 to have an overall record of 7-6 and an MAAC record of 5-3.
Marley: With Marist currently 4-5, I predict them to finish the season 3-2 to have an overall record of 7-7 and a MAAC record of 4-5.
Hayden: Currently, the Red Foxes are 4-5. I predict that they round out the season 4-1, ending with a record of 8-6 and 5-3 in MAAC contests.
Tommy: As Marist sits at 4-5 with just 5 games remaining. I predict them to finish 3-2 in those 5 resulting in a 7-6 record and a 5-3 MAAC record.
Edited by Marley Pope and Luke Sassa
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo; Photos from Marist Athletics and Jaylen Rizzo
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