With Herbert in Driver's Seat, Men's Lax Speeds On Undefeated

Author: Nick Ferrer

Almost halfway through the regular season, the men's lacrosse team finds itself where it hoped to be: undefeated and sitting atop the national Division III polls. With three impressive victories over Spring Break and another win Tuesday against Union, the Panthers improved to 6-0 and are already living up to their preseason number one ranking.

Middlebury began its Spring Break tour in New London, Conn., where it faced off against the Connecticut College Camels on March 23. Surprisingly, it was the Camels who came out of the gates first as their attack quickly opened fire on the Panther defense to give them a 4-2 lead at the quarter's end. Not surprisingly, the Panthers responded to take a 6-5 lead at halftime before cruising to a well earned 13-9 victory. Perhaps it was the thought of being down for the first time since last season, or perhaps the Camels simply ran out of gas, but there was no doubt that the second half was reminiscent of traditional Panther lacrosse. Zach Herbert '02 and captain Dave Seeley '02 recorded three goals each to lead the potent attack in victory, while Mike Frissora '03 and Greg Bastis '04 helped Middlebury control the transition game by combining for three goals and three assists at the defensive middie position. Eric Krieger '04 anchored the Panther's solid second-half defensive effort, coming up with 12 saves.

Four days later, Middlebury arrived at Gettysburg College for one of the season's most anticipated games — a rematch of last year's national title game and a showcase of this year's two top ranked teams. With their number one ranking on the line, the Panthers came to play. Again led by its veteran attack unit, the team took a 5-2 lead in the first quarter. The Panthers had little time to relax, however, as Gettysburg's defense broke down the Middlebury's offense bit by bit. The Bullets held Middlebury scoreless in the second quarter, another first for the Panthers this season, and scored twice in that time. They would then enter halftime down just 5-4 with the momentum swinging in their favor and carrying into the third quarter, when they again outscored the Panthers 2-1.

In the fourth quarter, Middlebury looked poised to defend last season's title. Thanks to strong riding efforts, the Panthers were able to force key turnovers on which the offense capitalized. After being unusually quiet for much of the game, Seeley came alive late in the game. He scored on a breakaway with just 3:15 left to play, and just 13 seconds later Greg Carroll '02 fired a shot past Gettysburg goalie Tim McGinnis. The goals gave Middlebury a 10-8 lead and would be the last of the game as Krieger stepped up and continued to deny the Bullets with one show stopping save after another. "He was unbelievable, just sick. I don't know how he did it, but he's my hero," claimed transition specialist Frissora, who recorded one assist in the win.

While Krieger was certainly one of the game's heroes, he certainly was not the only one. Herbert was equally sensational in tallying twice and dishing out four assists, while fellow seniors Sebastian Astrada, Carroll, Seeley and Matt Dunn provided the kind of leadership that coaches can only dream of. Astrada helped anchor a solid defensive performance while Carroll, Seeley and Dunn added three points each to charge the offense.

On March 30, Middlebury hosted NESCAC foe Wesleyan — the only other team to go undefeated last season in regular league play. Immediately, Middlebury jumped to a 5-0 lead as Dunn and Carroll each found the back of the net twice. While Wesleyan outscored the Panthers 5-4 in the second quarter, it would not be enough. Middlebury improved its 9-5 halftime lead to 12-7 by the end of the third quarter, and Herbert erupted for three goals at the opening of the fourth to lead a 4-0 run that allowed Middlebury to sail to a 17-10 victory. Herbert ended the game with four goals and two assists. Combined with his performance in the Gettysburg win, Herbert ended the week with 12 points, numbers good enough to earn him both NESCAC Player of the Week honors and the title of the league's top scorer.

After just two day's rest, Middlebury played host to Union College on Tuesday afternoon. This time, it was Dunn who wowed the crowd with his aggressive play that would provide ESPN with some worthy highlight film. Dunn contributed part of Middlebury's first eight goals, and he made it clear to Union that the Panthers' offense goes far deeper than its attack. Ultimately, Dunn and the rest of the offense proved to be too much for Union. Middlebury maintained its perfect season with a 14-8 win.

With its win over Union, the Panthers extended their unbeaten streak from last season to a remarkable 19 games. Still, Middlebury knows it is far from reaching its most difficult of goals, a third consecutive national championship. There are still seven games remaining in the regular season, and despite its 6-0 record the team will tell you it has a lot to work on. "We're looking good, really good. But its still early, and there are always ways you can improve. Being undefeated now is one thing, but being prepared for the playoffs is another," explained junior face-off man Brian McGregor.