Courtesy of LC Athletics
Lewis & Clark Lacrosse is starting their season off strong after playing their opening game at Griswold Stadium on Feb. 18 against Pacific University.
The players presented a great performance, showcasing the athletic skill they have been building up since the fall. With a sweeping score of 14-4, lacrosse brought pride to the River Otters — and they are just getting started. The game was intense, combative and seriously compelling. The team did an impressive job of maintaining ball control and establishing a strong offensive attack, establishing confidence on the field, and securing their win early into the event. The stadium’s loudspeaker announced LC goals scored like clockwork. Watching players move as a synchronized unit on the field was both engaging and intriguing.
On Feb. 21, the River Otters also impressively swept the University of Puget Sound with a score of 15-2.
The main season for lacrosse, in the Northwest Conference, occurs during the spring, running from January to May, and consists of a total of 18 games. There are nine schools in the NWC, and each school has one team. To qualify for the NWC Tournament, teams in the conference play each other in groups designated as pods — pod A and B, with the latter being played twice. The pods divide the larger conference into smaller groups for ease of scheduling.
The NCAA designates games by conference and non-conference. Conference matches count towards your conference standings, determining whether or not teams make the tournament, enter the tournament, while non-conference scores contribute to the team’s overall record. Non-conference games are also essential in providing players with experience against other teams and practice executing game strategies.
In an interview with The Mossy Log, Head Coach Lindsay Newman provided a wealth of information about the ins and outs of lacrosse at LC.
“(Non-conference games) definitely still contribute to our record. They just don’t (determine) the overall entry to this conference tournament,” Newman said.
The season begins with non-conference games with teams from Pod B, followed by official conference plays starting with Pod A on April 1. This is then followed by another round of games with Pod B, yet this time around, scores count toward the official conference record. If they play well enough, they can make the tournament.
“Who ends up at the tournament … just comes down to who’s won the most games in the conference (out of) the top four teams.” Newman emphasized. “We try to make sure that whoever we’re competing against outside of our conference play is competitive and going to add value to our preparation for the conference play.”
In a broader sense, the recent establishment of the team is seen as a result of the Title IX law, which states that schools are required to ensure that an equal number of playing opportunities exist for both men and women.
Newman recalled the effects of Title IX at LC.
“Lewis & Clark College brought back their men’s soccer team, but because they did that, they had to add an equivalent number of roster spots for women, and that just happened to be women’s lacrosse,” Newman said.
Though the team is young — only having been established in Fall 2023 — the growth of the team is shaping up to be beyond impressive. With this year being the team’s second season competing in the Northwest Conference, placing fourth in conference last year, their astounding progress is something everyone should tune in for.
In preparation for their upcoming season and the NWC tournament, the team practices six days a week. Newman provided insight into the practice schedule.
“A lot of our practice comes down to just trying to prepare for as many different types of game situations that they might see. Helping players feel as prepared and confident to make the best athletic decisions that they can during the game,” she said. “The way to do that is a lot of repetition and practice together.”
Newman emphasized essential components of the team’s performance.
“Fundamental play (has) got to come from the players, even outside of practice, Newman said. “They put a lot of time in on their own so that when they do show up at practice, we can spend more time in different situations where they’re able to (work on decision making).”
Gloria Meehan ’27, defender for the team, provided insight from a player’s perspective on improving their fundamental play outside of practice, which includes about an hour per day of training.
“All of us do wall ball and keeping up with endurance: running, biking and we have lifts every week,” Meehan said.
Newman and Meehan explained that another key aspect to securing their success as a team is the team culture.
“They bring their attitude, effort and energy to really help decide how practice is going to go,” Newman said.
Meehan described the team culture as close and familial, especially considering that the first year of the team coincided with many members’ first years at LC.
Apart from preparing for the tournament, Newman reflected on the Feb. 18 game.
“It was great to see our team go against a different type of defense and of offense so that we could really break down on the film: things that we want to work on getting (better at), as well as highlighting some of the great things,” she said.
Meehan reflected on predictions for the new season.
“I don’t want to say too much, but I feel like we’re going to do pretty good,” she said.
In the third year since the team’s installation, the LC women’s lacrosse team is asserting themselves as a force to be reckoned with. This season, the team has eight remaining home games, four in March and four in April. The individual dates and opposing schools are available in the LC Sports calendar, but this info and more can be found on their Instagram page @lcottswlax.
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