The Redmen lacrosse team cruised to a 17-3 victory over the Carleton Ravens on Saturday afternoon, demonstrating once again why the program is hailed as one of McGill’s best.
The McGill squad (6-1) showcased its roster depth throughout the match. However, the Redmen opened with an uncharacteristically slow start, as the Ravens (1-3) dominated play scored just under seven minutes into the first quarter. This prompted Head Coach Timothy Murdoch to call a timeout, upset with his team’s lack of aggression.
“I told them to tighten up the loose ends; we took two silly offside penalties and I told them to forget about it,” Murdoch explained.
The message was well received, and proved to be a turning point for the offence that currently leads the RSEQ in goals scored. The team went on to score 15 unanswered tallies and controlled the play for the rest of the match.
Ryan Besse, McGill’s all-time leading goal scorer, led the offensive outburst and added four goals to attackman Connor Goodwin’s hat trick. Richie Klares proved to be the game’s best playmaker, leading the team with three assists and tallying a goal of his own. Overall, the scoresheet was a testament to McGill’s depth, as 10 different Redmen registered a goal over the course of the afternoon.
Despite the clear offensive onslaught, McGill’s victory was also largely attributed to its defensive effort. Surprisingly, Murdoch opted to start his substitute defensemen for the game—a successful move, and one that again illustrated just how vast the talent is in the McGill squad. Carleton was consistently shut down by the Redmen’s aggressive and well-disciplined play. The Ravens’ offence was blatantly frustrated and unable to convert on their scarce possessions.
“We have such a deep bench,” Murdoch said. “[We have] a lot of talent on this team and a lot of guys ready to play at any time.”
Even though the score was indicative of McGill’s domination, large scoring margins often make players complacent. However, the entire Redmen team stayed focused on the task at hand, and did not let up on the Ravens despite the significant lead they had throughout the game.
Murdoch attributed his team’s mental discipline to the players’ mindset coming into the game.
“Our guys aren’t cocky at all,” he said. “We never take anyone lightly, and particularly [not] Carleton, who we’ve had trouble with over the last few years.”
The victory proved to be an important one for the team’s confidence, after the Redmen fell in a heartbreaking 11-10 decision against the Bishop’s Gaiters on Thursday. The Gaiters are currently challenging the Redmen for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
A deep and cohesive squad will continue to help McGill work towards a chance to play in the CUFLA championship, after bowing out in the semifinals last season.
The Redmen journey to Ottawa on Oct. 4 for a rematch against Carleton, who will be looking to redeem itself.
