Men’s lacrosse focus of busy weekend

The top-ranked CSU men’s lacrosse team will look to rebound

after a heartbreaking loss in a home game against a difficult

opponent.

After losing to the No. 2-ranked University of California-Santa

Barbara Gauchos in Ann Arbor last weekend, the Rams now face the

uneasy task of hosting the No. 3 Brigham Young Cougars on Saturday

at Rocky Mountain High School.

“I always take losing very personally,” said CSU head coach Flip

Naumber in his online journal. “Over the 24 hours since we (lost) I

have had several thoughts. It is not a time to panic, but it is

time to learn. We didn’t play well enough to win (against UCSB) for

a variety of reasons, and I want to get busy and right back on a

track as soon as we find the right train … of thought.”

Since losing the season opener to the Gauchos, the Cougars

(10-1) have been nearly untouchable. They’ve won their last 10 and

have momentum after winning their last four games by a combined

score of 92-18.

In their most recent game, the Cougars scored at will against

the No. 8 Chapman University Panthers, winning by a final score of

22-7. However, the Cougars’ last four games have all been at home

in Provo, Utah.

The last time the Cougars were on the road they went to Florida

for a tournament in which they beat Florida, Michigan and Auburn

but not with the same dominance as at home.

According to Naumburg, this should be the biggest home game of

the season for the Rams, who are 3-0 at home and 15-1 overall this

year. Like the Cougars, the Rams have blown teams out at home,

winning their three by a combined score of 59-6. Those wins came

against Northern Colorado, Washington University-St. Louis and

Utah, all teams with less than spectacular records. This game will

feature the best competition thus far at home for the Rams.

After the game with the Cougars, the Rams will play Boise State

– in what should be a relief for the Rams, who have already played

six and, after the BYU game, seven games against top-10 teams.

Baseball

CSU baseball will play host to the UNC Bears this Saturday. The

Rams swept the Bears last weekend in Greeley, taking all four games

by a combined score of 46-19.

So far this year the Rams have played well as a team, showing

the competition they will be a force in the postseaon, said team

president Damon Myers.

“The team has basically destroyed all of the competitors in the

league and is looking forward to competing for the national

championship at the NCBA World Series in Bradenton, Fla., in the

end of May,” Myers said. “The team has a great mix of young talent

and veteran leadership, which has made this the best team in the

four years that I’ve been here.”