‘Constant communication’ helps Ohio State men’s lacrosse to 1st win of 2015 season

Molly Tavoletti
Wed, 11 Feb 2015 03:59:11 +0000
Lacrosse, Sports, Buckeyes, Evan Mulchrone, lacrosse, Nick Myers, ohio state, osu, Robert Morris

In the classroom, Evan Mulchrone studies marketing, but on the lacrosse field, the senior defenseman credits communication for building success. That communication helped lead the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team to its first win of the season at home against Robert Morris on Tuesday, defeating the Colonials 10-6.

“Communication is our No. 1 standard on defense,” Mulchrone said. “Talking to each other, knowing who’s hot. Constant communication is key for a successful defense.”

And successful he was.

Named the player of the game, Mulchrone accepted every shift in the second half of the game, coach Nick Myers said.

“He was a warrior out there,” Myers said. “He played 60 minutes of Buckeye lacrosse.”

In company with Mulchrone and the defense, a cast of star players emerged from the offense to lead the Buckeyes to their four-goal win against the Colonials, a redemption following a 9-8 loss to Detroit on Saturday.

Freshman attackman Colin Chell tallied his first two goals as a Buckeye during the first half, immersing himself with the team both seamlessly and selflessly, something senior midfielder David Planning said is crucial.

“Colin fit right into our system from day one,” Planning said. “He runs all around the field, with or without the ball. The key to our offense now is that we’re all sharing the ball.”

Junior attackman Ryan Hunter chipped in with three goals against the Colonials, bringing his two-game point total to five and setting the tone for the offense, Myers said.

“Ryan’s doing his job,” Myers said. “His job is to put the ball in the back of the net. He’s a finisher. And when the ball hits his stick, that’s what he’s supposed to do.”

While the team in part owes its first victory of the season to individual efforts, Myers credited a selfless, organized attitude, along with setting and achieving goals, sealing the win for the Buckeyes.

“We knew Robert Morris was capable of scoring in bunches, so we wanted to sent a tempo early,” Myers said. “We organized well. We shared the ball very unselfishly.”

And it was that team effort that revived “Buckeye lacrosse” and gave the team its win, but Myers said this is just the beginning.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Myers said. “This is a humble group. They know what they need to do to get better.”

OSU is scheduled to return to the field for its third game of the season against Delaware on Sunday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.