ConVal boys’ lacrosse starts busy stretch with win over Laconia
Published: 05-14-2025 12:07 PM
Modified: 05-16-2025 10:41 AM |
The ConVal boys’ lacrosse team had a slow start to the season due to the rainy weather, but they poured it on against Laconia on Monday for a big win.
The 9-6 ConVal victory was huge for multiple reasons. For one, the visiting Sachems came to Peterborough with five wins already under their belt, while ConVal had only played five games in total and were looking up at Laconia in the Division III standings. For another, the Cougars were coming off an overtime loss to Bishop Brady on Trinity’s turf field in their previous game that left a bad taste in their mouths.
“It was kind of a good loss for them, to [realize] if we don’t do this stuff, teams that we should beat are going to beat us,” said ConVal head coach Bob Taylor.
With that in mind, ConVal brought it on Monday afternoon in a back-and-forth game that could have gone either way until the Cougars clamped down. Laconia struck first, but ConVal responded with four straight goals and closed the first period up 4-1. The two teams traded goals before Laconia went on a three-goal run of their own, tying the score at half, 5-5, thanks to a Brady Stevens first-half hat-trick.
“We were getting sloppy on the offensive side of the ball, and creating transition goals for them coming down, and then we’re scrambling trying to figure out who to cover,” Taylor said. “You can’t play like that.”
ConVal adjusted at the half and came out firing, with their dynamic trio of midfielders leading the way. With 4:12 remaining in the third, Max Erickson flicked one home off a Ryan Close assist and gave the Cougars the lead for good. Max Cail (three goals) and Henry Vivilecchia scored another pair before Erickson put the nail in the coffin, securing a hat-trick of his own with 6.6 seconds left in the game.
“We realized that if we put ourselves in the driver’s seat down on the offensive side of the ball, we could athletically play with these guys all day long,” Taylor said.
BraydenBoice and Liam Lambert anchored the defense in front of James Healey on the Cougars’ end of the field, with Will Suborski and Oscar Taylor putting pressure on at the attack position.
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ConVal (4-2) has suffered through a series of rainouts and a spring break that now backloads the bulk of their season into the next two weeks. Monday’s contest was the start of seven games over the course of 13 days. The Cougars will be physically tested, with only one day off at most between most games, and Taylor won’t be able to push them as hard in practice when they do have opportunity on an off day.
“The biggest thing now is trying to get them to make adjustments without practicing it on the field,” Taylor said. “Making mental adjustments and being able to then just get out there and do it. [Lacrosse] is the most-intense thing on the field, but you need the mental stability that a PGA golfer has. And trying to get 16-, 17-, 15-, 14-year-old kids to do that? We’ll see. But it’ll be fun.”
ConVal beat Stevens 12-0 Wednesday afternoon and is scheduled to travel to Lebanon Friday.