UW-Platteville lacrosse club faced off with Madison’s White and Black sides Saturday, April 18. The team couldn’t hold off the Madison teams but walked away with a renewed sense of purpose for their season.

The first game was a tough battle against Madison’s stronger side, Madison-White. UW-P matched Madison for intensity even if the numbers didn’t match up.

“We came out swinging. Our intensity was awesome, I was really happy with how we played even though we lost,” sophomore goalie, Jordan Hass said.

Defense held strong against Madison’s attacks but couldn’t stop some quick balls through the goal.

“It always is a problem with any team when another team scores 2 or 3 quick goals on you,” Matthew Mikulecky, junior and team coach, said. “This past weekend I think our guys kept their heads up and kept playing their hearts out.”

UW-P scored 4 goals on Madison-White and ended the game 4-13.

The guys couldn’t hold onto the momentum they started with during the second match. The team showed defensive breakdowns and lack of communication, costing them a chance of beating out Madison-Black.

“We just got lost in what was happening and Madison exploited it,” Hass said of the game.

The league is separated into the two brackets, allowing champions in championship (A-Bracket) and consolation (B-Bracket) brackets. Trophies are awarded for first place in both brackets, with the top two teams in each region competing in the A-Bracket.

The team is gearing up all week for their shot at acing the B-Bracket of the Great Lakes Lacrosse League. Staying motivated and focused on the championship will be crucial in landing the title.

“I know in the years to come our veteran and new players will have set up a team that is ready to compete with any team in this league,” Mikulecky said.

“I want our team to go into the tournament with a positive attitude so we can finish the season the way we started, winning,” Hass said.

Although sights were set at an A-Bracket title, the tougher opponents and larger amount of rookie players turned the season into a rebuilding year.

The GLLL  is held at UW-Stout  April 25 and  April 26.  UW-P will go into the tournament with a 4-4 conference, record and 4-5 overall.

“This team has a large amount of heart and I know in the years to come everything will start to click and then you will see UW-P sitting on top of the GLLL,” Mikulecky said.