Hawks Show Improvement but Fall Short in Second Game of Season

Hawks Show Improvement but Fall Short in Second Game of Season

The College of Southern Maryland Hawks lost their first home game of the season on March 13 by a score of 13-11 against Delaware Technical Community College.

After going down 4-2 after the first period, the Hawks utilized a five-goal second period to take a 7-6 lead into halftime. Head coach Steve Campbell said his players not giving up and their belief in each other was what propelled them to their first lead after a quarter ever. 

"We're really stressing the family bond, the brotherhood," Campbell said. "We were down and I don't think they gave up. I think they said 'We're in this game', and I think they kept that attitude all the way through."

Even though they had a one-goal advantage at the break, Campbell reminded his team to not get overconfident.

"I told them in a blink of an eye we can be trailing, and that's what happened," Campbell said. Delaware Technical outscored CSM 5-3 in the third period to retake the lead and added two more goals in the fourth to escape with a win. "The idea is the game's not over till the final whistle and we have to buy into that."

With this being a brand new team for the Hawks and lots of youth on the team, including some newcomers to the sport, they are still experiencing the growing pains that come in their first season together.

"They [Delaware Technical] have seven sophomores and maybe experience just made the difference in this game, and that includes me," Campbell said. "So it's just the idea of all of us learning from it and growing, which I think we're doing."

Sophomore midfielder Drew Hyland scored two goals and had four assists, while sophomore midfielder Ryan Purcell also scored two goals to go along with two assists.

Freshman goalie Caleb Schaffer performed well in the net, making 11 saves for the Hawks in just his second game of lacrosse ever.