 Welcome to the Paul Canobine show. I'm Joe Wamba joined now with Paul Canobine head coach of the men's lacrosse team Coach you guys go to a host your home opener against a woo and you guys have a really offensively balanced Performance eight guys getting in the school call. Yeah, I think it's been we've been playing pretty well offensive You know with 13 goals in the first game 11 in the second 16 this game. I think we're doing a really good job We're getting a lot of shots or average about 50 52 shots a game Which is like we like to shoot a little bit of higher percentage But I think the opportunities we're getting are pretty good And I think we're doing a really good job at making working for good shots and that's good And we're being pretty aggressive. We're not we're not holding back and the guys are pretty confident going But we do need to clean up a little bit of the turnovers But I like what we're doing on the offensive end and hopefully it continues and on the defensive side You guys played well in stretches. Yeah, we're able to stave off a woo's, you know, they're combating. Yeah I mean, it wasn't one of our best, you know, our best goes defensively You know, we thought we played a lot better in the first two games this way But you know, that's how it goes defensively. Sometimes you're not always great and they were a pretty quick team They had some really tough guys that were pretty fast and they were up against the wall giving credit They knew they needed this game for their at-large bid. They can't win their conference And so they knew they came out pretty fired up and and they're a good team I think they're gonna be a team to be reckoned at the end of the day But you know defensively give a lot of credit to down the fozio his shoulder pops out in the first half He makes a save and then his shoulder pops out we pop it back in he plays the rest of the game You know that shows the toughness that these guys have at the end at that end of the field him I think at the end of the day we showed enough grittiness and toughness at that end with Ross really making some really big saves for us and You know, I think we did a good job enough just enough to get it done And I think we'll be better in our next in our upcoming games defensively for sure and Donna for you That could have been one of the plays of the year You know Dom makes a save and Donna for you gets that he runs out We get a fast break and unfortunately we missed the layup at the other end But you know shows what these guys are willing to do. I think Ross is a really dynamic leader Shows how kids are wanting the play for him and we're being able to jump in front of shots And you know, that's a big play for us You know, we get there we come the other end and but you know That thing shows the character of our guys willing to do anything it takes in order for the help the team win And that's Kyle who's one of the best players in the country jumping in the net in order to make a play for us And that's how you win. That's how you win games, you know guys because it's against great teams You're willing to make more sacrifices than the other team You're gonna win a lot of games and I think that we're this game We made a lot of sacrifices in order to win Let's talk a little bit more about that character and the mentality of the team You know, Ohio Wesleyan was mounting some comebacks and you guys were able to stop them Just talk a little bit about that mentality for these team not to get frustrated Yeah, I think you know, I think we've been doing a great job The second half we've been better in every game in the second half than the first half And I think that shows a lot and good teams played better in the second half in the first half And I think we're pretending to do that and our toughness and our dynamic there is a much better than a year ago I kind of kid with some people that we might have lost that game a year ago Because you weren't tough enough to make the plays and I think this year We were and we had some of those tough plays Paris Young making a lot of tough plays Ethan Christensen playing like a senior not a freshman making some tough plays Tyler Furman getting two goals for us there playing much better on the man up drawing more fouls and Definitely getting more tough ground balls. You know, we 40 to 30 and ground balls is really a big thing We need to clean up our face off play a little bit, you know, we did some good things We still got to do a much better job there But we'll correct that but I think the toughness to win face offs We needed a toughness to make plays when we needed to and to hold off big runs is a big character You know, we never get lost to lead or never got tied And so that's a big thing to really hold them off throughout the game That's gonna be awfully important as you guys move into this stretch of the week that you got up ahead The Salisbury game has already been moved around Just to get around the snowstorm that's coming, but you guys are still gonna face three top 20 teams this weekend Yeah, you know, unfortunately, we had to move the Salisbury game Just so you know, we're gonna have about 10 to 12 inches in our area and Salisbury didn't know if we traveled early whether we'd be able to get the game in if they got any snow plus the high winds and the cold temperatures and people travel in and You know, I think it's just prudent. We caution on the safer side We want to get this game in so both coaches are committed We moved that game to March 30th to play it and it's a back-to-back for both teams So it's all equal and and then you know But we still got to now prepare for Lynchburg who's a very good team Had some great wins lately beat New York played Salisbury tough. I've already played Cabrini So they've been very tested and then York's on a great role right now playing well And then we got to play toss who's probably a top three team who's rolling really well now getting some quality wins So no rest for the weary for us for sure and but you know, that's what we're used to doing No, we do it every year So our guys are used to it and they love it and we're looking forward to a great weekend The Mustang Classic one of the biggest tournaments in the country year in year out So we're eager to host all these great teams eight great teams playing for a lot on the line And a lot of things will be sorted out throughout the weekend So we really appreciate all the coaches coming down and making this happen and be a part of it And we're excited to kick it off. I think 12 30 on Friday. Yeah, no snow in the forecast though What is playing this type of schedule playing these types of opponents do for you in preparations for it? Should you make the NCAA tournament? Well, I think it helps us to play good teams week in week out in order to win an NCAA championship every week You're gonna play a good team that can beat you and you got to play at a certain level I think this helps our guys that you can't take any halves off You can't take any quarters off and you got to be ready to play and I think we've done a good job of that So far throughout the year and but that's what we like to do I know I tell people a lot that we can play anybody and win 20 to 1 I mean, that's great. We can have an 8-0 schedule going in the conference play and the do that But that's not what we want to do We want to prepare ourselves for this NCAA run if we're lucky enough to get in win our conference And if we're lucky enough to do that and be prepared to do that and playing these teams week in week out Help us do that and also shows our guys how to play and not take time off because some of you play a lesser team You can take a bad quarter here or there and it doesn't hurt you here if you do that against these teams It can hurt you so, you know, we like to do it and we're excited about it Well, coach, we're awfully excited to be hosting that Mustang classic with you too We wish you the best of luck this weekend. Thanks a lot. He's Paul Canabine. I'm Joe Wamba and this has been the Paul Canabine show