Union men's lacrosse senior Pete Gross (Larchmont/Salisbury Prep) had seven goals and three assists to help Union split a pair of Liberty League games last week to earn the Liberty League Co-Offensive Performer of the Week award. He scored three goals with three assists in a 17-4 road win over Vassar. In that contest, Gross gobbled up seven ground balls and won six of his eight faceoffs. In an 11-8 loss at Clarkson, the senior scored four goals. For the season, entering Wednesday's home game against Hamilton, Gross is tied for the team lead in goals (19), and leads the Dutchmen in assists (27), points (46), shots (69) and ground balls (93). He also has two game-winning tallies and 35 shots on goal.
Gross has had an impressive career for the men's lacrosse squad. He is only three points shy of eclipsing his career best points season, when he finished with 48 in 2003. He has 121 career points, including 59 goals, entering this week's games, and is the 14th player in Union men's lacrosse annals to record 100 career points. Gross needs just two more points to tie Dave Parrott (123) for 10th all-time in Dutchmen career points, and could do it at home Wednesday against Hamilton (4 p.m. at Bailey Field).
“Pete is a consummate team player,” commented his coach, Erv Chambliss. “If there is something that needs to be done, he will attempt to do it. And, we've learned that you can't be surprised with the result that you get from his actions. In fact, he leads by his actions.”
Gross will be one of the seniors recognized prior to Saturday's home finale against Renselaer at 7 p.m. His career has been a high yield for Chambliss and the Dutchmen, and this week is a great chance for you to gain more interest in a player who will rate as one of Union's best men's lacrosse players in history.
The women's lacrosse team clinched the Liberty League title with a 7-5 home win over Hamilton, and has 10 straight wins and an 11-3 record. They are ranked 17th in the IWLCA poll and 13th by LaxPower.com. Molly Flanagan (Simsbury, CT/Loomis Chaffee) was named the Liberty League Co-Offensive Performer of the Week, while Rachel Beckman (Needham, MA/Needham) received the Liberty League's Co-Defensive Performer of the Week and Erin Lawson (Flourtown, PA/Springside) won the league's Co-Rookie of the Week.
Flanagan had seven goals and two assists in a three-victory week for the Dutchwomen. She had 10 ground balls and caused nine turnovers on the week. In a 13-9 win vs. Vassar, Flanagan scored four goals, had two ground balls and caused four turnovers. In the league clinching win over Hamilton, the senior scored twice, including the game-winner, and added two points and five ground balls against St. John Fisher. She has 50 points, including 37 assists, and this was her second weekly award of the season.
Beckman has been solid in the Union nets. She combined for 26 saves and allowed just 18 goals on 52 shots in the three victories. She stopped 11 in each of the wins vs. Vassar and Hamilton. In that contest, she stopped a free position shot with 3:41 left with a one-goal lead. Beckman stopped four in the win vs. Fisher. On the season, the junior has a 7.97 GAA in 10 starts.
Lawson copped her second rookie award with seven goals in two of the victories last week. She scored five in the triumph over Vassar and added two more against St. John Fisher. The freshman leads the team with eight free position goals and is third on the team with 32 points.
Men's and women's crew was not able to compete in the Liberty League Championships at St. Lawrence, as the event was canceled. But the teams did host four schools last weekend to make up for the meet in Canton. Next up is the New York State Championships at Binghamton this week. Union is racing in Whitney Point, competing in a Men's Varsity 4, a Women's Varsity 4, a Men's Novice 4 and a Women's Novice 4. Baseball is at Rochester for a Liberty League twinbill on Saturday, then plays at Skidmore Sunday. Softball, which snapped the school record for wins in a season and is now 28-4, has a make-up doubleheader vs. Skidmore on Fri., May 6. Union, which was not ranked in last week's NFCA Division III national poll, went all the way up to #9 in the poll announced April 27. The Dutchwomen are ranked #2 in the NCAA Div. III Northeast Region poll. Men's and women's track and field will head to the Rensselaer Invitational on Saturday, while the men's tennis team season concluded last week with a fourth place finish at the Liberty League Championships at St. Lawrence.