The University of Rhode Island Men’s club lacrosse team kicked off its spring season at Meade stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Rams faced off against Central Connecticut State University at 2 p.m. on March 2nd. Despite the freezing temperatures and harsh winds, the Rams showed no signs of slowing down, as they coasted past CCSU 16-2, securing their first win of the season. 

The Rams were originally scheduled to begin their season on February 23 with an away game against Southern Connecticut State University. This match was rescheduled for Thursday March 6th at 7 p.m. due to weather conditions. URI would go on to dominate this game from start to finish, winning 24-3. 

The men’s club lacrosse team also had two scrimmages before their season kicked off on Sunday. The first scrimmage was against Sacred Heart University and the second was against Providence College. In their first game action of the year on February 22nd, The Rams dominated the Sacred Heart Pioneers 14-7. The second scrimmage of the spring season however, proved to be much more of a challenge for the Rams. Trailing the majority of the game against the Providence Friars, the Rams surged back in the fourth quarter erasing a four goal deficit to win the Ocean state rivalry game, 7-6. This scrimmage was played on February 28th, just two days before the season opener. It’s safe to say that the electric comeback win against their Ocean state rivals provided significant momentum for the team going into their spring season. 

Lacrosse fans at Meade stadium may have noticed a few exciting upgrades. For the first time, the game score was displayed on the stadium’s jumbo-tron. The second change is the new lacrosse shot clocks that are placed in each end zone of the field. These lacrosse upgrades at Meade stadium can be credited to the women’s lacrosse team which just became an official D1 sport for the university. 

URI built on the momentum they created at the end of the Providence scrimmage in the first quarter against CCSU. The Rams dominated in this quarter, leading 6-0 after it concluded. The second quarter was more competitive, with tensions rising towards the end. Still, the Rams outscored CCSU 4-1, stretching their lead to nine goals at halftime. The third quarter saw somewhat of a lull in scoring action, as the lone goal scored in the quarter was by the Rams, making the score 11-1 going into the fourth. The Rams added five more goals in the fourth, while CCSU managed just one. URI sealed an emphatic 16-2 victory. 

Rhody Lacrosse is now 2-0 on the spring season with two commanding wins, outscoring their opponents by 35 goals. The Rams will have a week off to get some much needed rest, as it’s the University’s spring break. When they return, a three game road trip awaits the team. The first coming against Kennesaw State on Friday March, 21st. The team will then travel from Georgia to Fort Wayne, Indiana where they will play their next two games. A game against UNC-Charlotte on the 22nd, followed by a contest with Florida Atlantic University on the 23rd. UNC-Charlotte is 5-0 on the season and FAU is 6-1, two tough tests await the Rams as the spring season ramps up.