FALCONS FINALLY READY TO PLAY
Women’s lacrosse set to host Salem State on Saturday
FITCHBURG » It’s been over a year since a Fitchburg State University team took the field in game action.
For the women’s lacrosse team, its last contest came on March 8, 2020, a 19-14 victory on the road over Castleton.
That group will get its chance to return to the turf in meaningful play on Saturday when it hosts Salem State at Elliot Field for a tilt at 11 a.m., marking the first game played by any FSU team since the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the world of collegiate athletics in Fitchburg to a halt.
“I think we’re just grateful to be playing at all. We weren’t expecting much this year in terms of playing games, so I think we’re all just happy we’re going to be able to play some sort of season,” junior captain Julia Mielse said prior to Thursday’s practice. “It looks a little different, but I think it’s going to be great to be on the field and playing competitively. We’ve been practicing with each other for a month and we’re getting that itch to play someone else.”
Though the Falcons’ roster is comprised of just 16 athletes, head coach Rick Terrio — in his 15th year at the helm of the program, including one year as a club team — feels FSU has the talent to compete, so long as
is to build a tournament which is safe for the kids.”
One of the proBlems is if everyone deCides to opt-in to Compete in the spring tournAment. TMC ChAirmAn Jim O’LeAry pointed out A potentiAl ConCern in some seCtions whiCh hAve upwArd of 40 sChools. If All of them deCide to opt-in, it’s going to CreAte some serious sCheduling CrAmming.
BridgewAter-RAynhAm AthletiC direCtor DAn Buron Asked if there is A possiBility thAt sChools Could move from one seCtion to Another in order
to Better BAlAnCe out of the field. He went on to Add thAt this is A yeAr where everyone should Consider thinking outside the Box.
LAter in the meeting, ShAnnon sAid the Committee needs to think long And hArd ABout seleCting suitABle stAte semifinAl And ChAmpionship sites. He prediCts A proBlem will oCCur if A teAm hAs to trAvel three hours to fACe TAConiC in A tournAment BAseBAll gAme.
The TMC Also outlined the AppeAls proCess. SChools wishing to AppeAl will Complete A MIAA AppeAl request form. Those sChools requesting to move up A division will Be grAnted By form, while those looking to go down A division will hAve their Ap
peAls heArd only if it meets the stAndArds for AppeAl And hAs supporting dAtA on the AppeAl Request form.
DivisionAl plACement AppeAls will only Be grAnted on the following fACtors: PrivAte SChools, UrBAn SChools, Co-op SChools, VoCAtionAl SChools, pArtiCipAtion numBers trends from the lAst Alignment period BAsed on MIAA numBers And lArge enrollment ChAnges.
AppeAls will not Be grAnted on the BAsis of wins And losses. All deCisions will Be heArd By A Committee Appointed By the TMC And thAt will Consist of prinCipAls, AthletiC direCtors, TMC memBers And seAsonAl sports Committee memBers, Among others.