After Maggie McClain and her Gettysburg lacrosse teammates beat Amherst last Sunday, McClain got a bit sentimental. The realization came to her that it would be the last game she would ever play at Clark Field, Gettysburg’s home venue.
The game served as one of McClain’s last goodbyes to college lacrosse. She’s hoping to put off the final goodbye as long as possible.
With the win, Gettysburg improved to 19-2 to advance to the NCAA Division III Final Four. It’ll play Salisbury on Saturday, with a victory giving Gettysburg a chance to defend its 2017 championship.
“In our last game at Clark Field, me and Maggie Welsh kind of stood there and started crying because that was going to be our last game there,” said McClain, a senior attacker and Sewickley Academy grad.
“We probably looked pathetic and disgusting because we had snot everywhere. But every game you’re thinking, ‘Maybe this could be it, maybe this is the last one.’”
In no small part due to McClain, among others, Gettysburg has been able to put off that final game for awhile. Mostly a bench player last year, McClain got some starts when her teammate, Steph Colson, missed games due to a concussion. She seized the opportunity and took over as a starter this season. She’s scored 19 goals and dished out six assists.
“I learned a lot and was able to grow and keep that spot and keep going. No starting spot is set in stone, that’s something that coach always puts on us, but the more that we keep working harder and keep our heads in it, we’re able to keep going in the same spots that we’re in,” McClain said.
“I never know if I’m going to start or I’m not, and that’s something that coach always lets us know, like, ‘If you keep working hard, you’ll stay where you’re at. But if not, see you later.’”
A contributor since her freshman season, McClain has noticed her experience paying off this year. After adjusting to the skill level of college lacrosse in her freshman year, every successive season for McClain has mostly been about gaining experience and reaping the benefits of that time on the field.
“My IQ and the smarts have improved. High school me compared to me now, I used to be taking low angle shots from around the crease. If I do that now, I’m getting my butt pulled off the field so fast,” McClain said. “So it’s knowing when to move the fast break, where to move, how to be smart.”
That experience has been helpful in carrying over last season’s success into this year. While Gettysburg lost five players to graduation, the proverbial torch was passed to McClain and Gettysburg’s six other seniors, who have turned the Bullets into a national powerhouse yet again.
“Losing people is never easy, but I think the path that they laid out for us and the advice they’ve given has helped us kind of grow on our own. We’ve learned to keep positive, support each other and never get negative even when you really, really want to,” McClain said.
“We’re a completely different team. We’re not the same team that won it last year, but we still have the same dream. And the harder we work, the harder we can keep moving forward to where we want to be, and that will always be the national championship.”
For all the ways it’s apparent that Gettysburg isn’t the same team as last season’s squad, it’s also apparent that this season’s team shares many of the same qualities. Notably, this is a team that plays coolly and confidently. Players like McClain have seen quite a bit and played in a number of high-pressure games, and it shows. It’s a factor that could be key in Gettysburg’s efforts to repeat.
“Our team is just a very composed team, even under pressure. And I think that’s important to have when you’re playing these high pressure games. Any championship game, you have to keep a very poised and composed mindset, and I think that’s something that we do very well,” McClain said. “Every team going into the Final Four has to be at that level, and if they’re not, you’re not going to get to the championship.”
TRACK & FIELD
-- Geneva’s Nicole Bartoletta (Central Valley) and Jessica Kelosky (Riverside) qualified for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Bartoletta qualified for the 60- and 100-meter hurdles, while Kelosky qualified for the 100-meter dash.
BASEBALL
-- La Roche’s Tre Thomas (Ambridge) was named the AMCC Pitcher of the Year and an All-Conference First Team. Thomas, a sophomore, lead the AMCC with eight wins and a 1.48 ERA.