Sports Editor Matthew Yannie recently talked to lacrosse defensive midfielder Graham Zimmerman ’11. He has been a critical leader on a highly talented yet very young defensive unit which has made a habit of being nationally ranked in Div. III.
MY: Coming into the season with a team dominated by underclassmen, how confident were you in the team’s chances at making a run in the NCAC?
GZ: It is a goal of ours every year to compete for the NCAC championship. I felt that if we got the right pieces together with the young guys then we would definitely be able to make a run. So far this season we’ve held true to that, and if we win the rest of our games we’ll have a share of the conference title.
MY: In what ways has the offense adapted to deal with the loss of Mark Wescheler ’09 and Chris Gastch ’09 and the reliance on some unproven components?
GZ: Captains Alex Mies ’10 and Pat Coyne ’10 have really risen to the expectations and the two captains have really helped the underclassmen understand the flow of the system. Joe Suliman ’11 has really stepped up this season for us playing first line midfield and putting goals in the net for us. We’ve transitioned from set plays to more of a motion setup giving our guys more room to do what they want and experiment. That has really helped us on the offensive end.
MY: How did the challenging schedule over spring break improve the team moving forward in the season and in preparation for a run for the NCAC title and possible NCAA action?
GZ: Spring break was definitely geared toward stronger competition with the goal of playing for April. Our coach and the older guys felt that if we were playing tough opponents like Salisbury [University] and St. Mary’s [College] on the spring break schedule it would prepare us for our April games no matter how we fared with them.
MY: Right now the team stands at 1-1 in the conference, but was able to knock of traditional powerhouse Denison University. How did that win help the confidence of this team?
GZ: It’s been incredible how that win has helped our confidence, especially the young guys on the team. Some of us came back from spring break with our heads down after losing three† games straight and having a big question mark on the rest of our season at that point. Guys held fast and we got the big win against Denison which really helped.
MY: You lead the team in groundballs, with the exception of face-off specialist Matt Pullara ’11. Though this isn’t the most glamorous statistic, what has contributed to your success and why are groundballs so important?
GZ: I play defensive midfield and also on the wing for face-offs, and ground balls are a big part of wing play. They are so important for any team because with possession of the ball you can score. Getting the ground ball is 100 percent hustle. We credit that to the coaching staff and the philosophy behind this program that hard work pays off.
MY: With big conference road games coming up at the end of the season against rival Wittenberg University and Kenyon College, what are the expectations for the team?
GZ: Those are definitely the two biggest games left on the schedule and those are games that are always circled going into the season. Our expectations are as they have been since day one in August, which is to win the NCAC and compete in the NCAA tournament. We still have that left to contend for, and that is the focus.