Feb. 13, 2004
The 11th-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team will continue its exhibition schedule this weekend by welcoming the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) for a Saturday game at 4 p.m. (EST) in the Loftus Sports Center. The contest is open to the public and admission is free.
The Cannons, who will send about a dozen of their players to scrimmage the Irish in a regulation game, finished second in the American Division with a 7-5 record in 2003, advancing to the MLL semifinals for the third consecutive season. Current Irish assistant coach Guy Van Arsdale is familiar with the team, as he posted a 4-2 record vs. the Cannons in his three seasons as the head coach of the MLL’s Rochester Rattlers.
Notre Dame opened its slate of exhibition games last Sunday with a 22-4 victory over Mercyhurst in the Loftus Sports Center. The Irish will welcome Denison next Sunday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. (EST) in their final tuneup. Notre Dame will then open its season by playing host to #17 Penn State the following week, on Sunday, Feb. 29 at 1 p.m. in the Loftus Sports Center.
The Irish, ranked 11th by Lacrosse Magazine and 16th in the Inside Lacrosse coaches poll, return 20 monogram winners, including eight starters, from last season’s team that was 9-5, won a share of a fifth consecutive GWLL crown, and finished the season ranked 18th in the nation after being listed as high as ninth.