All lacrosse the Northwest

In just its second year of existence, the Portland State Lacrosse Club is already one of the most organized, competitive and popular clubs at Portland State. 

For years, lacrosse has been extremely popular on the east coast, but only in recently has it begun to gain popularity in Oregon and west of the Rocky Mountains in general.

The team competes in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) at the Club A level, which is commonly referred to as “virtual varsity.”

Fielding a roster of approximately 24 players this season, the lacrosse team is always looking to expand—they are hoping to have 35-40 players next year—but joining the team is not for the faint of pocket book. 

Club dues are around $1,200, which covers transportation costs (throughout the season the team travels to games in California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, British Colombia and other parts of Oregon), referee compensation and league dues. 

Good collegiate level lacrosse gear, including helmets, sticks, gloves and upper body pads, costs an additional $700 to $800. 

In addition to being somewhat expensive, being a member of the lacrosse team can be time consuming too. 

The team practices three times a week in addition to traveling to some of the aforementioned destinations.

Team captain and club president James Taylor explains why the expenses and the time are well worth it to the players. 

“First off it’s fun,” Taylor said. “But we want to be competitive. All of the guys on our team have a commitment beyond themselves to the sport and to the promotion of lacrosse in the Northwest.”

Head coach Danny Ernst agrees that one of the main objectives of having a club lacrosse team on campus is to promote the sport in the local and regional scope.

“We are planning to build this program,” Ernst said. He also noted another interesting effect that having a lacrosse club could have on the Portland State community.

“By having lacrosse here, I think we are actually pulling more students to PSU,” Ernst said. 

The team has three more home games in the month of April before their season concludes. Opponents include Washington State, Gonzaga and Boise State, and all matches are at the Stott Center Community Field on campus.

 

GRIZZLIES TROUNCE VIKINGS

Playing in their first home game of 2009, the Portland State Lacrosse Club was trounced by Montana on Feb. 28, 19-7.

After sputtering to an 11-4 deficit in the first half, Portland State seemed poised to make a comeback, but an injury to Vikings premier forward Chris Riedle left their offense stagnant. Riedle had three goals in the first half of a game that was much closer and more competitive than the final score indicated.

“We’ve had a tremendous increase [in quality of play],” said head coach Danny Ernst. Ernst noted that his team was much more competitive against Montana than they were against Idaho State in a Feb. 7 game that ended in an 18-5 loss for the Vikings.
The Vikings will next play at home on April 4 when they take on Washington State.