The NC State men’s club lacrosse team enjoyed a successful fall season with wins over rivals UNC-Chapel Hill, 8-7, and Duke, 10-4. 

Fall ball is a short selection of games and tournaments that are used to prepare the team for the spring regular season. The Wolfpack hopes to start off the season right using the momentum of last regular season’s 7-4 record. Playing in the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference, the Pack finished 2-2 in divisional play with wins over East Carolina and Wake Forest. 

“Fall ball gives us time for the team to gel,” assistant lacrosse coach Chris Demarest said. “We have guys coming in from several different programs, states and experience levels. It also allows for the freshmen to show what they’ve got.  Every job is up for grabs.”

Additionally, Demarest has high expectations for the team this upcoming season.

“We’ve made the conference playoffs for the last two years [a program first] and we expect to head back,” Demarest said. “Advancing in the playoffs is priority number one. It will be harder this year, but we have great depth with 45 guys and quite a bit of returning talent.”

Some of this talent includes third-year starting goalie Brady Edwards, as well as fourth-year starters faceoff Cole Deaver and defender John Hughey. Deaver hustles in order to provide his team with extra possessions, and Hughey is of great importance on a team that prides itself on its defense.

“We have always been a team that has relied on defense to get use through, but this year we have some real firepower in our attack,” Demarest said. 

The team returns Jeff Williams, the team’s most balanced offensive player, and Miller Barbour, who are poised to lead the powerful Pack offense.

The team will begin its 2016 spring season, which starts on Feb. 6, with an away game against the Georgia Bulldogs. 

The Pack will host Buffalo March 14 at Method Road field for its first home game of the season.