The Quincy University Men’s and Women’s lacrosse teams got together at The Rock March 6 to play an inter-school scrimmage and afterwards joined together in a community potluck. 

The women’s team, with the help of a few possible future transfers from the men’s side, inevitably stood tall at the end of the game winning by a score of 6-5.

The scrimmage and potluck took place due to the scheduled games of the men’s and women’s team both being canceled.

They were both supposed to play on Sunday against Midland University, the women’s game at 11 a.m. with the guys game following at 2 p.m. 

So instead of letting a negative situation weigh down the weekend’s outcome, coaches of the men’s team in Eric Ruppel and Timothy Madden and from the women’s team Kathelene Kim got together to conduct a fun event for both teams to have in closing out another strong week of Hawk lacrosse.

To level the playing field between the different rules and regulations between each side of the program, the men’s players used the women’s sticks and the women players used the men’s sticks. 

That wasn’t the only switchup of rules and regulations that the coaches made to make the game both more fun and entertaining to participate in as well as watch from a spectator’s perspective. 

Normally the restraining lines for men’s lacrosse that break up the field are located going from one sideline of the field to the other on both 30 yard lines and the 50 yard line, in women’s lacrosse the middle line is erased resulting in only the 30s being used.

In women’s lacrosse, play begins with a draw, when two players stand with the ball suspended between the players sticks. A draw happens after goals and the ends of quarters when play resumes. The same play in men’s lacrosse is called a faceoff where both players are in a down position with the ball on the ground with the ensuing battle to pick it up. 

After some goals or ends of quarters the teams would feature both draws and faceoffs to play into the strengths of what one side is used to, versus the opposition being completely out of their comfort zone. 

It made the game a fun learning experience for both sides to compete in a very particular fashioned game of lacrosse. 

“The scrimmage went great in my opinion as well as in others I’m sure, It was neat to do something with both teams like this,” Sami Day, freshman defender, said. 

It was supposed to be a big weekend for both programs as the men’s team has been in the win column lately as they begin to move into conference play, and the women’s team looking to continue on a great performance from their previous game alongside of fixing a few parts of their game that were shown against stiff competition in the early going of the season. 

Parents from both sides of the programs had planned to travel and show up for these games, with the games being canceled mere days before the competitions, most had already spent the money and planned the time to come out so majority of the parents still came. 

“It seemed everyone enjoyed themselves as well as some of the parents that were in town, they still got to see us play in a way with our real games not being able to be played,” Day said. 

The main element of the stick switching is what seemed to be the true kicker in throwing off the respective sides of the program in competing in a game and the score surely showed that. 

“Throwing with all the guys sticks was so weird. As I’m sure it was for the guys to throw and play with our sticks. Regardless, to do something fun like this to end a rough and long week was much needed as well as very fun,” Josie Szmanda said. 

Changing and adapting to a completely different play style seemed to be the name of the game in being victorious in the scrimmage. 

“In the future I hope we are able to make this a regular thing,” Szmanda said. 

The win on the field for the women’s team wasn’t the only one to be had that day, a win of fantastic food and better times with people was had by both ends after the conclusion of the scrimmage. 

On the third floor of the press box , a Mexican styled buffet of tacos and all different types of Mexican dishes were prepared and offered to players and parents to indulge in and enjoy. 

“The food Rupp and Lindsey made and prepared for all of us was on point as per usual, a true master of smoking meats is Ruppel. All in all, a great day for da hawks was had here today,” Grayson Kuan said. 

After an eventful day and a delightful meal the Hawks cleaned up and began to prepare for the rest of their respective seasons to come. 

The men’s team is back in action on Friday and Sunday, March 18 and 20, as they travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan to face Davenport University and Colorado State University of Pueblo.