2021 NCAA DII MEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP

May 30, 2021

Matt Hutchings

Zach Pierce

Le Moyne Dolphins

Media Conference

Le Moyne -12, Lenoir-Rhyne - 6

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by student-athletes Matt Hutchings and Zach Pierce.

Q. Could you each take us through the third quarter, because it's 5-5 at half? It was like you flipped a switch. Could you take us through what got you rolling in that third quarter?

MATT HUTCHINGS: I think we just kind of got the jitters out in the first half. Met in the locker room. We're like, hey, we know we're a better team; we've just got to start playing like it. And eventually we just kind of got some grip and, yeah.

ZACH PIERCE: Kind of like what Matt said, it took us a bit in the first to get used to playing in the game. Obviously it was a big game. Just getting our feet wet and getting warmed up in the first and coming in halftime kind of regrouping and just focusing on us, which was kind of our game plan coming into all this. I think that was really it.

Q. Can you both walk me through what you're feeling right now? It's been a trying year, and winning the national championship, how do you feel?

MATT HUTCHINGS: I'm pumped up. Like, this team's talented. We knew we could -- like our goal was always to win the championship. Kind of a bunch of different emotions. We've gone through a lot of tough situations that helped prepare us for this. And it's just it's really like rewarding to just see how all of the sacrifices we made and all the time we spent every day just grinding to get to where we are now.

And now a lot of love yous, a lot of hugs and it's great.

ZACH PIERCE: Yeah, I agree with Matt. I think it's just like kind of an overall feeling of excitement and everyone is like you said the team's been through a lot this past year. And it's just great to end the season this way. And like Matt said it's a lot of love yous and it's been, like I said before, we focus on us and what we can control. So this is really exciting for everyone that's part of this.

Q. Seeing you guys at practice in and out of games, like you said a lot of love yous going on. I'm guessing a lot of you really are friends on and off the field. Do you think that shows on the field and kind of leads to success when you really have that good energy?

MATT HUTCHINGS: I think so, just because like we all want that same goal so badly. So we rely on each other. Like someone's not having like their best day, you've got 50 other guys around you that are going to push you and make you have a better day than you would have.

ZACH PIERCE: Yeah, and we always can kind of, like he said, we can count on each other to be there. If someone's not having the greatest game, just having that all-around trust factor throughout the team. It's huge, when we get in situations like today where the first quarter was a little bit rough and we started off a little bit slow. But there was never a time where any of us were, like, we can't do this and we won't do this. So I think the chemistry off the field definitely plays a factor on the field as well.

MATT HUTCHINGS: Doubt is a killer, and we got rid of it.

ZACH PIERCE: Yep.

Q. A lot of the times when they talk about Le Moyne you hear about the defense. But you guys dropped 12 goals today. I'm wondering how happy are you guys that you were able to show out for the offense and show what this team is capable of?

ZACH PIERCE: I think it's awesome definitely. Kind of took a little pressure off our defense because our defense they call themselves the backbone and they're really the backbone of the team. They help us win some really close games this year. But it was nice to have the offense clicking a little bit more and being able to show out today.

MATT HUTCHINGS: Just adding on top of that I think our D only let in one goal the second half; is that right? They've got a strong back but we have some good legs so it's a perfect equation.

Q. Matt, we talked about how you personally and some other players came back from last year when you were looking pretty good. And you set the bar pretty high. Back winning the championship. I don't know if you thought you'd win every game but a perfect season is so hard to pull off. Did at any point either at the offseason or rolling into the season but feel any pressure about staying perfect, about it being championship or bust?

MATT HUTCHINGS: Definitely about it being championship or bust. Not about a perfect season. I think that just comes along with everyone working hard and keeping that main goal in mind. I think our team does a pretty good job at taking it one day at a time, not running too fast for like we keep it even keeled and chip away at it. And now we've got a perfect seen, didn't have a perfect day every day, but we had a perfect seen all together. So it's great.