UMBC coach Don Zimmerman said Wednesday he was happy to see the players demonstrate the kind of intensity and effort in practice he had been searching for after Saturday's 13-4 loss to America East Conference rival Binghamton that initiated a longer-than-normal, 50-minute team meeting.
Another byproduct of that meeting was the opening of every position. Zimmerman said starters and backups, veterans and newcomers are vying for spots on the team's depth chart.
"We're giving everybody an opportunity," he said. "We told the team this week that we're getting back to basics – not starting from scratch, but with open tryouts. If a guy feels like he's good enough to be out there and play for us on game day, show it in practice. Nobody should be comfortable with their position. It's all about being competitive and fighting for your spot on the team and developing that attitude. That's what we need and that's what we're working on."
The Retrievers (2-4 overall and 0-1 in the conference) made several changes in the loss to the Bearcats. Freshman defenseman Mark Pryor replaced starter Ian Gray late in the third quarter before the senior returned for the final period. Freshman goalkeeper David Pisanic (Boys' Latin) replaced redshirt sophomore Connor Gordon in the fourth quarter.
Asked if Pryor or Pisanic could start Saturday at Stony Brook (5-2, 0-1), Zimmerman said, "Anything is possible. … I said this across the board – not only the goalkeeper position – we're having open tryouts. Step up and prove that you should be the guy playing for us."
UMBC shuffled its top six offensive players at the start of the game against Binghamton. Senior Drew Borsody joined juniors Nate Lewnes (St. Mary's) and Jack Gannon as starters on attack, and sophomore Max Maxwell moved from his usual attack spot to the first midfield, where he ran with junior Pat Young and sophomore Dylan McDermott (South Carroll).
"We're tinkering, we're looking for the right combination – whether it be guys who have been playing for us or guys who haven't," Zimmerman said. "We're going to put the best players out on the field and by the best players, I mean the guys who are working hardest and competing and going after it in practice."