Johns Hopkins hasn't started a season with a 2-4 record since the 1990 season. So Saturday's home game against Navy (3-2) at Homewood Field in Baltimore at noon might loom as a somewhat important game for the No. 17 Blue Jays (2-3).
But instead of viewing Saturday as a must-win contest, coach Dave Pietramala said the team's entire approach should be focused on playing better.
"If we play better, things happen," he said Wednesday morning. "Our focus shouldn't be on winning or losing. Our focus should be on playing well, playing hard, following the process, executing. Those are the things that allow you to win. Teams don't focus on winning and losing. Coaches don't focus on winning and losing. They focus on the things it takes to succeed. The result is winning or losing. and that result is a result of, did you pick up ground balls, did you execute offensively or defensively, did you communicate, did you face off well? That is the focus. We have to play better, and we have to play for a full game, and we have not done that yet."
There is some question whether Johns Hopkins will have its full complement of players. Senior long-stick midfielder Michael Pellegrino's availability for Saturday is unclear after he was injured in overtime of the team's 16-15 loss to No. 10 Princeton.
Pietramala said Pellegrino, the team's leader in caused turnovers (six), has been involved in every practice thus far, but when asked if he anticipates Pellegrino to play against the Midshipmen, Pietramala said, "I don't know that yet."
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Eric Schneider will remain the starter, Pietramala said. Schneider made just four saves in that loss to Princeton and at one point in the first quarter during the Tigers' 7-0 run, Pietramala signaled to junior Will Ryan to warm up. But Pietramala said Schneider will open against Navy.
The Blue Jays have three more games before making their debut in the Big Ten and playing five more contests. So the team has time to reverse its fortunes and polish its resume for the NCAA tournament.
"We have to remain focused, and we remain positive," Pietramala said. "There's still a lot of lacrosse ahead of us. It doesn't change the fact we have to play better."