The first play of UMBC's season will feature a player with just three games of experience.
Sophomore Steve Larson will take the opening faceoff when the Retrievers visit No. 6 Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. It might seem like a terrifying prospect for a player who has taken just three draws in his collegiate career, but coach Don Zimmerman said Larson has worked hard to replace the graduated Phil Poe.
"I think Steve came back to school in the fall understanding that this was a terrific opportunity," Zimmerman said Thursday. "Phil Poe has gone, and the position is wide open. I think last year as a freshman, he looked up to Phil, who did a nice job of mentoring him. Now, throughout the course of the year, he's worked hard and gotten stronger. He's developed. Now he has an opportunity to make an impact for us. He seems focused. He's still just a sophomore, but certainly a guy who's shown that he's willing to work hard and is excited about the opportunity."
Larson will have a high standard to meet. Poe ranked 11th in Division I in faceoff winning percentage (59.9), and his 9.3 ground balls per game were sixth best nationally. Poe also graduated as the school's all-time leader in faceoff wins (676) and Division I leader in career ground balls (351).
Redshirt senior Nathan Klein and freshman Brett Malamphy (Arundel) also could take some faceoffs, but Larson will be the main option.
Zimmerman already has said no one expects Larson to put up the kind of numbers Poe did.
"I know he looks up to Phil, but I wouldn't know if there's pressure on him," Zimmerman said. "There's enough pressure on guys to have to get out there and perform as it is. I think what's important for Steve and any player is, if they do look up to and respect and want to emulate an older player, that's great. I remember doing that as a player. But at the end of the day, you have to be yourself. You have to establish your own identity, and I think Steve is doing that."