Normally, a team searching for an offensive spark will look for ways to beat the other team’s goaltender. But for the University of Maine club lacrosse team, their scoring boost came from inside their own crease when they took on Southern Connecticut State University April 6.
Senior goaltender Cullen Finn stepped out of the net and into the offensive zone against the Owls, notching a goal and five assists to lead the Black Bears to a 13-12 win over SCSU — their first victory of the season.
With only two substitutes available and senior midfielder Nat Williams sidelined with a thumb injury, head coach John O’Connell went with an unorthodox solution. Finn — considered one of the top goalies in Division III lacrosse with a 7.75 goals against average and a .708 save percentage — said he enjoyed his time in the midfield despite never playing the position for any length of time before.
“It was out of the blue,” he said. “I was kind of forced into the situation, but I had planned for that [previously]; I was ready to go.
“I was excited,” added Finn. “I’ve watched kids score for 21 years of my life, from the other viewpoint. It was just nice to go out there and play a game from a totally different perspective.”
Although the Black Bears’ 1-4 season hasn’t met expectations, Finn hopes his versatility on the field can get the team going in time to make a playoff push. The Kennebunk native says the team’s season-opening loss to the University of New Haven March 2 got the team off to a rough start that’s been hard to claw back from, especially in the offensive third of the field.
“It’s been disappointing thus far, but it’s also encouraging at the same time because I see the potential that we have,” Finn said. “Our defense is doing well — we’ve put up good numbers especially against some good teams. If we could just get our offense to click and start turning [our] transition opportunities into goals instead of dropped balls or thrown-out-of-bound passes, [our record] should improve.”
Finn was recruited out of Kennebunk High School to play lacrosse for Clarkson University in New York, playing there for a year before transferring to UMaine. Although the civil engineering student is an academic senior, he retains sophomore eligibility in lacrosse. He said he plans to push back his graduation to play another season while working on a minor in business administration next school year.
“It was more academic based,” Finn said of his decision to transfer after one season with the Golden Snipes. “I went to Clarkson focused on getting my degree in civil engineering. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and UMaine’s renowned for their engineering program, and, being closer to home, it was kind of a no brainer for me.”
The senior — who says he originally grew up a hockey fan, idolizing some of the greats, such as Ray Bourque, Bobby Orr and Patrick Roy — plans to move to Miami after he graduates to pursue a career at a civil engineering firm. Although the lacrosse program has retained a shaky status since its inception in 2003, Finn says he is optimistic that it will grow in the years to come.
“I think the program is headed in the right direction, and I think it has all the potential in the world to grow with all the talent that’s out there and all the growth in the sport, especially in the Maine area,” he said.
Finn hoped the Black Bears could keep their momentum going after the win against SCSU. Although UMaine lost to Central Connecticut State University by a score of 18-7 Saturday — pushing their record to 1-5 — the captain still remains confident heading into their final regular season matchup against division-leading Stonehill College.
“We’re still a young team trying to figure it out,” Finn said. “Nothing that’s happened up until matters. It’s a clean slate, and that’s how we have to go in [to each game].”
It isn’t certain where Finn will be on the field when the Black Bears travel to Massachusetts to take on the Skyhawks April 21, but you can be certain he’ll take it in stride.