The Standard

Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Chris Cox

Before the season even started, some on the Missouri State lacrosse team felt the Bears might have been getting overlooked.

However, that could soon be changing.

Missouri State picked up two victories at home this weekend, soundly beating rival and No. 15 Harding 13-4 on Friday night and topping Creighton 13-7 on Sunday.

"(These wins) give us exactly what we're looking for," senior Dustin Rich said. "We feel like we've been overlooked by everyone. It makes us want (to win) that much more."

The Bears are now 4-1 on the season. After being ranked No. 24 in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association top-25 poll last week, the victories moved Missouri State up to No. 18 among Division-II teams.

Coach Austin Holman said the accolades are nice, but the most important part was that Missouri State has been proving how good of a team it is on the field.

Having that chip on their shoulder can be a good thing for the Bears.

"I really like us being low-key like that," he said. "Getting recognition is nice and all, but I want our play to show the type of team we are."

Missouri State also stands alone in first place in the South Division of the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference at 2-0 after beating Harding and Creighton.

"Starting the season, we knew we had a pretty good group of players," said Bears attacker Dave Herber. "I'm pleased with where we're at."

Among the three other teams in the South Division, Missouri Baptist doesn't play its first game until March 7 and Washington-St. Louis plays its first games of the season this weekend against Rockhurst and Mizzou.

Harding also lost to Creighton on Saturday 12-8 and fell to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in league play.

On Friday night, Missouri State dominated the first half and led 7-0 at halftime on its way to winning 13-4.

Harding didn't get within 20 yards of the Bears' net in the first quarter and didn't manage a single shot until there were four minutes left in the second quarter.

"We did a good job of controlling the tempo in both games this weekend," Holman said.

Once Harding recorded its first shot, Missouri State already had 15 total shots and a sizable lead.

"We were just fired up to play them," Missouri State team president and midfielder Brad Shearman said. "A lot of the freshmen or new players don't know how big of a rivalry it is against Harding, but we tried to emphasize it in practice during the week."

Shearman and Herber each had three goals. Goalkeeper Mark Livesay had eight saves.

Against Creighton on Sunday, the Bears jumped out to a 3-0 advantage and led 5-2 at halftime. Creighton got within 7-4 shortly after halftime, but Missouri State scored four consecutive goals, three by Herber, to clinch the victory.

Livesay finished with 13 saves, and Mark Jasper had three assists. On the season, Herber leads all Division-II players with 25 goals.

"I'm having a heck of a start, but I just have to owe it to my teammates for finding me when I'm open," Herber said.

Missouri State is at home again this weekend, facing St. Louis at 8 p.m. Friday and Dordt at 3:30 p.m. "SLU will be very good," Shearman said. "They're probably our best competition of the season."

Both games will be at Plaster Field.

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