The Standard

Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Chris Cox

It didn't take much for Missouri State's Dave Herber to develop a love for lacrosse. When he was in the sixth grade, a friend from Philadelphia brought something that caught Herber's eye.

"He had moved to Philly, where lacrosse is really big, and when he came back to St. Louis, he had a lacrosse stick," Herber said. "I just kind of picked the sport up and started playing in seventh grade and all the way through high school."

Herber has continued that passion for lacrosse as a Bear.

Only a freshman, he is thriving for the Missouri State lacrosse team early on this season. Through five games, he leads all Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division-II players in goals with 25.

"He's a hard worker that's earned everything he's gotten," Bears junior defender Kyle Murphy said. "As a team, we've been able to get him the ball in position to score."

Herber's early season success isn't that bad of an achievement for a player that didn't consider himself a "goal scorer" in high school.

"I might have scored 20 goals, maybe, my senior year of high school," Herber said.

A position change has apparently made a world of difference for Herber, said Bears coach Austin Holman.

A midfielder at CBC High School in St. Louis, Herber has switched to crease attack for the Bears this season after adding "some weight" to his 6-foot-2 frame during his senior year.

"One of our players, Mark Jasper, who played with Dave at CBC (High School in St. Louis), said Herber was a midfielder but had all the good traits of a crease attacker," Holman said. "So this past fall, we decided to have him switch over and try out as an attacker. He's picked it up well, especially for a freshman."

But what are the traits needed to play crease attack?

"You have to be a hard worker, big, strong and tall," Holman said. "Dave is all of those things."

Several members of the team mentioned Herber's work ethic as one aspect that stood out.

"He's a hard worker, and that's been the biggest reason for his success," said senior attacker Nick King. "You've got to put in the work. It's good that someone like him is having the season he is because he's a good kid."

With eight games left in the season and only a freshman, it would seem that Herber still has plenty of room to improve.

"It's rare that a freshman plays as well as he has," Holman said. "I can't wait to see what he's like when he's older."

Added Herber: "Each goal builds confidence. I just hope I can keep it rolling."

Missouri State hosts two games this weekend.

The Bears (4-1, 2-0 Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference) will host St. Louis University (0-1) at 8 p.m. Friday at Plaster Field.

On Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Missouri State will face Dordt College (0-0) at the Glass Hall Field.

That game was originally scheduled to take place at Plaster Field, but was forced to move due to a men's soccer exhibition match against Missouri S&T taking place that same day at Plaster Field.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools