I said we’ve just got to be a little bit smarter about the opportunities that we have and when we’re getting these good opportunities we just need to focus up a little bit, making sure we’re being smart about it, taking advantage of it because like I said there was probably five or six times that we shot it right at the goalie’s stick and it’s an easy save.”

Co-head coach Gavin Foote

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Park plays at league-leading and second-ranked Stillwater (6-0, 9-0) Thursday, then hosts White Bear Lake (4-2, 4-3-1) on Tuesday, May 13.

After opening the season with three solid wins – including a clutch 9-7 win over Woodbury in the opener – the Park Wolfpack have faced stiffer tests the last three lacrosse outings.

First East Ridge laid a 20-7 hurt on the Wolfpack and then visiting Cretin-Derham Hall took a 15-victory at Cottage Grove on Tuesday. On Thursday, Park lost a 17-5 decision at Irondale.

“A couple of things that we talked about were offense – we’re taking some bad shots, taking shots from too far out and shooting right at the goalie’s stick,” said co-head coach Gavin Foote after the Cretin game. “I said we’ve just got to be a little bit smarter about the opportunities that we have and when we’re getting these good opportunities we just need to focus up a little bit, making sure we’re being smart about it, taking advantage of it because like I said there was probably five or six times that we shot it right at the goalie’s stick and it’s an easy save.

“Defensively we were trying to make some last-second switches, which also didn’t really help us out because in the end people were not on the same page,” Foote added. “We were trying to complicate things too much and we were leaving some guys open, making bad switches.”

The Wolfpack now stand 2-3 in the Suburban East Conference – in seventh place -- and are 3-3 on the season. Irondale moved to 3-3 in the SEC and 5-3 overall.

Park plays at league-leading and second-ranked Stillwater (6-0, 9-0) Thursday, then hosts White Bear Lake (4-2, 4-3-1) on Tuesday, May 13.