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Expectations high for veteran UR program High expectations meet veteran Spiders' lacrosse team Nationally ranked Spiders face off against tough slate

Richmond Times-Dispatch - 2/9/2017

University of Richmond lacrosse starts its fourth season on Saturday against visiting Fairfield and two related things stick out about these Spiders. They've matured together and their demanding schedule suggests that this group has high expectations.

When UR launched its Division I program in 2014, coach Dan Chemotti essentially played freshmen and a few transfers. Richmond lost seven of its first eight games.

Among the current 47 Spiders, 15 are seniors and 10 are juniors. The Inside Lacrosse Yearbook preseason poll ranks Richmond No. 15, marking the first time the Spiders have been ranked in the preseason.

Chemotti, whose team competes in the Southern Conference, put together a nonleague schedule that presents the Spiders with several opportunities to prove they belong among the nation's elite. That starts on opening day.

Fairfield is ranked No. 17. In seven nonconference games, UR also meets No. 20 Marquette, No. 8 Duke, No. 2 North Carolina and No. 14 Virginia. Among those tests, only the UNC game is on the road.

"We've been saying from day one, we wanted the schedule to grow as our program grew," said Chemotti. "I'm sure there will be some really teachable moments, both good and bad, throughout a schedule like that. That's a challenge that we're up for."

The Spiders are led by 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior Brendan Hynes, the 2016 Southern Conference defensive player of the year and a three-year captain.

Richmond closed its inaugural season 6-11, but advanced to the NCAA tournament by winning the Atlantic Sun Conference championship. The Spiders went 11-5 (6-0 SoCon) in 2015, and last year finished 11-5 (6-1 SoCon).

The seniors will keep the Spiders grounded because, "they were in that locker room when we were the 67th-ranked team out of 67, and they know things haven't changed. We're doing the same stuff, we're focusing on the same things, we're watching film the same way, we're practicing the same way, they're working in the weight room the same way," said Chemotti.

"They created that culture from day one. They enjoy that culture. They believe in it. They've seen the results from it."

For the third consecutive year, the four-team Southern Conference tournament will be played at Robins Stadium, May 4 and May 6.

Top-seeded Air Force scored 50 seconds into overtime to beat second-seeded Richmond 9-8 in the 2016 championship game and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. UR is picked second in the SoCon preseason poll behind Air Force.

joconnor@timesdispatch.com(804) 649-6233@RTDjohnoconnor