Division II lacrosse doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves, but the Spartans are doing their best to change that. Tampa rolled into the Final Four this weekend with a real shot at hardware, and the energy around the program has been building all postseason. By the time the opening whistle blew, the hype was already cranked.
A pregame pump-up from a half hour before face-off, with the Spartans warming up.
Tampa came out of the gates swinging and put themselves in the driver's seat early. A 4-goal lead at the half in a Final Four game is the kind of cushion that lets you exhale a little, but anyone who's watched lacrosse in May knows nothing is safe until the final horn.
A halftime update from inside the building with Tampa up 7-3.
They finished the job. The Spartans punched their ticket to the national championship game, and the celebration on the field said everything about what this group has been building toward. One more win and they're cutting down whatever the lacrosse equivalent of nets is.
The on-field reaction as Tampa locks up its spot in the title game.
And then there was the cherry on top — a guest spot on the broadcast that turned into a real-time goal call. Not bad for a Saturday. Now the Spartans get a quick turnaround, a national championship in front of them, and a fanbase that just got several decibels louder.
The broadcast moment, called live as the ball hit the back of the net.
Finish the job, Spartans. The hard part is already done — beating a Final Four opponent on the biggest stage of the season. One more 60 minutes and Tampa lacrosse has a banner that isn't coming down for a long, long time.