You may have noticed previous headlines concerning the Ultimate Frisbee Team here at Saint Louis University and been unimpressed. One of these previous headlines was “Ultimate Frisbee Team Goes 1-4 in Arkansas.” A paltry record such as that was not the case for this team that journeyed 500 miles to Jackson, Miss. last weekend for the First Annual “More Mud” Tournament.
After much driving, and more than one wrong turn, the team’s 10 players-consisting of Kevin Cunningham, Travis Schrage, Dave Hoban, David Maxwell, Scott Lempka, captain Paul Grant, Paul Fitzgibbons, Kevin Galliers, Philip Thornberry and Matt Durbin-showcased their athletic ability, their desire to win and their physics-defying layouts. The result of their effort was a 3-2 record and a third place finish.
After arriving at the fields on Saturday one hour late, SLU was trounced in its first game of the tournament by the Gold Coast All-stars, the eventual champion, by a score of 5-3.
SLU would take its aggression out in the following game that pitted the team against Millsaps College of Mississippi. By halftime, SLU had a lead of 7-1. The second half didn’t slow down the squad either as it easily won the game by a final score of 15-3.
SLU took the momentum into its next game against Hendrix College and it never looked back, pummeling Hendrix with a final score of 15-2. Maxwell and Schrage scored five times apiece, and Cunningham led the game with five assists. On defense, Thornberry and Grant battled it out for the coveted Defensive Cup, with Grant taking home the cup Saturday night.
Due to their unexpected success, SLU was awarded a bye during the first round of Sunday’s tournament play, which later pitted them against first round winner Huntsville. SLU was not about to let up on its stellar play, but Huntsville had other intentions. Schrage again came up huge for SLU, scoring a game high six points, while Grant led the team with four assists. Thornberry stepped it up on defense and regained the Defensive Cup with his defensive effort. SLU prevailed with a final score of 11-6, advancing them to their first ever semi-final match-up against the tournament host Jackson.
Schrage’s effort in the end zone, along with Grant and Thornberry’s defensive play, was not enough to overcome SLU’s lack of reserves and inability to properly breathe the thick southern oxygen in Mississippi.
Not even the remaining carbohydrates from the previous night’s local Waffle House Cuisine could snatch the victory from Jackson’s grip. In the semifinals against the talented Jackson team, SLU could only muster six points, four being scored by Schrage, ending their tournament with a 13-6 loss. Despite the score, Cunningham again showed superb poise as he led the team with four assists, and the friendly battle between Grant and Thornberry for the prized D-CUP was laid to rest with Grant taking home the trophy.
Despite the disappointing loss in the semifinals, members said that they were impressed by their performance this weekend. It was the best tournament finish in SLU Ultimate Frisbee history since the revival of the team in 1998.
When asked if the team anticipates continuing with its success in the upcoming Mardi Gras Tournament in Baton Rouge, La. in two weeks, star player Thornberry replied, “Yes.”
