At 6-feet-4-inches, 240 pounds, Chris Feifs is one of the most physically imposing players on the Terrapin men’s lacrosse team.
Consider the fact that the senior captain plays offensive midfield, a position generally reserved for smaller players, and Feifs seems to be a monster out of position. Armed with a rocket-powered shot that can eat up opposing goalies, Feifs has the potential to be a scoring force for the Terps.
But plagued by poor accuracy and a lack of open shots, Feifs has struggled for the Terps, entering his 11th game (Feifs missed the Terps season opener due to a stomach illness) of the season with only six goals.
Something clicked for the senior Saturday night.
Feifs looked sharp against Johns Hopkins, pouring in three goals on six shots, including the crucial game-tying goal with 7:07 remaining in regulation. His powerful shot whipped past Johns Hopkins goalie Jesse Schwartzman on the man-up situation, after the Terps had patiently killed 56 seconds of the man-up by working the ball around in an attempt to get a clear shot on goal.
Senior attackman Michael Phipps, who assisted Feifs on both the game-tying goal and an earlier goal, was impressed with the way his teammate took control on one of the biggest stages in lacrosse.
“He stepped up huge for us,” Phipps said. “He made some big shots when we needed them. He’s a great senior leader.”
For Feifs, the game marked his first career hat trick. Each of his goals came from out in front of the goal on catch-and-shoot type plays. And while he launched one shot far over the net and out of bounds, Feifs proved to be in a rhythm for much of the second half.
But even with his strong individual performance, Feifs could not help but show his downtrodden emotions after the 8-7 overtime loss.
“I definitely felt good out there,” Feifs said, head hung low. “But scoring three goals in a loss is definitely bittersweet.”
Now, coming off the loss to the Terps’ biggest rival, the senior captain has a job at hand that may prove tougher than scoring a goal. The Terps are closing in on the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Coming off a tough loss can be difficult for a team filled with as many young players as the Terps currently use.
Senior captain Jimmy Borell was hurt in Saturday’s game and another captain, Travis Holmes, has been limited severely by sickness and injury throughout the season. Feifs will try to make his mark as a leader by keeping his focus and playing his hardest.
“It’s really just [leadership] by example,” Feifs said. “You have to keep your head high and realize that … we still have a lot of games, important games, left in the season and we still have to work to get better.”
Contact reporter Adi Joseph at ajosephdbk@gmail.com.
