At the core of any successful team is its chemistry. It may take time to build, but for U.S. hopefuls Will Manny (UMass ’13) and Dylan Molloy (Brown ’17), a preexisting bond flourished as they stepped onto Tierney Field to play for their country.

Despite being four years apart, the Long Island natives – Manny of Massapequa and Molloy of Setauket – graduated from St. Anthony’s (N.Y.). Both were a Friars’ MVP.

“Building on our similar backgrounds of being from Long Island and both attending St. Anthony’s, it was easy to be fond of one another,” Molloy said.

Now suiting up for Team USA, Manny and Molloy are firing on all cylinders. In its 22-2 win over Towson in the Team USA Fall Classic at US Lacrosse on Oct. 8, Manny tallied eight points on seven goals and an assist and Molloy finished with five points on one goal and four assists.

Molloy’s last assist connected with his fellow Friar. Together, Manny and Molloy caught their defense off-guard to pass fast and shoot fast.

“As an attackman, you should be able to get the ball in and out of your stick faster than everyone on the field,” Manny said. “A feeding, right-handed bull dodger and a solid off-ball lefty finisher definitely work well together.”

Quick-Stick Assist to Quick-Stick Goal

Prepare:
Survey the field and your opponent’s defense. Determine what play you want to make ahead of time. A quick-stick assist to a quick-stick goal can occur in a man-up offense, fast break transition, a broken play or a dodge from behind.

Assist:
As the feeder, look for your teammate cutting on the backside. Be aware of defensemen ball-watching. When you receive a pass by the crease, look upfield to draw the defense. Then immediately pass it to the cutter.

Score:
As the cutter, put yourself in a scoring position when your teammate is attacking the end line. Keep the field balanced. Follow the defensemen’s slides. A quick stick shot from high to low is your best option as it’s hard to stop by a goalie that is going pipe to pipe.