Column: Unselfish Play Leading Blue Hens To Success

Following a thrilling win over CAA rival Hofstra, Austin Haynes, Matt DeLuca and Charlie Kitchen filed into the conference room at the Delaware Field House to talk to the media that had assembled.

Question and question, the answers were almost the same every time.

"It's all about us playing together and staying connected. It's about playing for each other, fighting for the guy next to you" Haynes said.

"We have a lot of weapons offensively and so many different guys can score, so it's really about who gets the opportunities on that particular day," Kitchen said.

"I'm only able to do my job because of the work my defense is doing in front of me. They put me in the position to make the plays and come up with the stop. It's a trust between us," DeLuca said.

Team. Team. Team. It's the theme in every answer.

The 33^rdPresident of the United States Harry Truman once said, "It's amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit."

That mantra could be plastered all over this year's Blue Hens.

Seniors, freshman, juniors, sophomores. Lots of experience, little experience. Everyone has taken a turn stepping into a role and Delaware finds itself at 10-2 and in sole possession of first place in the CAA with two weeks to play. It's the best start in 20 years for the Blue Hens.

Injury after injury. Construction in their home stadium. The obstacles have been met with a mentality of toughness and grit. Scrappiness and doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

In a day and age that is so focused on a "me first" mentality, this year's Blue Hens squad is a breath of fresh air.

Just look to their conference play as an example, Delaware has assisted on 70-percent of its goals in the past three games. 15 different players have logged a point this spring. 12 have tallied an assist.

DeLuca has practically stood on his head at times in goal. And any question he is ever asked, he always credits his defensive unit as the reason for his success.

Kitchen is the same way and so on and so forth, up and down the roster of 45.

"Unselfishness is a critical piece in our program. This program is bigger than any individual. When we take the field, we are playing for the guys next to us. We are playing for the guys who came before us and set the standard of Delaware lacrosse years ago," head coach Ben DeLuca said.

One of the biggest mottos of this year's team is "Well done is greater than well said."

The Blue Hens can say the right thing, but it's their play that has backed up the unselfish mantra.

And with two weeks left to play, there's still plenty left that this group can accomplish TOGETHER.

University of Delaware Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Matt DeLuca

Austin Haynes

Charlie Kitchen

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