In an upset last April, the Cornell University men’s lacrosse team defeated Syracuse University in overtime on a shot by Cornell midfielder Ryan Matthews that sailed past the outstretched arm of Syracuse goalie Evan Molloy. Even more unlikely, Matthews and Molloy were and remain best friends who have known each other since age 9 and served as co-captains of the Manhasset High School team.
After the game, they exchanged a few words.
“Evan told me he thought there was no way I was going to shoot,” Matthews said. “I told him that honestly I didn’t know where I was shooting.”
Now entering their final season of college lacrosse, both were named captains of their teams.
“It’s incredible that those two kids would be captains at those two programs,” said James Molloy, Evan’s father. “It took a lot of hard work to get there. Becoming captain doesn’t just take talent; it takes being a good teammate.”
That work began when Matthews and Molloy started playing youth lacrosse together. They grew closer as they got older, Matthews said.
“[Evan] was one of my best buddies in high school,” Matthews added. “We used to go to the Strathmore Country Club pool together.”
After high school, however, their paths diverged.
Molloy headed off to Syracuse University and Matthews went to Johns Hopkins University.
After a freshman year in which he didn’t play much, Matthews sat out his sophomore season due to a back injury. Having already suffered two severe knee injuries in high school, Matthews took the opportunity to reflect on what he wanted out of college and lacrosse, he said. Ultimately, he decided to transfer to Cornell, where his junior season was “the best year of lacrosse [he] ever played in his life, including high school,” he said.
“Ryan overcame adversity with those injuries,” said Greg Matthews, Ryan’s father. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication rehabbing them.”
It was during that junior season that Matthews faced off against Molloy, who by that time had ascended the depth chart at Syracuse to become a major contributor. Cornell prevailed but the game was important for both of them.
“We were both starting for our teams that day,” Matthews said. “It was positive for both of us.”
Just seven months later, both have been named co-captains coming into their senior seasons.
“It was great to see Evan named captain,” Matthews said. “I knew he had those qualities.”
Evan’s father, James Molloy, said he was “thrilled” to see Matthews named a captain.
The men’s fathers played college lacrosse at Syracuse and Johns Hopkins.
They, too, are good friends.
