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Sweeney and Merrill played two years together at Georgetown, at a time when the Hoyas were known for their bruising defensive play and for designing plays specifically for their long-stick midfielders. Sweeney was always a wild card, always a player who had to be accounted for at all times because of his ability in transition. Merrill wasn’t quite as sure of himself as a field player when he arrived at Georgetown, but soon emerged as a more-than-capable successor for Sweeney. “You can compare it to a quarterback relationship,” Merrill said. “It was much like that. The timing was perfect for me, because I really hadn’t had a lot of experience in the field game, especially at that level. Getting two years of playing with and learning from who I considered the best at that position, the timing was kind of serendipitous.” After his All-American career at Georgetown ended, Sweeney went on to win four championships as an MLL All-Star defenseman, first in Philadelphia and later in Boston. Merrill’s ability translated superbly to the field game, and it didn’t take him long to establish himself as the best defensive player in the MLL after dominating at the college level his final two seasons. He’s a six-time MLL Defensive Player of the Year. “We played very similarly, we both understood each other,” Sweeney said. “We always got along very well. I definitely learned a lot from him and I’m sure he’ll say he learned some stuff from me. Some people have given me more credit than I deserve. I might have taught him some things, but I didn’t teach 6-4, strong, fast and good eye-hand coordination.” Those traits have served Merrill well during his nearly decade as a pro in both the indoor and outdoor games. Boston’s ability to add him after going 5-9 and missing the playoffs last season adds an element of intrigue to the league heading into the 2014 season. Merrill, who is the coach and director of lacrosse at the Hill Academy in suburban Toronto, spent the last five seasons with the


A Publication of US Lacrosse May 2014 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 63


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