Zelienople’s Gregor part of Franciscan University Ultimate Frisbee powerhouse
FRANKLIN TWP — When it came down to do or die on Sunday, Franciscan University’s Ultimate Frisbee team thrived.
Zelienople resident Matthew Gregor, a sophomore on the team, had plenty to do with the team — known as the Franciscan Fatal — booking its spot in the Division III National Championships May 18-20 in Milwaukee.
One of the team’s captains and an engineering major at Franciscan, Gregor had to watch from the sideline April 27 during the Ohio Valley Men’s Regional Championships last weekend at the Prospect Boys and Girls Club. There were 10 teams competing with the top two advancing to nationals.
Gregor suffered a fractured ankle recently, and his foot was in a boot until Thursday. He was not cleared to play Friday. Franciscan was undefeated during the regular season, losing its first match during the conference round to Cedarville College.
“Then we lost a match on Saturday,” Gregor said. “That meant we had to win all three of our games on Sunday to get to nationals. We missed out on going to nationals by one point last year.
“I decided I was playing Sunday. I didn’t care. We had to win and I felt like I could help.”
Franciscan did more than win its Sunday games.
“It turned into a vengeance tour for us,” Gregor said.
The Fatal began the day with a 13-8 triumph over Cedarville, which handed Franciscan its first loss of the season. Franciscan then defeated Kenyon, 13-5. Kenyon was the team that prevented the Fatal from reaching nationals last season. The day concluded with a 13-10 win over Messiah, which defeated Franciscan, 13-12, on Saturday.
Gregor wound up scoring two or three goals in each match.
“It felt good just to get out on the field,” he said. “Even after that long day of play, my ankle held up. It wasn’t sore, and it never hindered my play.”
Oberlin, the seventh-seed entering the tourney, wound up winning the regional. While Franciscan took second, it never played Oberlin during the tournament.
“That’s our one regret,” Gregor said. “We played Oberlin earlier in the year and handled them pretty well. We won that game decisively.”
The Great Lakes Regional — which also included Scranton, Grove City, Xavier, Haverford and Swarthmore — was awarded to the Prospect Boys and Girls Club after Christie Lawry, executive director of Pittsburgh Ultimate, put in a bid for it.
“Ultimate Frisbee took a hit with COVID, and it’s starting to come back,” Lawry said. “Most of the college programs are club teams, but it’s a highly competitive sport with a lot of athleticism.
“Franciscan has been one of the best teams in the country for a long time.”
Franciscan has only had an Ultimate Frisbee team for 10 years. It already owns a national championship and has won the regional title six times. The Fatal are taking a 23-2 record to Milwaukee.
Gregor attended high school at North Catholic and was asked to play on an Ultimate Frisbee team there by one of his friends.
“I didn’t know a thing about the sport, but decided to try it,” he said. “I love the action and how it’s nonstop until somebody scores. Then COVID hit and sports went away.
“Christie asked me if I’d be interested in forming a team my senior year at North Catholic and I did. I’ve been involved with the sport ever since.”
Franciscan has 22 players on its roster. Gregor was the only Butler County athlete involved in the regional tournament.
The game is played much like football. The “kickoff” Is when one team throws the Frisbee all the way downfield to the other. Teams try to advance the Frisbee forward to eventually gain possession in the other team’s end zone. No one can run with the Frisbee, and when the Frisbee hits the ground, the other team gains possession immediately and goes the other way.
Franciscan began the regional ranked No. 10 in all of Division III.
“We have a great bunch of guys on this team, dedicated players,” Gregor said. “We started playing and practicing in January, play in the snow, rain, whatever. During the season, we upset Richmond, a top-five team, in a tournament. We won a tournament at West Virginia University.
“We’ve earned everything we’ve gotten.”
