dslyank

Ps Georgetown is a Jonny come lately. Not sure why everyone is counting them as “power.” Only a couple ncaa appearances; far less than UA & even less than UMBC.? also Hopkins perhaps king of the old guard; pretty much outside looking in now. DIII non scholarship school has lived for years in DI lax on their REP. Too many good players and too many good lax schools to go to Hopkins and PAY.

Don’t have time or the memory to list all the old guard protections; but here are 2: acc refuses to expand to 6 teams required for auto qualifier—ncaa says OK but your top team is then counted as an auto; they refuse again; ncaa caves, thus one less at large bid for rest of lax world. Second as leagues realigned guard grudgingly allowed the “possibility of 18 in tournament for a 2 or 3 year period. Had 17 once or twice, never 18 and blocked any expansion since. I could probably come up with more, but do not want to be labeled a conspiracy theorist.

Right now there is a definitive line separating top ten from 11-30. Before COVID & before some pretty drastic ncaa lax rules changes this line which existed for years started to blurr. With lax exploding @ the high school level & more better players becoming available IMHO the line will again to blurr. But only if the ncaa takes steps to help schools reach parity or minimally NOT GET IN THE WAY of parity by protecting the “old guard” as they have done for years

Yes. The better MAN won today. I know it is a team game. But still feel UA Superior to VT in ALL aspects of the game except the X. Stay close @ face off; even if in 60-40 range we beat them all 3 times. Instead they do +70% @ X. Maybe just sour grapes but still feel VT only 4th best team in AmEast. If goals/per time of possession was a stat that meant anything it would show how dominant UA "could be." 60 minute game, I estimate UA had the possession maybe 15minutes--ok give them 20 and 10 goals in 20 minutes ½ goal every minute or a goal every 2 minutes. So VT 15 goals in 40 minutes = .375 goals per minute or 1 goal about every 3 minutes of play. I Know means nothing. NCAA changes the face-off rule; but nothing changes. 80 second clock needs to reduced after a save. They have ruined the game with the shot clock and tried to fix it with face-off change that does nothing. End of RANT. See you lacrosse fans next year.

I know the AmEast has a transition plan for teams joining and coming up from a lower level. Anyone know the AmEast or NCAA plan for teams leaving and transitioning down?? Do they stay on the schedule, can they win championships and auto bids?

Am I missing something? The last I heard the Hartford president said DIII was only one of many options under discussion? Has some sort of decision been made?? Or are people making assumptions based on the above link; which from what I see has nothing to do with a change to DIII, only a recruiting violation involving a former DIII student?? NEVER MIND. Just saw the link in General.

Agree that UA has been all about giving the outside shot and protecting in close. But yesterday UA did not seem to react/change their strategy when UMBC proved the outside shot was hot. UMBC had 10 goals from their middies (9 between Dupuis & Galloway) some from WAYOUT; 1 goal from a long stick D; and only 1 goal from an attack. I guess one could say the strategy worked; gave up only a single goal from attack and DID win the game. But it seemed me {lucky I'm NOT the coach} that we could have/should have made some adjustments to the game plan after BC started nailing those long ones? Also, it seems to me Donnelly is better @ making the spectacular close saves than almost anything from outside {but as I say, lucky I'm not the coach.}

If the poles don’t slide out, doesn’t that put a lot of pressure on the middies? How do you defend teams like UMBC & Cuse, who get most of their scoring from the outside? Never played Lax, so I’d really appreciate your thoughts on when to slide & when not; and how to defend long range shots

Seniors. Ron John & Casey to the rescue.

That was ugly but I’ll take. UMBC 1 goal from their attack. I guess UA D decided to sit back; deny everything in close; & let UMBC fire away from long range—some VERY long.

YEH! Eli is back. Thanks for the updates. Hope the move is going well.

Here is a bizarre theory for you. If a goalie cannot catch a shot cleanly might as well let it score. Swatting the shot aside or worse knocking it back out front; probably worse than letting the goal in. Even if the goalie is a 50-60% goal saver, don't catch it cleanly and there is a very large chance you are NOT going to save the next one. Swat it aside and more than likely all you are doing is wearing out your defense, making it even more likely you are not going to save the next shot. Making your defense play another 80 seconds {god I hate the shot clock}; if you can't stop the shot cleanly, might as well let it score and give your face-off guy his 50% chance [assuming of course you have a 50 or +50% face-off guy.] TOLD YOU IT WAS BIZARRE. Have a good laugh, fire away, squash the theory into the mud or maybe just ignore me!

Agree 100%; UA issues are much more than age; notice it really was only a post script in my rant. Agree lack of an on the field leader bigger issue. I think what I am really trying to say, this leadership has to come from the young guys. I have not really seen much from the seniors. Also not splitting hairs but due to covid, Yunker and others, really experience wise are not what their grade level indicates. No fall ball, fewer games, long lay offs are not conducive to building experience and leaders. Also Agree, Patterson has always been more effective off ball & even as the forth attack. Lastly on age: Vermont most definitely and pretty sure Stoneybrook, have considerably more seniors. juniors, and grad transfers than does UA.

McFan you are right-on. For UA it is & has always come down to face-offs. UA wins when it can stay around 50% OR has a dominant goalie who can get the O the ball, when the face-off "team" is sub par. It has always been about # of possessions for UA.

This is going to sound lame; but I still feel UA is a far superior team overall to VM. Sure VM has won 4 straight but there has been extenuating circumstances each time. Two were played in absolute downpours in Vermont {I know weather is same for both teams, but home team really has an advantage knowing the field conditions, especially in inclement weather.} Both games this year really decided by one bad UA qtr (2nd first game, 3rd yesterday.) I know everyone {me included }is sick of the excuses; but yesterday VM was playing for their season a loss to UA and brook (IMHO VM will lose to brook) would end their season. With the Hartford cancellation UA win or lose yesterday could finish no better than tied for third. THIS had to have an effect on the mentality and focus {or loss thereof] of both teams--VM in a positive way and UA negative. The inconsistency of UA's game is simply maddening. Sure they have flaws, all teams do. The defense seems to lose focus at times & prone to errors and missed assignments {especially when fatigued.} The offense seems to lack a leader and prone to the mistake of TRYING TO HARD. Except face-offs and goalie save %age UA won pretty much every statistical category including ground balls, caused T/Os and clears, and shot ON goal. Coach in the TU article says he KNOWS UA is a better team than they showed this year. IMHO opinion he is correct and IMHO certainly a better team than VT, in spite of our record against them the last couple of years. ps. Have I recently mentioned that UA is a very young team overall and young often equates to inconsistency.

Starting to get awfully excited about this team. Still like to see a BIG [see 4/22 post.] DK doing a hell of a job building a team. Eli where is your updated projected roster? Saw it a few days back; but do not remember where it was posted.

Terrible production by Vermont. Very long range & no replays. Was listed as ESPN3; but moved to+?? Which I had recently canceled. Thought I would not need it until fall. AmEast network has been good mostly. Why did/does Vermont use ESPN 3/+, with such poor equipment?? Anyone know what AmEast tournament media outlets wil be?? Now that I re-upped (+) still want to delete.

Wonder why Tehoka was not drafted? Was he NOT eligible?? I wonder if he plans on playing another year of college LAX somewhere?? Any insight or thoughts on this; greatly appreciated.

UA gets the shaft again by covid and the AmEast. Hartford game Saturday canceled due to covid; but I wonder if it has more to do with their rumored drop to DIII??????? So if UA wins today @ vmont, the only way we can host the tournament is if UMBC loses to last place NJIT at home---NOT going to happen. No matter what brook & vmont do against each other Saturday; UA will come one win short of the crown, even though they will have only 2 loses. Scott was incensed that the AmEast made the Hartford cancel announcement before today's key game, giving a not needed added distraction for his team. He wanted the league to wait until Thursday; but IMHO the cancel rumor was already out there, might as well make it official and deal. But IMHO this late in the season, the league should have declared the canceled game a forfeit , especially because it has so many ramifications at this juncture. {and because IMHO there is more than covid behind Hartford's cancel.} In the TU article, Scott played diplomat about the cancel/reasons and only was "upset" with the timing. @72 my memory is getting a little vague; but I recall a similar incident years ago when UA lax lost out on a host opportunity due to some sort of similar late season incident? Maybe I'm wrong but I think it had something to due with the year we had to go to Denver, but should have hosted??????

Update to my AmEast 2 bid chances. Navy beat-up on Army my "definite" second from Patriot. Now say Patriot becomes a 1/1 instead of a sure 2. On the other hand Cuse victory over Virginia brings in the possibility of ACC all 5 IN, but I still doubt it. Still a lot can happen, but feel AmEast has a good a chance as any league of getting multiple bids. Quint & Inside Lax having been saying all year that top to bottom it is the most competitive league in Lax.

Danielle an excellent player from a great family. Enjoyed watching live (prior to this year) and routing in the stands with her family,

Thank you. Danielle was who I was hoping for. This team should be loaded next year and looking forward to seeing them in person, in the fall. Very much missed Friday night Volleyball. Sundays also; much more enjoyable than NFL football on a fall/winter afternoon.

Since I do not get instagram; a name would be very much appreciated

I absolutely see your point and do not disagree; but the kicker is most teams & leagues played mostly IN-confrence; with modified, limited or NO OOC games. Not that the NCAA is known for fairness; but to be fair they should minimize ooc games/records when putting the tournament together. In other words the chances for smaller teams to make a statement ooc were minimal due to covid restrictions, etc. Otherwise, might as well not have a tournament: just have the ACC, BIG 10 & BIG East go head to head with THEIR top 16 teams. Anyhow, you ARE more than likely correct that no conference, other than those 3 will get any multiple bids. I'm just saying IF the NCAA wanted a more representative/fair tournament, the AmEast has as good or better chance than any of the lesser leagues (other than perhaps the Patriot.)

Do Not Agree. AmEast still has an excellent chance for two. Breakdown IMHO as of now: First # almost definite; second possible: ACC 4/0 [no auto bid-very little chance of all 5 in especially if SU splits its last two and is below .500.] Big 10 2/1 [but a very doubtful +1 based on records after first 2-but power conference might kick-in.] BigEast 2/1 [strong possible +1.] Maac & Nec both 1/0 SOCO 1/1 [but weak +1] Patriot 2/0 CAA. 1/1 AmEast 1/1 If you add the definite ins you get 15. If they take 17, two possibles in, [or just one if only 16 teams.] Pretty sure the 16/17 will be a selection day option. That leaves UA up against a strong 3rd from the Big East; a doubtful 3rd from the 10; a very weak 2nd from the SoCo; and a toss-up with the Caa. OBVIOUSLY a lot can happen in last 2 weeks & Tournament upsets etc.; but IMHO AmEast and UA are still very much in the running for 2 bids.