Hoya Lacrosse

[nychoya3]

Everyone should make an effort to go to the 3 PM game at Harbin. Hoyas against Cuse, playing for the 4th seed in the tourney, which will make a big difference. Great matchup between a top offensive team and great defensive, ball-control team. Particularly watch SU attack Mike Powell, who's probably the best in the nation, against GU's Brodie Merrill, who's right up there on defense. Anyway, it should be a lot of fun, and I'm sure Cuse fans will be out in force. Pick a few fights.

[YB]

I'll try to go after my meeting... anytime you can beat Syracuse, it's a good day, whether it's at hoops, lax, or ballroom dance.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

Rough afternoon for the Hoya LAXers. Game was tight most of the way through. Led 6-5 at the half. Biggest GU lead was at 8-6, but after Cuse tied it at 9-9, the Orange just took over the game. With 1:11 to go, SU led 13-9, not sure if anything happened in the last minute, but I'm guessing it wasn't four Hoya goals.


And we were looking so good, too...

[FLHoya]

All you missed in the last 1:11 were a few desperation shots by GU, nothing that really tested the Syracuse person-with-big-net-in-front-of goal (goalkeeper/tender, net/cage minder, pick one).

Yeah, disappointing one to lose, a smaller scale version of the atomic meltdown last May when we coughed up a bigger lead to Cuse as I recall. I give some credit to the Cuse D here for shutting down the Hoya offense, not the big matchup we thought we'd see (Hoya D, Cuse O), but the decisive one IMO. In the fourth period Gtown could never really get anything going despite having the majority of possession in our end... in fact I believe only 1 goal in the 4th versus 4 for Cuse. Seemed a bit timid and trigger shy and when we did pull the trigger the shots didn't have a ton of pace and the Cuse keeper handled them with no trouble.

First half was incredibly fast paced, lead changed back and forth a couple times. GU scored a textbook fast break goal in the 2nd period that was prob. our best of the day. Seemed Cuse was getting their scores on isolation moves from the back of net to front center, while GU had a couple wraparounds and a loose ball goal in front of the net.

Second half was less bright, GU had a good share of possession but like I said never seemed to get great shots. Hit the pipe twice in the fourth period as I recall. Cuse offense scored on several consecutive man-up chances (they scored using the same PLAY on the man-up chances three separate times, and Mike Powell had at least one of those.) If I had to guess, Powell had at least 3G, 2A today. Cuse scored on a ton of backdoor plays and had I believe two goals on transition where D'Andrea had no shot.

Key moments in the game:

1. The Cuse guy-with-big-net made two incredible stops on one-on-one chances. The first in the third quarter off a turnover and a 3-on-1 (maybe not that, but def. a 1-on-1 chance). GU man tried to fake and stuff it in top right and was denied. Then in the offensive flow in the fourth someone beat a Cuse defender behind the net and came to the front of the crease, faked near side tried to go low and far post, denied with a kick save I believe. At that point we were down 11-9 mind you.

2. In the second quarter, up 1 I THINK, GU had a 2-man advantage for a minute. Took a shot 10-15 secs in that guy-with-big-net grabbed easily. Cuse kills most of penalty, but GU then gets 5 seconds worth of a 3 man advantage, something I've never seen watching 4 years of GU lax home games. Didn't get the quick shot off, ultimately didn't convert the man-up thereafter, Cuse scored later to tie.

3. About eleventy billion man up chances for the Cuse in the fourth quarter. I'd love to see their % conversion on those too, it's pretty high.

Overall, I don't think the GU D did a terrible job on Cuse, I think they were actually playing well in the second half, but always down a man it seemed. Really didn't shut Powell down, but who does I guess, apparently he's sorta good. The offense just didn't have it today. Very timid down a goal or two in the fourth period to take shots, lots of long drawn out possessions ending on poke checks. Sometimes too cute as well, see the missed 1-on-1 chances. Cuse definitely moves the ball well, a TON of backdoor passes and near backdoor passes that would or would have resulted in tap in goals.

But my favorite moment of the game:

Cuse trying to clear the zone in the fourth period after a TO, and GU man wins possession by checking the Cuse man out of bounds into Dave Urick.

Man, would've really liked to have that 4 seed, I dunno if this loss will take us out of the running for a 1st round home game. Let's hope the guys can make something happen and finally get a big win over one of the elite teams this year when it counts (we've now lost to #2,3, and 4 in the country.)

--FLHoya--knows way less about lax than bball.

[nychoya3]

Not much to add, but Powell was as good as advertised. Very small, but extraordinarily quick. Kind of like AI, except, you know, in lacrosse. Additionally, we were beating on him all day and he kept bouncing right back up. He went up in the air to score a goal and Brodie, who probably had about 6 inches and 60 lbs on him, basically tossed him ten feet in the air. Powell just popped up and went over to the ref to whine. The quintessential Cuse player, I guess.

The Cuse goalie was very good, stopping several point blank shots. Andy Corno dominated, per usual, in faceoffs.

Definitely a bit disappointing. We certainly could have won this game. As FlHoya said, each year we seem to be just a step below the truly top tier teams - be they Hopkins or Cuse or UVa or Maryland. I think it's mostly luck. Talent wise, we certainly seem to be pretty much on par with those guys, and we've had great coaching. Last year, for example, we lost the best defender in the nation for the playoffs, and then preceded to get roasted by UVa. If Sweeney plays, who knows?

[DFW HOYA]

Attendance was 1,484. I know exams are near but even still...

Is there anyone at the game who can provide a report on how many students showed up, or was this a "parents and visitors" crowd?

[SFHoya99]

DFW said:

Attendance was 1,484. I know exams are near but even still...

Is there anyone at the game who can provide a report on how many students showed up, or was this a "parents and visitors" crowd?

That seems like a lot to me, unless there was a large Cuse contingency. Basketball is a popular spectator sport and people barely show. Half the kids at Georgetown have barely heard of lacrosse.

[nychoya3]

Mostly students and visitors. I was sitting right next to Powell's entire family, unfortunately. It got very irritating towards the end. Students don't really care about lacrosse. Which is a shame, because it's a very fun spectator sport, in my opinion.

[hoyabinx]

I think sports fan students care about the game alot because it is so fast and interesting, but the average student has no clue what is going on (except for the northeasterners). Lacrosse is fast growing all over the country and before long you will be able to see games on ESPN that arent the National Championship. In 10 years there wont be room enough to fit all those who want to watch a game.

Also take into account finals. I think that some of you alums forget about how bad finals week sucks. I wouldn´t have gone to the ´cuse game last year if i hadn´t have taken my last final an hour before faceoff (abroad this year, couldnt make it)