Duke Game Thread...SU MLAX ACC Champs

[Alsacs]

Congrats to the Men's and Women's teams. I just watched the game on DVR. Wardwell was huge in the 2nd quarter and while the X wasn't the usual strength this season in crunch time we won enough faceoffs to keep the D fresh in that last quarter.

We are now the #1 seed in the tournament which is huge and guarantees us a play-in game instead of Cornell/Albany. Even if we are 2nd we will still get an easier opponent. Hopefully Bryant loses in the Northeast tourney just to avoid all the flashbacks. If we are the #1 seed though we won't get an ACC team in the QFs and I bet Albany will end up the 8 seed just so the NCAA gets its Albany-SU game and QF round would be fair for that match.

 

[Orangello]

our wings are too small. We have got to upsize here going forward. They are constantly knocked off of the ball in a contested FO. Duke and UNC are basically using LB's at the wing and we're getting killed. Game has changed.

 

[PeteCalvin]

our wings are too small. We have got to upsize here going forward. They are constantly knocked off of the ball in a contested FO. Duke and UNC are basically using LB's at the wing and we're getting killed. Game has changed.

This is my concern. Desko obviously knew Danowski would come prepared to counter us at the X, but we didn't seem to make any adjustments to our benefit. Hopefully Desko is waiting to pull that card in the NCAA's. We need to dominate the X as much as possible. And what's with this trend of using football guys? Is this the LAX equivalent of NHL when they went Goon on guys like Gretzky?

 

[JeremyCuse]

This is my concern. Desko obviously knew Danowski would come prepared to counter us at the X, but we didn't seem to make any adjustments to our benefit. Hopefully Desko is waiting to pull that card in the NCAA's. We need to dominate the X as much as possible. And what's with this trend of using football guys? Is this the LAX equivalent of NHL when they went Goon on guys like Gretzky?

Honestly I don't think there was much Desko could do to counter. He tried Paduda 3 times and he lost all three, hes not going to go to Vehar their and no one else besides Paduda or Williams is ready for this stage. When you have the second best faceoff specialist in the country #'s wise your going to live and die by him. I also dont think Danowski did anything that radical at the X, the older Rowe took most of the draws in the first game and was dominated. His younger brother only took a handful of draws but did win some against Williams but by then it was to late and he was coming off an injury. Now that Williams and Donahue have seen the younger Rowe they should be able to make some adjustments if there is a third matchup.

Also Rowe isnt a big guy/football type player like Fowler was, his wins today were more technique then anything else. He got the clamp first on a lot of the draws, he was quicker then Williams which has rarely happened this year. The bigger concern I have is Williams trend of fading very late in the 4th continues.

 

[wallacecuse]

Going forward a little concerned about Williams getting dominated today...Thats a real game changer if he gets owned like this again in the NCAAs. I know Denver has a real beast of a face-off guy with Trevor Baptiste.Not to mention if we have to play Duke again.

I've seen Baptiste in person, and several times on tv. He was the only guy I thought could do what Duke did today. I share the concern...he is a bully at the X - just wrestles the ball away from his opponent.

 

[creatorsgam]

I've seen Baptiste in person, and several times on tv. He was the only guy I thought could do what Duke did today. I share the concern...he is a bully at the X - just wrestles the ball away from his opponent.

And isn't he only a frosh?

 

[wallacecuse]

I think it was a combination of playing a team for the 2nd time (Danowski surely saw something) and also the sub-par play of our wings. They couldn't pick up a GB to save their lives. Williams stellar play this season has masked some of the wings' problems, but today that was exposed. Certainly something for Desko and crew to work on vs. Colgate and {insert 1st round opponent here}.

The wing play was bad as it has been all year, but Williams was getting beat cleanly the whole second half. Rowe was winning the clamp, and it seemd like the only FOs we won was when it was a race to the ball on a long flip

 

[wallacecuse]

And isn't he only a frosh?

Unfortunately, yes.

 

[wallacecuse]

The bigger concern I have is Williams trend of fading very late in the 4th continues.

The two worst performances he has had all year are today and at UNC, and the common theme was outdoor games during the daytime. Unfortunately, those are the same conditions for the NC game.

 

[creatorsgam]

Per WRAL here in Raleigh tonight on the 10:00 news, after coverage/highlights of the ACC tourneys:

"Syracuse not kind to the Triangle lacrosse teams today."

No, no they (we) were not.

Love it.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[creatorsgam]

Should read "ref" missed the call. The ref on top of the play called the goal. The official 15 yards away blew the whistle, and the call. Not sure how he can run in and take that goal away.

 

[tbonezone]

i don't want to pile on but this i have to point out after watching this game twice.
jordan evans not only doesn't create any offense but is a turnover machine. time for twenty-two to step it up.

 

[creatorsgam]

i don't want to pile on but this i have to point out after watching this game twice.
jordan evans not only doesn't create any offense but is a turnover machine. time for twenty-two to step it up.

At times he seems too tentative and lacking in confidence.

Still, I have seen flashes. It just hasn't completely clicked... yet.

 

[tbonezone]

6 goals 3 assists in two seasons. and i'll say modestly he cost us at least 3 possessions yesterday.
and believe me when i say nobody wants to see this kid succeed more than i do. but c'mon already #22!

 

[Orangetradition44]

He plays like an eighth grader on varsity. I haven't seen any flashes. Never saw him play in high school but I heard he was an all around great player that could do everything and had a high lax IQ.

He drops passes, he makes bad passes, he can't score to save his life, he's not very fast, and he doesn't hustle. I don't know what happened but he not worthy of his number.

At times he seems too tentative and lacking in confidence. Still, I have seen flashes. It just hasn't completely clicked... yet.

 

[tbonezone]

sadly no one here is comparing evans to the gaits or the powells. to do so would be crazy. jordan has battled some injury issues but the scoring numbers by this same point in their respective careers have so outpaced jordan that it's not even debatable. and no one is saying that jordan evans can't be a valuable contributor to SU lax. even if that role is coming off the bench. what's being implied here is that RINGO as great and valuable as he was to the BEATLES didn't wear #22. he was indeed a valuable component but not the star (r) . i hope jordan gets a ring.
but if he's not up to the burden of carrying the famed jersey then simply give it up and lay down a fine back beat

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Maybe we should just retire #22?

 

[tbonezone]

not to jump topic but i see we have an excellent FB recruit who has expressed both interest and the respect in #44.

let's give it out. get the tradition rolling again.

 

[ThruWayWest]

He plays like an eighth grader on varsity. I haven't seen any flashes. Never saw him play in high school but I heard he was an all around great player that could do everything and had a high lax IQ.

He drops passes, he makes bad passes, he can't score to save his life, he's not very fast, and he doesn't hustle. I don't know what happened but he not worthy of his number.

Wasn't Jordan Evans an attackman in high school? I think his injuries have hurt his game as a midfielder. Maybe he will be better at attack next season. It took Dan Hardy a few years to fit into the number...maybe this is the same type of situation.

 

[tbonezone]

well hardy had 33 goals and 20 assists end of soph season in limited action .

 

[ThruWayWest]

well hardy had 33 goals and 20 assists end of soph season in limited action .

Guess my memory is failing...I recall that Dan Hardy was much improved during his junior and senior years. Didn't realize that he had that many points earlier on in his career.