Quint's Top 20: Great Week for the Ivies (IL)

[OrangeXtreme]

4. Syracuse — Against Army, Cuse won 16 of the first 17 face-offs, including every one in the first half, yet only led 5-4 after 30 minutes. FOGO Ben Williams is a huge upgrade this year; he's got great balance, wheels and burst to the ball. Army’s defense got the ball on the carpet three times during Syracuse’s opening possession, but it was peas on a knife.

Here are my notes from the game, from Cuse’s perspective:

• Hakeem Lecky converted on the giveaway. 1-0.
• Dylan Donahue catches a defender ball-watching, Kevin Rice finds him, 2-1.
• Randy Staats, inside roll. He’s going to make a living dodging against #2 and #3 defenders.
• Staats’ BTB feed with 4.8 finds Donahue and he catches Somers off the near pipe. 4-2.
• Staats should have a big night, but where are the SU midfielders? Do they even run a second midfield? Donahue unassisted left handed curl from behind, 5-4.
• Goal by Nicky Galasso off a bad Army double team of Donahue. Donahue makes them pay. Kid is so underrated.
• Rice with a left handed question mark to a right handed shot, 7-6.
• Cuse picking on Army's third defender — Staats iso makes it 8-7. You are going to need three cover guys down low to beat SU.
• The midfielders finally getting involved. Lecky has improved his vision and passing. Henry Schoonmaker from Lecky, 9-7.
• This attack insures that there are very few empty possessions, they play with great tempo. Super-fast ball movement goal, Staats’ third assist to Donahue, 10-7.
• Donahue scores his fifth after a bad Army turnover. 11-8.
• Cause is slowing the game down on offense with 7:00 to go.
• Excellent clock management by SU with Rice scoring the empty netter, 12-9.

The Orange defense is better this year; the shorties are still an issue, but they have a handful of cover guys with good feet and the team concepts look cohesive. Brandon Mullins is a No. 1 stopper. Midfield production will be the critical issue going forward.

The Orange welcome Virginia to the Dome on Sunday (ESPNU).

The home team has been dominant in this high scoring series during the past five seasons.

2014 - at Virginia, 17-12
2013 - at Syracuse, 9-8 OT
2012 - at Virginia, 14-10
2011 - at Syracuse, 12-10
2010 - at Virginia, 11-10


http://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/quint-s-top-20-great-week-for-the-ivies/30993

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Big Ten playing like the Little Ten in 2015. Conference is off to a horrendous start.

• Yale 10, Maryland 6
• Towson 7, Johns Hopkins 5
• Detroit 9, Ohio State 8
• Loyola 8, Penn State 6
• Villanova 11, Penn State 6
• Richmond 15, Rutgers 7
• Virginia 14, Rutgers 5
• Notre Dame 17, Michigan 8
• North Carolina 13, Johns Hopkins 11

What's the common thread? Look at the lack of scoring. Yikes. Poor offense in crunchtime. Attack dodgers are in short supply. These are teams who generate no transition. No easy goals. Outside of OSU's Jesse King, there isn't a midfielder who remotely resembles an All-American. The Big Ten is playing more and more like a one-bid league. Meanwhile, the ACC is 15-1.

 

[PhatOrange]

what time is UVA game?

 

[cuseguy]

what time is UVA game?

Noon

 

[Hoo's That]

what time is UVA game?

Noon

On ESPNU.

 

[IHeartSUFball]

On ESPNU.

no night games this year sucks loved the unc game last year think was a 6pm game

 

[Delmar]

On ESPNU.

Always my favorite game of the year. The game the way it should be played.

 

[Hoo's That]

Always my favorite game of the year. The game the way it should be played.

As much as I want to beat JHU every year, this game is "roll out the ball and let them play" excitement. Neither team lets up until the final whistle. Imagine what it would be like for a kid who's never seen a game before to go to UVa-SU as a first game. His jaw would be in his lap the whole 60 minutes.