Maryland Gameday...

[AD31]

Also Olexo can have a bad game he has shown he's an excellent defender and still might be the best one we have. Not worried at all about him.

 

[AD31]

Great points! Thank you for the thoughtful and insightful comments!

I wish I could watch Zappitello and Erksa go 1v1 in practice! That must be some match-up!

Just a few follow up thoughts:
Face-off and goalie play will not be our weak links this year.
Our defense is ok, as long as we can limit penalties, but, as you said, we’ll see how it holds up against a great offensive team. Olexo and Trujillo seem to give up too many goals, and Levine struggled last game. Rice is a solid SSDM, but we‘ll need another one that we can count on, too.
Our man-up team isn’t clicking on full cylinders, yet, due to Thomson’s shooting struggles, but I just have to believe he’ll snap out of it. How can such a dominant box lacrosse shooter struggle shooting in field lacrosse? Such a weird thing. Must be mental thing.
Our man-down team isn’t great (not just in the number of goals it gives up, which is due to our high amount of penalties, but even our percentage of EMO goals given up isn‘t great). Plus I have to agree with Carcaterra (I usually do; he should be a coach!) and his concerns about what happens when the penalty is released and then our 6 on 6 defense doesn’t have a single starter out there. We gave up a goal last game because of it, too. I’ve never seen a top D1 program do what we‘re doing. To be frank, I think this silly experiment is a fail, and we should just stop it.
Leo and Rhoa are excellent middies, so those 2 alone make our middies a threat. Although I do wonder what happens to them when they start drawing a long pole. I think teams will even pull a pole from Mule in order to get a long pole on them.
Our attack is my main concern (specifically when we play the top teams in the country). I had such high hopes for Hiltz. He had almost as good a freshman year as O’Neil, he has great vision as a passer and he also has a great wrist snap shot, so I can’t explain why he hasn’t flourished in Gait’s ball movement offense. He’s actually regressed. Mule doesn’t add much, to me. I don’t know if anyone on the bench can dodge or if we can move a middie down to attack, but we desperately need an attackman that can dodge and can initiate our offense, even if the person doesn’t score. Ball movement is SO much more effective if an attackman can beat their man or really all they have to do is just draw a slide!, and then that slide unlocks our whole offense and opens everything up for our ball movement. Spallina is such a unique player with his elite vision, phenomenal behind the back shot, and powerful legs when backing down defenders, but he just doesn’t have the speed to beat the top defenders in the country. ‘Speed kills’, and the lack of it is just tough to overcome. Which is why I think we should be doing a Lot more pick plays for Spallina when a top defender is shutting him down. Picks would free him up to then orchestrate our offense.
My other concern is that our schedule is just too tough. The ACC is obviously the best conference in the country, so I get wanting to ‘earn’ a playoff spot with non-conference games, but do we have to play every team in the Top 10? These games will be entertaining for us, as fans, but giving these stud sophomores some playoff experience (for our eventual championship run in ‘26) will help them more then playing and losing to Another Top 10 team in the regular season…

Yes they had to add better teams OOC due to last yr playing the Bonny's, Holy Cross and Hofstra hurt our RPI. This team is good and can no doubt beat top teams. They just lost in OT to the number 4 team in the country. You also mentioned Goalie not being an issue thsi yr did u watch last yr as Will Mark was an AA goalie? Some comments are strange even what if Leo and Rhoa get a pole then if they put a shorty on Mule or Hiltz those guys will feast. No doubt in my mind Leo would be able to beat a pole with his speed and athleticism.

 

[AD31]

One more why 2026 for a championship run? Also liek I said they lost in OT to the number 4 team in the country which if it wasn't for a dumb rule they win the game but ur saying they can't beat top 10 teams? Who from the top 5 to 10 that they can't beat? They can beat all of them. Idk but I think others will agree with me here.

 

[swish7]

I have to say, some of you all know a lot about lacrosse. I have been involved since 86 and I'm getting lost in some of y'alls detailed analysis.

I love it though.

When we got up 2, we needed to lock things down and I guess lost focus and didn't.

Our goalie kept us in it when it mattered most.

Leo stays out of the crease and we'd all now be suffering from outsized expectations of what we can accomplish this year.

Long games are cool and all, but we need to make some real noise to bring the program 'back', and we need to do it now. F4 or bust.

 

[Powellfan]

For those advocating a Stevens, English, Thomson line, I think the coaches might prefer having two defensive minded midfielders split between the two lines. In transition opportunities it seems there are some players who run off immediately when the ball is turned over, and there are players who can stay on until the other teams defender subs off. I've never seen Birtwistle take a defensive shift, he's a natural attackmen who I am sure the coaches don't want playing defense. Leo and Thomson I have seen get back on defense, though Thomson usually ends his shift with a slash. I think having one guy on each line who can get back (Stevens and English) is more beneficial than having one line who can get back, and another who can't.

I liked what I saw from LeVine at the d-middie position. He at least engaged his opponent and made them work for whatever space they got. If I remember correctly he slipped and gave up a goal near x, and he got called for a pretty ticky-tack foul. But other than that I thought he showed more upside than some of the other d-middies not named Carter Rice. Hopefully the coaches stick with him.

 

[AD31]

For those advocating a Stevens, English, Thomson line, I think the coaches might prefer having two defensive minded midfielders split between the two lines. In transition opportunities it seems there are some players who run off immediately when the ball is turned over, and there are players who can stay on until the other teams defender subs off. I've never seen Birtwistle take a defensive shift, he's a natural attackmen who I am sure the coaches don't want playing defense. Leo and Thomson I have seen get back on defense, though Thomson usually ends his shift with a slash. I think having one guy on each line who can get back (Stevens and English) is more beneficial than having one line who can get back, and another who can't.

I liked what I saw from LeVine at the d-middie position. He at least engaged his opponent and made them work for whatever space they got. If I remember correctly he slipped and gave up a goal near x, and he got called for a pretty ticky-tack foul. But other than that I thought he showed more upside than some of the other d-middies not named Carter Rice. Hopefully the coaches stick with him.

He's also 6'3 215 LBs which is the size of a DM u been begging for. Lol

 

[SUlax88-09]

One more why 2026 for a championship run? Also liek I said they lost in OT to the number 4 team in the country which if it wasn't for a dumb rule they win the game but ur saying they can't beat top 10 teams? Who from the top 5 to 10 that they can't beat? They can beat all of them. Idk but I think others will agree with me here.

Thanks for the thoughts. Good points, and good questions. Here are my answers to your questions:

I didn’t know who Levine was before the Maryland game, and then I saw him get beat for a goal and then had a bad penalty in that game, so I just had some concerns.

Olexo got burned for 2 goals against Maryland, so that made we worry.

Sorry if I confused you with my goalie comment. I think Mark or Kohn will both be fine this year. I’m not sure if either of them will be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans, so I don‘t know if they’re good enough to win us games by themselves against Top 5 teams, but I also don’t think we’ll lose games cuz of them. Given our face-off woes for many years, Kohn is a Huge pick-up for us. Actually, do we have any 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans on our team?! I think Leo has a chance, but beating a long pole is Much harder then beating a SSDM, and I expect other teams to start poling him. I understand that everyone else thinks that when Leo and Rhoa get poled, then that frees up other players to attack the SSDM, but I just want to see the others do it (against the good teams).

The strength of our team is our Sophomore class, so they’ll be seniors in ‘26, and that’s when I expect us to make a championship run. Speaking of our sophomore class, did you guys realize that Figuerias, Rhoa, and Trujillo were all on the same high school lacrosse team? The 2022 St John’s high school lacrosse team in Maryland was stacked. They had 6 Top 100 players in the class of ‘22, they went 19-0 that year, and I wonder if that high school team literally could have competed with some college teams?! Anyways, I’d like us to at least get these sophomores some playoff experience this year though. I get the RPI argument, and I know it’s not helpful for our case to make the playoffs to just beat up on weaker teams, but I just think, when the season is over, we will have had one of the toughest Strength of Schedules in the entire country (and I think it’s a little too tough).

Thanks again

 

[AD31]

Thanks for the thoughts. Good points, and good questions. Here are my answers to your questions:

I didn’t know who Levine was before the Maryland game, and then I saw him get beat for a goal and then had a bad penalty in that game, so I just had some concerns.

Olexo got burned for 2 goals against Maryland, so that made we worry.

Sorry if I confused you with my goalie comment. I think Mark or Kohn will both be fine this year. I’m not sure if either of them will be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans, so I don‘t know if they’re good enough to win us games by themselves against Top 5 teams, but I also don’t think we’ll lose games cuz of them. Given our face-off woes for many years, Kohn is a Huge pick-up for us. Actually, do we have any 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans on our team?! I think Leo has a chance, but beating a long pole is Much harder then beating a SSDM, and I expect other teams to start poling him. I understand that everyone else thinks that when Leo and Rhoa get poled, then that frees up other players to attack the SSDM, but I just want to see the others do it (against the good teams).

The strength of our team is our Sophomore class, so they’ll be seniors in ‘26, and that’s when I expect us to make a championship run. Speaking of our sophomore class, did you guys realize that Figuerias, Rhoa, and Trujillo were all on the same high school lacrosse team? The 2022 St John’s high school lacrosse team in Maryland was stacked. They had 6 Top 100 players in the class of ‘22, they went 19-0 that year, and I wonder if that high school team literally could have competed with some college teams?! Anyways, I’d like us to at least get these sophomores some playoff experience this year though. I get the RPI argument, and I know it’s not helpful for our case to make the playoffs to just beat up on weaker teams, but I just think, when the season is over, we will have had one of the toughest Strength of Schedules in the entire country (and I think it’s a little too tough).

Thanks again

Well the thing is if we beat a few top teams then even losing more games to top teams should still get this team in the tourney. Like this next game beating Army is a must. Will Mark was an HM AA the last two years and has the most saves in college lacrosse. Leo is so fast and athletic he should beat a pole. Mule who last night had 2 goals and 2 assists if he's on a shorty he will light him up. I honestly think if this team keeps improving as the season goes they can make noise and maybe make championship wknd. Idk about winning it all but u never know come tournament time. Next yr they have a real good chance with so many top players graduating like Shellenberger, Kavanaugh and O'Neil. Joey, Leo and Rhoa all JRs with 3 yrs experience plus maybe a few transfers. Will Mark and Kohn will be needed to come up big in big games this yr for them to beat top teams and make a run. English, Stevens, Spallina, Olexo and Will Mark were all preseason AA picks. The team is talented plus Stevens, English and Mule should all get better as the season goes just being more comfortable with the team. English is extremely talented just hasn't played to his potential here yet. He was an AA two seasons ago. Obviously ur a more negative thinker which is fine I am more positive so i believe this team is very good and has the potential to beat some of these top teams and make a run In tournament. I mean even last night they destroyed a Utah team thruout the whole game which while not a top team but a solid team with some talent like they were tied 7 - 7 going into the 4th with Ohio State and down 10 - 7 going into the 4th against 6th ranked Denver who beat Hopkins two weeks ago. So they were in those games yet SU blew them off the field pretty much. Take away that dumb rule and SU is undefeated with a win over 4th ranked Maryland. Now they lost but that game showed this team can compete with top teams. So that's why I'm positive and feel like each game they should improve.

 

[AD31]

Oh and Olexo played close D last yr and was the top cover guy on the team. He should have been an AA last yr and might be this yr. He's the last guy on D that makes me worried.

 

[AD31]

Will Mark made 22 saves last yr agajnst Duke and was the only reason this team went into OT with them in the Dome. If he's on then yes he can help beat top teams. Definitely need him and Kohn to come up big against the big dawgs. Kohn has only played 1 n half seasons of college lacrosse so he's actually getting better each week as he keeps playing and it shows the kid is a stud. He has a chance to be an AA this yr too.

 

[tech37]

Will Mark made 22 saves last yr agajnst Duke and was the only reason this team went into OT with them in the Dome. If he's on then yes he can help beat top teams. Definitely need him and Kohn to come up big against the big dawgs. Kohn has only played 1 n half seasons of college lacrosse so he's actually getting better each week as he keeps playing and it shows the kid is a stud. He has a chance to be an AA this yr too.

Don't forget the record number of pipe shots in that Duke game, I think 12?!

Not to diss on Mark... great keeper!

 

[AD31]

Don't forget the record number of pipe shots in that Duke game, I think 12?!

Not to diss on Mark... great keeper!

Yeah he was getting peppered all game. I remember watching him play vs Bryant a few yrs ago he made 30 saves while Bryant took 78 shots.. He doesn't fold when getting peppered all game he actually raises his level of play. That Duke game last yr he was in a zone I was at that game it was fun to watch him dialed in like that.

 

[SUlax88-09]

Well the thing is if we beat a few top teams then even losing more games to top teams should still get this team in the tourney. Like this next game beating Army is a must. Will Mark was an HM AA the last two years and has the most saves in college lacrosse. Leo is so fast and athletic he should beat a pole. Mule who last night had 2 goals and 2 assists if he's on a shorty he will light him up. I honestly think if this team keeps improving as the season goes they can make noise and maybe make championship wknd. Idk about winning it all but u never know come tournament time. Next yr they have a real good chance with so many top players graduating like Shellenberger, Kavanaugh and O'Neil. Joey, Leo and Rhoa all JRs with 3 yrs experience plus maybe a few transfers. Will Mark and Kohn will be needed to come up big in big games this yr for them to beat top teams and make a run. English, Stevens, Spallina, Olexo and Will Mark were all preseason AA picks. The team is talented plus Stevens, English and Mule should all get better as the season goes just being more comfortable with the team. English is extremely talented just hasn't played to his potential here yet. He was an AA two seasons ago. Obviously ur a more negative thinker which is fine I am more positive so i believe this team is very good and has the potential to beat some of these top teams and make a run In tournament. I mean even last night they destroyed a Utah team thruout the whole game which while not a top team but a solid team with some talent like they were tied 7 - 7 going into the 4th with Ohio State and down 10 - 7 going into the 4th against 6th ranked Denver who beat Hopkins two weeks ago. So they were in those games yet SU blew them off the field pretty much. Take away that dumb rule and SU is undefeated with a win over 4th ranked Maryland. Now they lost but that game showed this team can compete with top teams. So that's why I'm positive and feel like each game they should improve.

You’re totally right about Will Mark being a 3rd team All American goalie last year. I thought he was Honorable mention, so I was wrong. Sorry if I sound negative, but, to me, college lacrosse usually isn‘t that complicated, in that, whichever team has the best players usually wins. It’s no coincidence that Notre Dame and Virginia had the most 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team All Americans last year, and I think they were the best two teams in the country last year (Virginia should have beaten Notre Dame last year if Griffin Shutz doesn’t make a bonehead play and try to score when they were up by 2 goals with only 2 minutes to go; it was an Awesome save by Entenmann though). Who are our 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans this year? Mark’s save percentage isn’t great this year (16th best in the country right now), so he may not even make it again.

 

[wgdsr]

You’re totally right about Will Mark being a 3rd team All American goalie last year. I thought he was Honorable mention, so I was wrong. Sorry if I sound negative, but, to me, college lacrosse usually isn‘t that complicated, in that, whichever team has the best players usually wins. It’s no coincidence that Notre Dame and Virginia had the most 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team All Americans last year, and I think they were the best two teams in the country last year (Virginia should have beaten Notre Dame last year if Griffin Shutz doesn’t make a bonehead play and try to score when they were up by 2 goals with only 2 minutes to go; it was an Awesome save by Entenmann though). Who are our 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans this year? Mark’s save percentage isn’t great this year (16th best in the country right now), so he may not even make it again.

it was a great opportunity & there was over 3 minutes to play not 2, and nd scored 2 to tie it within a minute. then uva scored to take the lead. killing another 30-40 seconds would've made no difference.

the hoos had turtled on their possessions since the 8 minute mark, reclsulting in turnovers. if anything sitting on the ball and the lead is what killed them, and nd outshot them by a ton that quarter as a result.

hopefully they learned not to do that again.

 

[Powellfan]

Who are our 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans this year? Mark’s save percentage isn’t great this year (16th best in the country right now), so he may not even make it again.

Good question. It's still really early in the season so hard to make any definitive statements. So much of the scoring has been done by Spallina this season that he's kind of overshadowed the rest of the offense. He's clearly been playing at an All American level, but as the season stiffens up, you have to imagine other guys will have pick up some of the slack. Michael Leo seems like the next best bet with the way he has been playing, especially if teams continue to short stick him.

You'd like to see either Owen Hiltz or Christian Mule have some breakout games and contend for a spot on one of the teams, though they both need to be more consistent. I think Hiltz could challenge for a spot if he becomes more aggressive and decisive. Even if he doesn't score a ton of points, Jake Stevens should contend for a spot as well, he didn't score against Maryland and didn't play against Utah, but he'll have games where he puts up points. For as much as Thomson has struggled this season, he's still on track to have a 30 point season - if he can shake off the shooting struggles he might also make some noise.

Mason Kohn could certainly challenge for a spot if he keeps playing the way he's been playing (and especially if he keeps scoring like he is). Of course the real tests will come against teams like Duke, UNC, Hopkins, Army, etc. He held his own against Weirman, but things will continue to be a battle for him.

On defense it's hard to see someone getting consideration. I can't believe I am saying it but Carter Rice might be the most likely. He's been really good this season. He probably needs to do more damage in transition, but as a defender he's been sharp. Billy Dwan has been having a good year and the lacrosse media loves him because of his lineage. Sometimes a single breakout performance can carry a lot of weight and both him and Riley Figuerias will get lots of opportunities to go up against the best in the country.

Saam Olexo with his scoring prowess might get some love, but he's been splitting time very evenly with Matt Wright, to the point where it seems like to me he's not actually playing that much. If he has more moments like he did last year (the play against ND where he caused a turnover and then scored a goal on the same play) he could also get some love. But he needs to see more time. Lots more season left for Mark to make an impact as well.

Again, very early. Players will rise and some will struggle. If the team does well as a unit, they will see plenty of individual recognition.

 

[LaxAddict38]

It’s no coincidence that Notre Dame and Virginia had the most 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team All Americans last year, and I think they were the best two teams in the country last year (Virginia should have beaten Notre Dame last year if Griffin Shutz doesn’t make a bonehead play and try to score when they were up by 2 goals with only 2 minutes to go; it was an Awesome save by Entenmann though). Who are our 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All Americans this year? Mark’s save percentage isn’t great this year (16th best in the country right now), so he may not even make it again.

First time commenter, long time reader.

I would argue that having All-Americans, as you describe, can actually be a product of winning games. If Cuse beats MD this past weekend on that crease dive I would bet that a couple extra Cuse players would be on the mid-season AA list in a couple weeks. Sergio Perkovic got 1st team AA his senior year over Zach Currier despite Currier having the edge in every statistical category... The reason? Princeton was mediocre and Notre Dame was a top 5 team in the country.

It's chicken or the egg, but this team has talent... if they can put together some wins I would expect multiple All-Americans when it is all said and done.

Great coaches will tell their players, "You want to be an AA? Be a team player and win games. Almost every starter from the Final 4 gets AA."

 

[Zack80]

Eric Kolar was back playing for the Terps today at ssdm.

 

[BomberOrange]

Eric Kolar was back playing for the Terps today at ssdm.

Who?

 

[Zack80]

Who?

Eric Kolar, a regular ssdm for the Terps last season, who had been injured so far this season.

 

[SUlax88-09]

Good question. It's still really early in the season so hard to make any definitive statements. So much of the scoring has been done by Spallina this season that he's kind of overshadowed the rest of the offense. He's clearly been playing at an All American level, but as the season stiffens up, you have to imagine other guys will have pick up some of the slack. Michael Leo seems like the next best bet with the way he has been playing, especially if teams continue to short stick

Great stuff. I agree with Leo being a possible All-American, although I just can’t imagine teams continuing to put a short stick on him (I was surprised that Maryland never poled him). I also agree that Rice has been our best player on defense this year! I think Thomson is a star, but he just has to show it. If Spallina, Leo, Kohn, and Mark can all be All-Americans (1st, 2nd, or 3rd team), then that would be awesome and I think we could make some noise this year. I think that‘s a big If though. The appetizer of our season has now ended (with the exception of Maryland), and as we start the main course of our season, I’ll be looking for who will be able to step up to an All American level and carry this team back to the Final Four, or at least just the playoffs. If we don’t have at least a few players playing at a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All American level, then we may get exposed by the better teams. I don’t care too much about individual points (which can be racked up against weaker teams) or even losing an early season close game against a great team like Maryland, because I’m more interested in looking for potential All-Americans or for any team glaring weaknesses. I don’t think we have any locks for making the All-American team, but I agree that we have multiple potential players that could make it, which is exciting! Having All-Americans on your team means that they can carry your team against the best teams and in the biggest moments. Virginia looks too good this year, but we always play them tough, and if we have All Americans of our own, then who knows?!