North Carolina Game Thread...

[Delmar]

Once again, the more desperate team wins an ACC tourney game.

We'll be home against Cornell as a 7 or more likely 8 seed. Then we'll get Penn State or UMD; or Penn or Yale. The path to Memorial Day just got a lot harder.

 

[JeremyCuse]

In terms of NCAA seeding, we're looking similar to last years team.

Get ready to host Cornell as the 7 or 8 seed. Games like that are why people are ready to move on from Desko. Third year in a row SU loses first round of the ACC tourney. That was an embarrassment

 

[PAcuse]

Tip of hat in the first 30 seconds?

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Raise your hand if you are surprised!

Not me. Exactly what I would expect from a Desk-coached team.

 

[orange79]

As was said earlier, with 5 left and a 3 goal lead, you need to close out the game. Regardless, it's a road loss and I don't see us dropping to lower than the 7 seed. If that happens, at least we miss PSU in the 2nd round.

LGO!!!

 

[JeremyCuse]

Maybe it lights something in them giving another game away but I don't like the long wait till the tournament. I feel like this loss puts them dangerously close to not hosting a first round game, especially if Cornell finds some way to win out.

No one to blame but themselves. UNC had been shut down all game you cant turn the all over 3 times in a minute and then suddenly forget how to defend an invert.

 

[WestFairO]

I didn't get a chance to watch/listen to the game (it seems like UNC wanted/needed it more) BUT, did you see the attendance? 940? How embarrassing for UNC -a home game, which will determine your post-season, and embarrassing for the ACC.

I get it, it's sort of a "play-in" game (for UNC) but a lame showing by the Heels. Am I missing something? Was a tornado watch in effect?

 

[Orangtiz]

Very infuriating. This has been a theme over the past 15 games or so. Navy last year, UVA, now UNC. All BAD choke jobs in late game situations. That has to be an indictment on coaching.

 

[creatorsgam]

I didn't get a chance to watch/listen to the game (it seems like UNC wanted/needed it more) BUT, did you see the attendance? 940? How embarrassing for UNC -a home game, which will determine your post-season, and embarrassing for the ACC.

I get it, it's sort of a "play-in" game (for UNC) but a lame showing by the Heels. Am I missing something? Was a tornado watch in effect?

It was Thursday at 6. Trying to battle 40/440/540 rush hour to get home then back out down 54 to Chapel Hill... I’m sure just wasn’t practical for most people.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

UNC...Bryant...Army... Just wait, they'll play Cornell in the NCAA, Teat will go wild,and it will be another loss in Desko's quiver.

 

[Bspalax]

No answer for the invert, lack of faceoffs and turnovers on man up killed the CUse. Now, chill out for 2 weeks.

 

[DoctahLexus]

This certainly sucks. Well a legitimate positive is the rest that Phaup will get, as someone I believe mentioned. 2 1/2 weeks for the team to rest up, wake up, and get angry. Maybe their heads were getting a little big with the successful streak and media approval of the team. Got a little complacent as a team in the final minutes of this one. This will hopefully serve as a reminder that you are almost always a loss away from dropping a tier in the eyes of the media, the committee, and your own fans.

The only long term concern for me is Phaup. You don't just clock in at 65% on the season and start losing to unknowns. Clearly he must be dealing with some sort of nagging injury. I'm hoping the time off leads to him getting back to midseason form. This game would have been in the books by a long shot if we just faced off remotely close to our season average tonight.

And I guess it's also deskos fault again as always. Wildhack better be waiting at the airport with deskos employment termination papers after how bad this season has gone (sarcasm). We have a good team here and they can really go far this tourney. Give desko a chance to prove himself with the teams actions like he did post Colgate.

And sorry but WHO GIVES A CRAP IF HE SAYS HATS OFF TO THE OTHER TEAM??!! The dude and this team have been killing it this year. Give him crap if we lose UMass in the first round or something not if he says some generic words of respect to UNC in the wake of our first loss after a crazy 7-1 streak with our gauntlet of a schedule. Geesh I mean come on respect what's been accomplished this season. Have we come out flat after our losses this year? Hell no. In fact we have bounced back with some serious intensity every time and beaten multiple good teams by multiple goals. That's enough for me no matter what he says in the dang press conferences.

 

[Delmar]

I am not in the anti-Desko camp. But what I have observed through the years is a lack of appreciation for the importance of a moment.
I never played the game. I love it because it is a sport relatively unspoiled by money, and the college game has a significance unsurpassed by the professionals. I appreciate this board because I am a student among teachers. My only cred is that I love the game.
Over the years, Syracuse teams have not known what to do with opportunity. Is it the nature of the game? I don't know. One of the splendors of the sport is the potential for runs like the one that did us in today. People who advocate for the end of face offs are insane as far as I am concerned.
Or is the failure of SU teams to seize the opportunity a failure of the coach to communicate what is at stake, or far worse, an unawareness of the coach of what is at stake? Or am I, like so many others, not taking into account the spread of the game and an awareness that it is no longer 2008?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The only long term concern for me is Phaup. You don't just clock in at 65% on the season and start losing to unknowns. Clearly he must be dealing with some sort of nagging injury. I'm hoping the time off leads to him getting back to midseason form. This game would have been in the books by a long shot if we just faced off remotely close to our season average tonight.

Phaup was 2-5 in his 1st meeting with UNC, and 9-19 today. That's an improvement.

Varello struggled today after going 13-18 before.

Overall we were 15-24 two weeks ago and only 10-24 today.

Let's bag the "nagging injury" rumors, shall we.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Phaup was 2-5 in his 1st meeting with UNC, and 9-19 today. That's an improvement.

Varello struggled today after going 13-18 before.

Overall we were 15-24 two weeks ago and only 10-24 today.

Let's bag the "nagging injury" rumors, shall we.

Kind of hard to call it an improvement when we didn't even try him for any more than 5 face offs in the first game. Also to go from 2-5 to 9-19 is also a pretty small improvement proportionately if that's what we think matters. You put that in combination with only going 50% against a navy team that is mediocre at the x, and the fact that he has already dealt with some injury issues in the early season, and I think it's cause for concern.

Edit: the Ben Williams saga has me on edge with this type of thing

 

[PhatOrange]

I only watched the last 10 minutes of the game so I can't really comment on it.

Question, with a minute left, our LSM picked up the ground ball on the last faceoff, was pressured panicked and then threw a bad pass out of bounds. I was screaming to call a time out there to bail him out. Are we not allowed to call time out there or was that one Desko whiffed on ? I couldn't understand why he didn't call time out to keep possession.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I only watched the last 10 minutes of the game so I can't really comment on it.

Question, with a minute left, our LSM picked up the ground ball on the last faceoff, was pressured panicked and then threw a bad pass out of bounds. I was screaming to call a time out there to bail him out. Are we not allowed to call time out there or was that one Desko whiffed on ? I couldn't understand why he didn't call time out to keep possession.

Can't call TO there, he has to get into the box. That was a bad play for a couple of reasons. 1. All Fernandez needed to do was put his head down and run to the box for Desko to call TO and we would have been fine. 2. An attackmen or a middie needed to come over an help him especially an attackmen as we were in the middle of subbing. The fact Solomon or Rhefuss didn't come screaming up to assist was infuriating.

 

[CuseNHouse]

Painful game to watch. Lack of energy, trouble at the FO, poor use of clock and shot selection at the end.

Granted - tall order to come back to UNC two weeks later and do it again ...but the team took a step back last night in my eyes on many fronts- just as they seemed to be peaking. Can’t let a lead slip away like that at this stage of the season - those are lessons that need to be learned from games early on.

hoping this serves as a motivational moment heading into the tourney ..

The one thing that struck me last night was the lack of development of Cook as the season has progressed.

.To be fair, he has been bounced around this year.. Appears solid and speedy for sure, but not able to really beat anyone cleanly to create the separation and slides I thought might happen. Perhaps it’s because he’s often in the middle and not at nature attack position ?

Really hoping he comes along relative to all of the early reports.

 

[PhatOrange]

Can't call TO there, he has to get into the box. That was a bad play for a couple of reasons. 1. All Fernandez needed to do was put his head down and run to the box for Desko to call TO and we would have been fine. 2. An attackmen or a middie needed to come over an help him especially an attackmen as we were in the middle of subbing. The fact Solomon or Rhefuss didn't come screaming up to assist was infuriating.

Thanks for the clarification on that. It's hard to keep up with all the rules and rule changes year to year lol.

It's a tough position to be in for a young kid. When in doubt I think you send it towards the goal not the sideline behind you.

Anyhow, I was bummed none of the attackmen went up there faster to help. He had possession for awhile. #2 went up to help him but was way behind him which is where the errant pass went. That's infuriating to me. You have to run towards the guys face to help him. Not behind him 25 yards with your stick up in the air.

 

[Moontan]

That had to have been the most frustrating end to an SU lax game that’s I’ve ever seen. The Orangemen have done something similar to other teams, but I haven’t seen it done to them. It almost seemed like they thought the game was over when they went up by 3. They now have 2 weeks to keep thinking about it... :-(

 

[orange79]

That had to have been the most frustrating end to an SU lax game that’s I’ve ever seen. The Orangemen have done something similar to other teams, but I haven’t seen it done to them. It almost seemed like they thought the game was over when they went up by 3. They now have 2 weeks to keep thinking about it... :-(

UVa this year, Navy last year.

Frustrating.

 

[JeremyCuse]

UVa this year, Navy last year.

Frustrating.

Bad pattern has developed as pointed out by OrangeBoston. I know he's not a Desko fan at all (clearly) but he's right that suddenly SU has started dropping these games they used to win about 98% of the time.

 

[Moontan]

UVa this year, Navy last year.

Frustrating.

I didn’t see this year’s UVA game (enjoying a European vacation) and don’t recall the Navy game (must’ve been too mad or consumed too much due to that).

Need to win the NCAA opener or things will heat up...

 

[orange79]

I didn’t see this year’s UVA game (enjoying a European vacation) and don’t recall the Navy game (must’ve been too mad or consumed too much due to that).

Need to win the NCAA opener or things will heat up...

I assume too mad. We had a 1 goal lead with 10 seconds left. And lost in regulation.

 

[orangecuse]

Just a brutal last 4 minutes for us, and I'm still in a friggin funk about it this morning. UGH!

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I assume too mad. We had a 1 goal lead with 10 seconds left. And lost in regulation. View attachment 161248

It was a Varello on Varello crime.