Polls for Mar 29: Media #5 / Coaches #7

[OrangeXtreme]

1. Notre Dame 427 (11)
2. Richmond 426 (10)
3. Harvard 386 (1)
4. North Carolina 371
5. Syracuse 323

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Cornell Ascending USA Lacrosse Division I Men's Top 20

The Big Red beat Princeton for the seventh straight time and climb to one place behind the Tigers.

www.usalacrosse.com

1. Notre Dame
2. Richmond
3. Harvard
4. North Carolina
5. Duke

9. Syracuse

 

[OrangeXtreme]

5. Syracuse
The Orange offense played too fast for Georgetown on Sunday, putting pressure on the Hoyas’ shorties and scoring in transition. It was good to be back home in the Dome. The 18-12 win felt like old-school Orange. It had everything except the fans did not throw oranges on the field. Both goalies were barraged. The Hoyas couldn’t handle Joey Spallina and his inside rolls. Goalie Jimmy McCool was razor sharp. Midfield depth was most notable with five different goal-scorers. Michael Leo scored five times. Spallina finished with six points, winning his pairing with the Hoyas’ top cover man.

Payton Anderson ran out of the box and effectively got to the net against shorties. GT didn’t pole him. Matt McIntee and Charlie Kraftson looked quick. SU’s second quarter was their best spurt of the season.

A boisterous crowd of 7,200 in the Dome fueled Otto.

Earlier in the week, with a proper mindset competing against a team like Denver, that has a limited offense, has got to be "stay out of the penalty box, don’t create anything for them that they don’t deserve.” The Pios were 3-of-8 with the extra man.

The win at Denver on Monday night was made possible by goalie Jimmy McCool (10 saves), and a strong 5-0 third quarter run. The 13-12 victory was the final contest of a six-game road trip. Luke Rhoa scored four times; his radar has been sharper lately. With his feet set, eyes clear and hands free, it’s turn-and-rake. Finn Thomson and Anderson tallied four points each. “Bear” needs to keep it going if SU has deep playoff aspirations. He’s a player with enormous gifts and, when he’s assertive and timely, the squad takes a big step forward. Defender Billy Dwan III scored again, I’ve got him at 17 career goals: one as a freshman, eight as a sophomore, three as a junior, five this year.

Spallina recorded two points to move into second all-time in program history with 288, passing Casey Powell and Ryan Powell, putting him just 19 points behind Mike Powell's 307 record. Don’t use points to compare players. Rules have evolved. Stick technology has changed the way the game is played. Spallina is an undeniably great player; super productive, a field general and incredibly smart. I believe he will have incredible success as a Sixes player on Team USA in the Olympics. For now, he’s never been a first-team All-American and has two playoff wins on his résumé, so he’s not yet in the same galaxy as the Powell trio. His legacy will be attached to this team’s success or failure. Points are shallow. Wins resonate.

A bench clearing skirmish at the final buzzer not a good look for either program.

Duke visits the Dome on Saturday at 2 p.m.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I don't get the OSU love. Other than that, I think SU being anywhere between 4 and 8 is fine.

 

[Lax Mouse]

"[Spallina] has two playoff wins on his résumé"

Looks like Quint and I took the same number of math classes at Hopkins - zero!

 

[Faegan]

Good. I hope we win out and don't get any love in the polls. Fuel.

 

[cuselaxss26]

Good. I hope we win out and don't get any love in the polls. Fuel.

that’s how i look at it. Also can hear the story line already if goes bad this coming week. “duke legit , cuse not top 10?” or something along those lines. They have to come out ready to play no slow starts offense n defense need to play together smart n mistake free specially boneheaded mistakes. Already gonna be little at disadvantage with no chuck K. So young guys def gonna have to step it up even more.

Also patrick jamieson only had 2 saves vs denver. If can get on him early may shake his confidence even more. Def can’t let him get going early specially after game he just had. Plus his brother mike (on my ulax team) going up to dome for game n i do not wanna hear him if duke wins.

 

[LpoolNative]

9 makes literally no sense

 

[Lax Mouse]

9 makes literally no sense

It's been a crazy season. It's a reflection that most pollsters have no real methodology. Rankings have become completely reactionary. Not saying that I know any better than them of course - but it just feels like every week they take a look at records and head to head results and try to make sense of things without taking a step back and look at the big picture.

It's not just Cuse either.

I'll use Princeton as an example. Do folks really think there are 9 teams better than the Tigers? Insane. QK has them at 10. Would be shocked if someone goes undefeated and wins it all this season. Teams are going to lose games.