UNC Gameday...

[CuseNHouse]

Putting all the unforced errors aside , we had a pretty healthy debate earlier in the season about McCool - he is a solid goalie, but he's is not elite. They won't do it, but Ipp deserves a start. Personally I would roll with him. He is a far more athletic goalie with better decision making, faster hands and gets the ball out quick in transition. Johnny also has good numbers but he's been a head case all season . How many times is he going to jump ? We need both Jimmy and Johnny to be beyond good, they need to be elite on the biggest stages- I'm afraid we just don't have a Galloway or Cercy here. additionally Our D semed to seemed to be making great strides but they have regressed, the last two games have not been good defensively . Next week is really critical to see if our key pieces and system can bounce back. UVA has been all over the place but ramping fast, a clean game and win would restore some confidence - a loss would be real trouble

 

[PhatOrange]

Any chance CUSE goes with Ippoliti at any point? McCools % is good for about 17th nationally at 54.2. He's wildly inconsistent and something just seems off. I don't think he sees the ball very well and seems to guess a lot. I love the energy and communication Ipp seems to bring back there. Could be a spark they need I don't know.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Any chance CUSE goes with Ippoliti at any point? McCools % is good for about 17th nationally at 54.2. He's wildly inconsistent and something just seems off. I love energy and communication Ipp seems to bring back there.​

Maybe coach-speak, but Gait said McCool is their goalie. That being said, I wouldn't be shocked if McCool looks shaky against Virginia early on, that he gets pulled in favor of Ippoliti.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

Any chance CUSE goes with Ippoliti at any point? McCools % is good for about 17th nationally at 54.2. He's wildly inconsistent and something just seems off. I don't think he sees the ball very well and seems to guess a lot. I love the energy and communication Ipp seems to bring back there. Could be a spark they need I don't know.

I was a little surprised they made the switch yesterday, if only because it felt like UNC was just getting too many easy looks with their hands free but I will say when Ippoliti has gotten some runs he def doesn't look overwhelmed and I really like how quickly he looks to get the ball upfield after a save.

 

[cuselaxss26]

i went back n watched highlights. Any time joey spallina was in middle they made sure to have two guys on him at all times. 3 goals scored with joey inside. Yes he had nothing to do with play but he drew enough cover to open other guys. Specially when joey n someone else was there whole D was worried bout joey. We did not do this much or exploit it. That’s on pat march. Ur the OC that is what u have to see n adjust to. Also there were so many open passes for open looks n guys just did not see them or make the pass. 1-5 on emo is pathetic for this group. Rhoa is most of our man up goals but he has got be able to feed the ball. As few times it come to him for a shot Geb was cutting towards him with more then enough steps for good look. Rhoa is great but i was never huge fan of him on emo cause of his passing or vision.

 

[FloridaCuse]

i went back n watched highlights. Any time joey spallina was in middle they made sure to have two guys on him at all times. 3 goals scored with joey inside. Yes he had nothing to do with play but he drew enough cover to open other guys. Specially when joey n someone else was there whole D was worried bout joey. We did not do this much or exploit it. That’s on pat march. Ur the OC that is what u have to see n adjust to. Also there were so many open passes for open looks n guys just did not see them or make the pass. 1-5 on emo is pathetic for this group. Rhoa is most of our man up goals but he has got be able to feed the ball. As few times it come to him for a shot Geb was cutting towards him with more then enough steps for good look. Rhoa is great but i was never huge fan of him on emo cause of his passing or vision.

If I recall correctly I think posters have said on here in the past that March doesn't make many adjustments during a game. Is that true?

 

[SUlax88-09]

The ups and downs of sports. So much excitement to start the season (especially because we’ve been waiting for this senior year of our best recruiting class since our last #1 recruiting class repeated with national championships in ‘08 and ‘09), and then we got beaten down at the start of that Princeton game. Then we went on a nice 6 game win streak and built up the excitement again, but we just got deflated again by North Carolina. The close loss to Harvard happens, but to get dominated by Princeton and North Carolina (the 2 best teams in the nation) is a bad sign. We got beat in all phases of the game (offense, defense, goalie play, and face-offs). Just a demoralizing game.

Offense- Leo was great and Rhoa had some good shots, but that’s about it. Against the 2 best teams in the country, Spallina has 0 points (which has long been the valid criticism against him). Anderson is now drawing a pole, and he couldn’t do anything. Anderson is drawing a pole because they put a SSDM on Thomson, which should be such an embarrassment to an attackman. Same old story and achilles heel of Gait’s Syracuse teams is that we can’t win a 1 on 1 matchup.

Defense- Figueiras was great, but that’s about all. Beck had a rough game. Hahn shouldn’t be playing SSDM. McCool has been great this season but he obviously struggled against North Carolina (and Princeton), but I think his defense let him down. Ip has always been a great back up for us (I feel badly for the kid because he could start on most college teams). Mullen’s violations are very annoying (in addition to his missed ground balls)

Misc- Sorry to say this, but the groundskeeper at North Carolina should be fired. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many players slip and fall in a non-wet field… ever

Losses happen, but getting dominated by a better team is deflating, especially when we have aspirations for a national championship. This is not our ‘09 team… I think North Carolina is going to win a few chips in these next few years

 

[FloridaCuse]

The ups and downs of sports. So much excitement to start the season (especially because we’ve been waiting for this senior year of our best recruiting class since our last #1 recruiting class repeated with national championships in ‘08 and ‘09), and then we got beaten down at the start of that Princeton game. Then we went on a nice 6 game win streak and built up the excitement again, but we just got deflated again by North Carolina. The close loss to Harvard happens, but to get dominated by Princeton and North Carolina (the 2 best teams in the nation) is a bad sign. We got beat in all phases of the game. Just a demoralizing game.

Offense- Leo was great and Rhoa had some good shots, but that’s about it. Against the 2 best teams in the country, Spallina has 0 points (which has long been the valid criticism against him). Anderson is now drawing a pole, and he couldn’t do anything. Anderson is drawing a pole because they put a SSDM on Thomson, which should be such an embarrassment to an attackman. Same old story and achilles heel of Gait’s Syracuse teams is that we can’t win a 1 on 1 matchup.

Defense- Figuerias was great, but that’s about all. Beck had a rough game. Hahn shouldn’t be playing SSDM. McCool has been great this season but he obviously struggled against North Carolina (and Princeton), but I think his defense let him down. Ip has always been a great back up for us (I feel badly for the kid because he could start on most college teams). Mullen’s violations are very annoying (in addition to his missed ground balls)

Misc- Sorry to say this, but the groundskeeper at North Carolina should be fired. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many players slip and fall in a non-wet field… ever

Losses happen, but getting dominated by a better team is deflating, especially when we have aspirations for a national championship. This is not our ‘09 team… I think North Carolina is going to win a few chips in these next few years

Good summary. I'll add this -- even in most of our wins (except maybe the first 3) we haven't looked like a championship team. Mullen violations, missed GBs, multiple offsides, letting teams back into it (e.g., Denver). To me how they played yesterday wasn't a lot different then how we played in our latest wins; we just met a better team and got exposed.

 

[Dinkyspond]

The Axe article notes that the outdoors, grass surface was a factor. Are the grass lacrosse practice fields not in good shape or ready to be practiced on for an early April game outdoors on grass? That seemed to be what GG implied.

 

[Bayside44]

I’m sick of this more prestigious degree BS. Your career is what you make of it. No one gives a shi_ where you went to school. The only thing that matters is what you produce. Thank you.

Mom and dad want to walk around wearing Duke and ND gear, get their son into a financial gig with alumni of those schools. That's most of it. The lax is almost secondary.

 

[DMVCuseLax]

Joey took 3 shots yesterday. March has to do a better job of having a plan when Joey is being double teamed. We have been out schemed in the Princeton and UNC game.

 

[FloridaCuse]

The Axe article notes that the outdoors, grass surface was a factor. Are the grass lacrosse practice fields not in good shape or ready to be practiced on for an early April game outdoors on grass? That seemed to be what GG implied.

That was Gary's excuse in the post-game presser: we haven't played on grass and we haven't practiced on grass. A number of us commented that is Gary again not taking responsibility.

Daily Orange Staff Writer:

 

[DMVCuseLax]

I've been saying we need to get the cleats situation figured out. This isn't the first game that our guys have been slipping on a grass field. We did the same thing at UVA last year. Cuse equipment managers need to have a meet with Nike and get it figured out. With that said that was a small part of our struggles yesterday.

 

[SUlax88-09]

The field was very slippery, but it affected both teams equally. Some of our only 1 on 1 wins and goals were actually the result of North Carolina defenders slipping. I think their field was an embarrassment, but it was not a significant factor in why we lost

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Plenty of blame to go around, but especially on all three coaches: Gait for not figuring out how to practice on grass (that's why we have airplanes), March for being clueless about what to do when Spallina is a no-show, Odierna for not keeping Dwan on Pietramala wherever he went.

 

[BillSU]

Thought we were supposed to be a championship team this year? What about next year all the Offense is graduating.

 

[Elkeed44]

Mom and dad want to walk around wearing Duke and ND gear, get their son into a financial gig with alumni of those schools. That's most of it. The lax is almost secondary.

I’m gonna take another bite from this apple. I understand your point. But, as a Methodist, ND is just another catholic school. I respect their brand but that’s as far as it goes. As for Duke, if they were located north of the mason dixon line, they’d just be another leafy expensive private northeastern school. No better, no worse. And if I may quote Bruce Hornsby, “some things will never change. That’s just the way it is”.

Have a wonderful Easter

 

[Willy75]

Plenty of blame to go around, but especially on all three coaches: Gait for not figuring out how to practice on grass (that's why we have airplanes), March for being clueless about what to do when Spallina is a no-show, Odierna for not keeping Dwan on Pietramala wherever he went.

Aren't there grass fields next to Manley?

 

[Bayside44]

I’m gonna take another bite from this apple. I understand your point. But, as a Methodist, ND is just another catholic school. I respect their brand but that’s as far as it goes. As for Duke, if they were located north of the mason dixon line, they’d just be another leafy expensive private northeastern school. No better, no worse. And if I may quote Bruce Hornsby, “some things will never change. That’s just the way it is”.

Have a wonderful Easter

Now look at all the Catholic high schools with great lax. Chaminade families LOOOOVE Notre Dame.

 

[outoftownie]

T

Aren't there grass fields next to Manley?

There is a grass practice field next to the SU Soccer stadium that is used for lacrosse practice and grass fields at hookway (down the street from Lally complex). That said, for those of you that don't live in Syracuse, its been raining pretty much every day, if not every other day and the snow just melted like two weeks ago. Tough to have grass fields cut, lined and ready for practice in those conditions. As for the footwear in question, I would assume most of the players just went with the same cleats they have been wearing on turf. They are molded cleats, not turf shoes, but can have some trouble with slippage on grass when they have been worn on turf all spring. Tough to break in cleats with longer spikes for grass, if you cant get on grass to practice (see above). Didn't see the game, was at my high schoolers game then on the road for easter, so can't comment on anything else.

 

[cuselaxss26]

Look at the stats closely. Unc won the gb battle by 4-5. Unc won the faceoffs by 7. Unc won the goalie battle by 4-5. Also cuse was 1-5 on emo. Plus unc won the turnover battle by 4-5. that was the diff. They win by 5 goals n each of those stats diff lead to a goal each. On top of the O taking poor shots n D not talking or communicating. Unc wanted it more n played like it. They hustled baxk n stop any transition we could muster. While we don’t have ton foot speed to get back in box n some of our Dmids being slow to get on field n on whole. We looked slowed n zero energy same as princeton game. Can’t have all those things n lack of help from coaches to adjust to anything n win.

Unc def a top team do i think them n princeton so much better then us no i do not. I just think our guys have not learn how to play every game with heart n hustle n when things not going their way they don’t know how to keep composed n take it one goal at time. They kept forcing things n trying the same old moves that weren’t working. Unc had solid game plan n excuted it we had left our plan on the plane. We did not play as team or trust each other as a team. Example on the duffy goal behind net i heard kittle say “get under get under “ n figgy did not ran right into the pick. Also beck was bad. The hoffman goal he was right there n pointing to hoffman saying for someone to pick him up yet chuck k picked up other guy on crease n beck didn’t look to see n maby chuck k didn’t say who he had n beck moved cross crease off hoffman n was left open. That is team not playing or trusting each other.

Offense once again when guys dodging everyone just stood n watched. Leo needs to move if he’s gonna play attack. He seems to just hangout on that left side n barely moves or touches other side. We also did not play from x really at all or try much. Even carc mention it how we arnt doing it n unc was trying to make sure we didn’t n we didn’t push to do so. We lost our team aspect of playing as team n got beat down. Not sure if heat was factor sure could be n guys were more tired then normal n become brain dead when happens. So in that case i’d run n run n run them till their tired as hell then practice full field n run a scrimmage. Muscle memory happens when completely drained n ur body does what it does when tired over n over it remembers.

 

[outoftownie]

Well, that’s what I’m hinting without saying it out loud. Perhaps people need to lower expectations, a tough ask with the Syracuse fan base.

The budget dollar doesn't go as far at Syracuse as it does as a public school like UNC. And, whether it is fiscally wise or not, UNC has decided to significantly increase funding for non-revenue sports in light of the new scholarship limits. So it was no surprise when multiple 5 star attackers in the 2027 class committed, they are getting full rides because UNC has more than double the scholarships that Syracuse will have going forward. Syracuse was wise to lock up the best goalie in that class, but they just don't have the ammunition to go head to head across the board on recruits.

 

[CNYnVa]

First let me say I love this board. The quality of the posts here is so high. Most are thoughtful, learned and not rants. I haven’t watched yesterday’s game but read the comments today.
My thought that some of you may share is that we have overrated this team all year. They are having a very good season and may reach the final four but could easily lose in an early round. There seem to be many good players on the team, a couple of very good ones, and Joey who I think is clearly first team AA. I don’t see their talent as any better than much of the top ten. Many of the mistakes that keep happening late into the season seem like things average players do in pressure situations. The team hopefully will get on a run and win it all. If they don’t, my take is that they won’t have “blown it” but played to form.
Go Orange and win it all!

 

[cuselaxss26]

Those last two games (duke,unc) kinda reminded me of the harvard/princeton games. Only diff is we won the duke game n didn’t give it away at end tho we certainly tried to. In those early game D was mess sliding all over the place n created offense same thing yesterday. Offense out of sync n forcing things trying to score 5 goals in single shot. Also no help from coaches changing anything up but the goalie which seem like good move. Unc double poles midfield n finn did not try to do much vs short stick. They doubled joey n we didn’t use it to our advantage.

With them double poling midfield would have sent bear down to attack n finn at midfield. Would our offense still be out of sync possibly but least would been diff look. Also don’t we normally start with 4 guys high in the box to start offense ? Feel like we didn’t do that yesterday at all. Saw unc do it but don’t recall us doing it. So did we chance completely how we were gonna run offense? If did why? Also we don’t throw multiple cutters thru at single time even if second is delayed. We keep one guy (finn) n everyone else is just outside. We made it easy for unc to slide n recover cause we did not move much or cut or anything.

Defense needs to talk more n stop swinging sticks n play body good down on hips body. Also need to be more aggressive on D. If double is sent then all other close outlets have to be closed off forcing them to try make an over the D pass. Also how is it so many teams can pass it thru center of our D n we can’t knock any passes down ? So many other teams do this but notice we do not much. Also other goalies knock passes down but ours do not. This team def buckled under pressure n sadly seems like our seniors. They rush n force specially when down few even tho time to make comeback they try to get it all baxk at once.

I still believe in this team think they have talent to make a run but it will take the entire team to do so. Also the coaches will have to be better. Gait maby pick up a ipad so can see what other team is doing n adjust to it. I don’t know anything. HUGE game next week for sure. Win n ur def in acc tounry n prob ncaa tounry. Think that’s great but think real focus should be how do we play a full 60min game at our best.

 

[cuselaxss26]

Happy easter everyone !