Virginia Game Thread...

[Laxwizard22]

Porter tends to “pencil” when the ball is around GLE or just slightly above. I tend to dislike this strategy because A. You’re making yourself skinny in a situation where you should be trying to stay as big as possible. And B. If you misjudge how much angle the shooter has, you could be penciling when the shooter has half the goal to shoot at.
It also requires not really stepping to the ball, and not really getting your head over the ball on a low shot. Instead, your kinda just kicking your leg out there. On that last Kraus goal however, instead of penciling he seemed to kinda guess and leave that inside pipe area open. I think if he continues to work on his low angle shots he will have a special career for us

 

[CreaseRat]

If you bump Buttermore to the 1st line, it kinda kills the 2nd line.

Swapping Buttermore and Lipka will only help the 1st line. They’re running he 1st line like 3/4 of the game. Don’t think there would be a major drop off on the 2nd line

 

[sulax]

I completely agree with running Buttermore on the first line. He’s earned it, but Desko is notoriously stubborn with his favorites.

I wondered last year who was on the bench that Desko wasn’t playing that he should have been. I now have my answer. Same question to you guys for this year. Any names? Unfortunately, I probably won’t find out the answer until next year.

Load up the 1st middie line, and run ‘em as much as you can. It sounds so simple to play your best players as much as you can, but it just doesn’t happen.

Horribly officiated game, but at least most of their awful calls didn’t result in VA goals. We lost this one at the end of each quarter. Mellon doesn’t help enough (resulted in goal at end of 1st), Bomberry helps too much and leaves the crease player (resulting in goal at end of 2nd quarter), and Cunningham should have switched back to Krauss at the end of the 4th (he had plenty of time to switch back). Krauss killed Mellon last year, so that’s probably why he didn’t guard him much this year.

If I were in the press, then I’d ask Desko:
1. Do you practice defense against the pick-play? Follow up question would be: Do you think you should practice it some more? Year after year the simple pick-play kills us
2. Who is the potential all-american on your team that you are choosing not to play?

Tough loss. Felt like a playoff loss, and I hope Quint was wrong and that we can still make the tourney.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

Tough loss. Felt like a playoff loss, and I hope Quint was wrong and that we can still make the tourney.[/QUOTE]

It's still really early and even though yesterday was a brutal loss in a sense, I feel like the team is getting better. Still have 3 ACC games plus a chance to win a conference tourney game. They split the next 2 I'd still feel good.

 

[SULAXAHOLIC]

I wouldn’t shake up the first or second midfield but I would have Buttermore on man up he has 6 goal on 7 shots this year with all 7 on cage he had 3 goals on 5 shots last year n

 

[CuseNHouse]

Had a chance to take in the game at the Dome. Real bummer to watch that one slip away..officiating aside (which was a joke).

One thing that’s very clear to me after seeing live /and prior game - Phaup is the go to guy. He was either winning cleanly or using his athleticism to get the ball to space for the wings. I was surprised to see him sit late in the game and didn’t notice he was banged up but, those are the reports.

I really hope we will run primarily with him now ..and mix in Varello occasionally for a breather or a bad matchup

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

Had a chance to take in the game at the Dome. Real bummer to watch that one slip away..officiating aside (which was a joke).

One thing that’s very clear to me after seeing live /and prior game - Phaup is the go to guy. He was either winning cleanly or using his athleticism to get the ball to space for the wings. I was surprised to see him sit late in the game and didn’t notice he was banged up but, those are the reports.

I really hope we will run primarily with him now ..and mix in Varello occasionally for a breather or a bad matchup

I mean I'd have to see the breakdown but Phaup seemed to take 80% of the draws, at least prior to getting banged up. I thought Varello did a solid job the times he came in, I don't recall him losing draws outright. I agree they should run Phaup for the majority but they're already running into the issue of him getting nicked up.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I mean I'd have to see the breakdown but Phaup seemed to take 80% of the draws, at least prior to getting banged up. I thought Varello did a solid job the times he came in, I don't recall him losing draws outright. I agree they should run Phaup for the majority but they're already running into the issue of him getting nicked up.

Phaup was taking 100% of the draws before getting banged up last Saturday.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Phaup was taking 100% of the draws before getting banged up last Saturday.

Phaup was excellent and Varello did fine when he had to take over. Faceoffs were not the issue on Sat.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Phaup was excellent and Varello did fine when he had to take over. Faceoffs were not the issue on Sat.

Varello was 2-7.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Varello was 2-7.

Yes but one of those losses was the violation for the ball being stuck and the other he won the draw but missed the scoop on it twice. Phaup should be the guy if he's healthy but I didn't think Varello was a disaster when he came in.

 

[Powellfan]

Varello was 2-7.

Varello gives me Chris Daddio flashbacks. Seems to win the clamp almost every time but then seems unable to control the draw after that. Surprised after what seemed like a strong pre-season he has struggled so far.

 

[MD Cuse Fan]

If Phaup ends up missing this week does anyone know who the next guy is after Varello?

 

[JeremyCuse]

If Phaup ends up missing this week does anyone know who the next guy is after Varello?

There isn't one if I am being honest. I would guess Garlow in an emergency.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

If Phaup ends up missing this week does anyone know who the next guy is after Varello?

Garlow and Martin.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Garlow and Martin.

Martin is still hurt I think.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Martin is still hurt I think.

Then put a pole out there and limit the damage.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Then put a pole out there and limit the damage.

SU has the guys at pole to do that I think. I think someone else might have faced off a bit in HS but I can't remember who. Hopefully it wont come down to that, Phaup's injury didn't seem to be anything long term (hopefully).

 

[ivorytower]

SU has the guys at pole to do that I think. I think someone else might have faced off a bit in HS but I can't remember who. Hopefully it wont come down to that, Phaup's injury didn't seem to be anything long term (hopefully).

Phaup should be back and Varello is a durable fogo so little need to fret. You are thinking of Carlin's fogo success in HS but Id defer to Garlow if others were unavailable. Carlin not training for such and needed on second line , poles muck but usually dont win. Fernandez took a few draws and Kennedy has in hs but dont think wise to have either grinding and pivoting into ground given past injuries. Fusco and some other poles likely mucked in hs but Garlow with perhaps a double pole is workable. Not there yet but he's strong and athletic and could likely hold up a fogo if that is directive.

As far as the two 2018 fogo transfers, Washington is backup at Marquette going 12-18 while Thornton is primary fogo for d3 Stevenson and has gone 31-62. Looking forward, 2-3 good fogo prospects coming in next year

All good

 

[Powellfan]

Just wanted to bring things back to Buttermore - I wasn't thinking of outright replacing Lipka with the sophomore, but I was thinking of creating a "lineup of death" (think the Golden State Warriors), where a certain lineup can play at certain times to overwhelm a defense. Right now, Buttermore is playing like one of the best six offensive players. I like that Desko is playing the first line a lot more than he did last year, but I still feel like Buttermore should be seeing more of the field. I like Lipka - he is being aggressive with his shot and is not just a body running around out there, but it seems like Buttermore has a lot more confidence and can dodge better. I also think Carlin is a strong player, I think people would feel better if a strong third candidate for that second line emerged (either Magnan or Quinn hopefully).

 

[ivorytower]

Powell, You better trademark that catch phrase " Lineup of Death" if Desko employs and it works because I'd quickly be imprinting t-shirts with that slogan and selling them on Marshall Steet lol

 

[Powellfan]

Powell, You better trademark that catch phrase " Lineup of Death" if Desko employs and it works because I'd quickly be imprinting t-shirts with that slogan and selling them on Marshall Steet lol

It would be better if Dearth still played offense ... "Lineup of Dearth" could really takeoff.

 

[sholokov2]

Just wanted to bring things back to Buttermore - I wasn't thinking of outright replacing Lipka with the sophomore, but I was thinking of creating a "lineup of death" (think the Golden State Warriors), where a certain lineup can play at certain times to overwhelm a defense. Right now, Buttermore is playing like one of the best six offensive players. I like that Desko is playing the first line a lot more than he did last year, but I still feel like Buttermore should be seeing more of the field. I like Lipka - he is being aggressive with his shot and is not just a body running around out there, but it seems like Buttermore has a lot more confidence and can dodge better. I also think Carlin is a strong player, I think people would feel better if a strong third candidate for that second line emerged (either Magnan or Quinn hopefully).

Wasn't Buttermore dodging from behind a couple times. He looked very comfortable. Why not use him as a fourth attack as well as a second line middle? He seemed to know the right angles to take from x. Sadly, I saw Rehfuss still does not.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Wasn't Buttermore dodging from behind a couple times. He looked very comfortable. Why not use him as a fourth attack as well as a second line middle? He seemed to know the right angles to take from x. Sadly, I saw Rehfuss still does not.

Maybe setting a few plays for him to invert especially if he has some run with the 1st line, would be a good avenue to explore.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

It would be better if Dearth still played offense ... "Lineup of Dearth" could really takeoff.

Dearth and Taxes.