Liberty League 2024

[Laxattackjack]

My thought as far as SLU was that there were a couple of seniors on the offensive side who have the option of returning. If they do the team will look an awful lot like they did last year but with that extra experience. I know toward the end of the season there was some disappointment but the high end for that team was there to be seen when they absolutely dismantled Lynchburg. If those guys return and they can maintain a level of play they could have a shot.

What’s the word on these teams. Looks like York will open up vs RPI. Then play RIT and St Law in the first month of the season. What should be expected from these games?

[richard]

[quote=richard post_id=511032 time=<a href="tel:1705375441">1705375441</a> user_id=418]
My thought as far as SLU was that there were a couple of seniors on the offensive side who have the option of returning. If they do the team will look an awful lot like they did last year but with that extra experience. I know toward the end of the season there was some disappointment but the high end for that team was there to be seen when they absolutely dismantled Lynchburg. If those guys return and they can maintain a level of play they could have a shot.

What’s the word on these teams. Looks like York will open up vs RPI. Then play RIT and St Law in the first month of the season. What should be expected from these games?
[/quote]

Hey, the Liberty is considered a top five conference. Some think #2 after NESCAC. York decided to take them on. You can count on RIT being good, top five. SLU is always strong, top 10-15. RPI is top 20 and last year at the end of the season was a team no one wanted to play. This year people have them top 10. Good on Childs for taking them on early in the season.

[Laxattackjack]

[quote=richard post_id=511032 time=<a href="tel:1705375441">1705375441</a> user_id=418]
My thought as far as SLU was that there were a couple of seniors on the offensive side who have the option of returning. If they do the team will look an awful lot like they did last year but with that extra experience. I know toward the end of the season there was some disappointment but the high end for that team was there to be seen when they absolutely dismantled Lynchburg. If those guys return and they can maintain a level of play they could have a shot.

What’s the word on these teams. Looks like York will open up vs RPI. Then play RIT and St Law in the first month of the season. What should be expected from these games?

Hey, the Liberty is considered a top five conference. Some think #2 after NESCAC. York decided to take them on. You can count on RIT being good, top five. SLU is always strong, top 10-15. RPI is top 20 and last year at the end of the season was a team no one wanted to play. This year people have them top 10. Good on Childs for taking them on early in the season.
[/quote]

York definitely front loaded the schedule. Maybe Childs was trying to get the toughest out of conference schedule this year??? I think everyone out of conference is top 20. Good luck this season (except when York is playing your teams).

[FosterLax3]

Two players on SLU who are in the running for top players in the league are Ben Hutchinson and Judge Murphy. Both guys are seniors and have played in every game since they stepped on campus and will be leading the offense for the Saints. Depth scoring -as for every team- will be the question mark for SLU if they can make it back the the LL finals/NCAA tournament but Hutchinson and Murphy will be leading the team from the front. I will be interested in seeing how the Saints come out of the gate with some tough early games after a disappointing last couple of weeks of 2023 season

Are any players taking the extra years that are available? If not you are right about the offense. They generally run a pretty tight ship on offense. But if no one is coming back for the extra years it might take a while for the offense to come around. The other side of the field is in good hands. The meat grinder always seems to be there.

SLU team captain and AA dman Joe Scarfi is doing his 6th year at Penn State.

Crazy how three players from the SLU 2022 graduating class are now playing at high D1 level (Scarfi, Chris Jordan at PSU and Will Helm is starting goalie at Duke). Just goes to show how talented D3 lacrosse is as whole but more specifically how strong the LL is. SLU will definitely be missing Scarfi on the back end, he has been a 4 year starter on D and played his freshman season in 2019 as the second LSM. Will be interesting to see what D guys will step up to challenge of replacing him.

[richard]

[quote=DeepPocket post_id=511022 time=<a href="tel:1705368885">1705368885</a> user_id=609]
[quote=richard post_id=510968 time=<a href="tel:1705344217">1705344217</a> user_id=418]
[quote=FosterLax3 post_id=510928 time=<a href="tel:1705338662">1705338662</a> user_id=3745]
Two players on SLU who are in the running for top players in the league are Ben Hutchinson and Judge Murphy. Both guys are seniors and have played in every game since they stepped on campus and will be leading the offense for the Saints. Depth scoring -as for every team- will be the question mark for SLU if they can make it back the the LL finals/NCAA tournament but Hutchinson and Murphy will be leading the team from the front. I will be interested in seeing how the Saints come out of the gate with some tough early games after a disappointing last couple of weeks of 2023 season

Are any players taking the extra years that are available? If not you are right about the offense. They generally run a pretty tight ship on offense. But if no one is coming back for the extra years it might take a while for the offense to come around. The other side of the field is in good hands. The meat grinder always seems to be there.
[/

SLU team captain and AA dman Joe Scarfi is doing his 6th year at Penn State.
[/quote]

Crazy how three players from the SLU 2022 graduating class are now playing at high D1 level (Scarfi, Chris Jordan at PSU and Will Helm is starting goalie at Duke). Just goes to show how talented D3 lacrosse is as whole but more specifically how strong the LL is. SLU will definitely be missing Scarfi on the back end, he has been a 4 year starter on D and played his freshman season in 2019 as the second LSM. Will be interesting to see what D guys will step up to challenge of replacing him.
[/quote]

The back end is generally pretty strong, giving up fewer than 10 goals per game. Last year they gave up more than that per game which is unusual. Losing Scarfi won’t help. Their history on the defensive side of the field indicates to me that it will be addressed. From what I’ve seen over the years size and athleticism is probably already there .

[RetiredLLLaxer]

Let’s go Garnet Chargers! Last year was plagued by injuries to some key pieces. From what I can tell, Union is returning AA’s in the midfield, in cage, and at the FO X - with some young talent as well. Excited to see what they can do with another GAUNTLET of a schedule - is this the year they take down RIT?! I think yes…

[FosterLax3]

When did Union change to the Garnet Chargers from the Dutchmen?

[River Donkey]

When did Union change to the Garnet Chargers from the Dutchmen?

When woke became cool.

[ergit]

Dutchmen name had history, but that’s about it…

[ChopMan23]

When did Union change to the Garnet Chargers from the Dutchmen?

When woke became cool.

They posted a tranny on their hockey ig. Something I'd see in my nightmares. Not sure what it had to do with hockey.

[ergit]

Please, let’s not start…

[FosterLax3]

Yea didn't realize that question was going to lead to that answer...

In other news, saw RPI scrimmaged Babson this weekend, anybody have an update on how that went? I've read RPI has some big expectations this spring but don't know too much about them myself. Are there any other LL scrimmages to report? Teams should be at least a week underway with the preseason and scrimmages should be beginning to pop up.

[dp68]

RPI with a nationally significant road win over York, 8-7. The defense looked great. Not sure why they were so quick to shoot in the final minutes with a 3-goal lead, but they hung on. Big win for the Liberty.

[ergit]

That was a good win for RPI to open the season.

[BallBag]

Score one for the Liberty League... RPI with a big early season road win at York. I think RPI can move into the conversation now as one of the top tier teams.

[FMUBart]

Any word on RIT preseason? They don't have roster up yet for 2024...

[FosterLax3]

York has two more shots at LL opponents this season against RIT and SLU, curious to see how they fare against them after losing to RPI. Based of rankings and pre-season predictions, I would expect a win for RIT and a very close game against SLU that could go either way. Would be a big statement for the LL to go 3-0 against a consistently top 10 team in the country if they pull it off. Great start for the league this season thanks to what looks like a very strong RPI team.

I have not really heard anything on RIT so far besides reading on IL that they bring in former Ithaca attackman Jake Erickson for his 5th year.

[JPAtlantic]

A good preview summary by Dee Three Lacrosse

https://deethreelax.com/liberty-league? ... fO2SDS3eFs

[MidwestSharp]

Any word on RIT preseason? They don't have roster up yet for 2024...

Curious how they looked in their scrimmages as well.

[Low2high22]

Any word on RIT preseason? They don't have roster up yet for 2024...

Roster is up now. Very senior and graduate student heavy