Yale 2024

[XLdad]

I hear you Fann.. My guess is Bragg plays more than just man up..not sure how you replace that production from Leo..So much more than just points..Those 3 have played a lot of lacrosse together. My guess it will be by committee..Im sure Yale will handle most of that schedule without Leo but we will find out come PSU and Denver early on..

[Lax3]

What does anyone hear about what is going on with Johnson - what is the injury?

[FannOLax]

Obervation on the roster: along with the well-known likes of Brandau and Bragg, SSDM Ocken is back as a senior who was on the 2019 roster. Together with captain Hackler, Monfort (both of whom have two-way-middie qualities) and Christian Johnson, that should make for a pretty strong core of experienced SSDMs. Ocken got PT in 2019, made some good plays.

[ctbagataway]

Another 6th year. That’s pretty tough to do, even for Yale.

[The Orfling]

Another 6th year. That’s pretty tough to do, even for Yale.

You get eight semesters on campus at Yale. If you are willing to sacrifice graduating with your class and take off the semesters to preserve your ability to use your legal NCAA eligibility, Yale generally allows it. I wish the policies were consistent across the league, but the Ivy presidents have never wanted to give up their autonomy on these types of issues. (Another more sport-based difference: some Ivies regularly take lacrosse transfers, others take them rarely, and others do not take them at all — the league is not carbon copy in its approach.)

Ocken played in 19 games in 2019; in 3 games in the COVID-truncated 2020 season; 0 games in 2021 bc there was no Ivy 2021 season at all; 16 games in 2022; and in 4 games in 2023. Not counting 2020 (which the NCAA doesn’t count), this is his 4th season. 42 career games played coming in to this year.

[FannOLax]

Another 6th year. That’s pretty tough to do, even for Yale.

You get eight semesters on campus at Yale. If you are willing to sacrifice graduating with your class and take off the semesters to preserve your ability to use your legal NCAA eligibility, Yale generally allows it. I wish the policies were consistent across the league, but the Ivy presidents have never wanted to give up their autonomy on these types of issues. (Another more sport-based difference: some Ivies regularly take lacrosse transfers, others take them rarely, and others do not take them at all — the league is not carbon copy in its approach.)

Ocken played in 19 games in 2019; in 3 games in the COVID-truncated 2020 season; 0 games in 2021 bc there was no Ivy 2021 season at all; 16 games in 2022; and in 4 games in 2023. Not counting 2020 (which the NCAA doesn’t count), this is his 4th season. 42 career games played coming in to this year.

I'm guessing that Ocken must have been injured last season, or he would have played in more than four games. A healthy rope unit this year could help improve several relative weaknesses.

Yale's football and soccer teams regularly have multiple transfers on their rosters. I believe Ben Reeves was instrumental in TJ Ierlan's transfer in, which seems to be the only transfer into Yale's men's lax that anyone can name (or has there been another?).

[The Orfling]

Another 6th year. That’s pretty tough to do, even for Yale.

You get eight semesters on campus at Yale. If you are willing to sacrifice graduating with your class and take off the semesters to preserve your ability to use your legal NCAA eligibility, Yale generally allows it. I wish the policies were consistent across the league, but the Ivy presidents have never wanted to give up their autonomy on these types of issues. (Another more sport-based difference: some Ivies regularly take lacrosse transfers, others take them rarely, and others do not take them at all — the league is not carbon copy in its approach.)

Ocken played in 19 games in 2019; in 3 games in the COVID-truncated 2020 season; 0 games in 2021 bc there was no Ivy 2021 season at all; 16 games in 2022; and in 4 games in 2023. Not counting 2020 (which the NCAA doesn’t count), this is his 4th season. 42 career games played coming in to this year.

I'm guessing that Ocken must have been injured last season, or he would have played in more than four games. A healthy rope unit this year could help improve several relative weaknesses.

Yale's football and soccer teams regularly have multiple transfers on their rosters. I believe Ben Reeves was instrumental in TJ Ierlan's transfer in, which seems to be the only transfer into Yale's men's lax that anyone can name (or has there been another?).

Ierlan is the only transfer I can remember for Yale lacrosse; of course, in general transfers are much more of a post 2000 phenomenon in all Division I sports. Not sure why that's been the only men's lacrosse transfer; as you point out, Yale football certainly brings in transfers relatively routinely so perhaps it was a "generational talent meets championship window" exception by the coaching staff? Brown, Penn, and Cornell have been the Ivies most active in the lacrosse transfer portal in recent years (and "active" is a relative term compared to many other Division I schools); Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth have not had lacrosse transfers so far as I'm aware but I don't know if that's coaching staff preference or athletic department policy (I think perhaps the latter at Harvard?).

[The Orfling]

Happy that Yale, missing both Chris Lyons and Leo Johnson, was able to come out with the 2-goal win over a scrappy Villanova squad that battled back from a 5-goal deficit early in the 3rd quarter to a tie game with 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. A few thoughts:

• Offense: On the offensive side, pretty good to get 13 goals in the first game, missing two of the starting attackmen. As expected, Villanova is a disciplined team and generally denied Yale fast break opportunities; Yale had to work hard for 6 on 6 opportunities. Hats off to Old Reliable, Matt Brandau, with 6 points on the day, and a tip of the hat to David Anderson who scored three (Anderson right now more comfortable receiving a pass when he's set than on a cut but the ability to catch and finish on the move may come as the season commences and the rust comes off.

• Good day at the X: Yale was 57% at the X, with Mac Rodriguez taking all but two of the faceoffs but Nicholas Ramsey coming it to win a couple of key possessions later in the second half. Rodriguez's ability to create offense loomed large in the win. With Yale having to work hard in the settled offense and not having many fast break opportunities, Rodriguez scoring one goal and having a hockey assist on another were a big plus.

• Defense: Okay? Yale had 8 caused turnovers, with 7 coming out of the defense (Pisano with 4, Stuzin with 3) and played a pretty clean game (only one penalty on a defensive player and only three penalties overall). There were a couple of nice sequences holding the line during long Villanova possessions and forcing either shot clock violations or saveable shots. On the more concerning side, it's game 1 of course but I did not see a particularly cohesive team defensive philosophy on display. (What I mean by team defense is a defense that's better than the sum of the parts -- and Yale's defense looked like a "sum of the individual parts" in this first game.) And the sequence in the second half where the same Villanova player got four second half goals as Villanova stormed back was a bit concerning. Early days yet, though, and overall I thought some promising developments. Nice job by Patrick Pisano in his first career start!

• Goaltending: Okay -- #28 had 9 saves vs. 11 goals against, made the ones he had to. I did not love one second half decision by #28 to try to try to score a 70 yard goal on a ten man ride instead of clearing it conventionally, but overall his decisions in the clear game were sold. Yale was 84% on the day on clears -- not bad for the first game. Coach Shay spoke in the pre-season about Yale valuing possession a bit more including by cleaning up the clearing game.

• "Special teams:" No real chance to look at the Yale EMO -- only one 30 second penalty on Villanova -- but good to see Yale's man-down-defense hold Villanova scoreless on 3 one-minute EMO opportunities.

Bottom line: This one could have gotten away but the team reeled it back in. Kudos to all those on the offensive side of the ball who stepped up in the absence of Johnson, Lyons and Sharp, and to the Bulldogs as a team for keeping their composure and holding off a determined Villanova team. Go Yale!

[The Orfling]

One addendum: congrats to Peter Moynihan on his first career Yale point, hopefully one of many many more. It came in the form of a terrific assist to Carson Kuhl on Yale's 12th goal of the day, after 'Nova had tied it up. Great pass at a hugely impactful team. Bravo #3!

[Mid-Lax]

Nice wrap Orfling. A solid effort that they didn't let get-away. Defense lapses again have me concerned, but nice work to hold the 'Cats in the end. Solid job by the starting attack, but, hoping we get Johnson and Lyons back soon.

Separately, agree that Quit has an issue with the Ivy League and to a lesser extent Yale, due to its schedule. But, I see some quality games coming up so we will know soon what this team can achieve.

[FannOLax]

One addendum: congrats to Peter Moynihan on his first career Yale point, hopefully one of many many more. It came in the form of a terrific assist to Carson Kuhl on Yale's 12th goal of the day, after 'Nova had tied it up. Great pass at a hugely impactful team. Bravo #3!

And congratulations to Patrick Pisano for being named the Ivy defensive player of the week. Really good to see, as it was soph Pisano's first Yale start!

I think that perhaps Yale's Sports Information Department has upped its game, as Yale defenders didn't seem to get any League recognition last year.

https://yalebulldogs.com/news/2024/2/19 ... -week.aspx
https://ivyleague.com/sports/mlax

[tech37]

Yale vs Gate not streaming?

[Henpecked]

Yale vs Gate not streaming?

Sadly it appears that there will not be any streaming. For some reason this game is being played at UAlbany.

[tech37]

Yale vs Gate not streaming?

Sadly it appears that there will not be any streaming. For some reason this game is being played at UAlbany.

Thanks Henpecked. That's FUBAR.

[cc2519]

Yale vs Gate not streaming?

Sadly it appears that there will not be any streaming. For some reason this game is being played at UAlbany.

Thanks Henpecked. That's FUBAR.

Try this tonight (no guarantees):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... PdYa129Oo3

[tech37]

Yale vs Gate not streaming?

Sadly it appears that there will not be any streaming. For some reason this game is being played at UAlbany.

Thanks Henpecked. That's FUBAR.

Try this tonight (no guarantees):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... PdYa129Oo3

Thank you!
Potentially a very good game... unless of course everyone freezes before it's over.

[Lax3]

Quick question - where was Pisano last season? On a team with one of the worst Yale defenses I, among others, have ever seen, it is a mystery why he was not a starter.

[molo]

Thanks for unearthing this. I don’t see a lot of Ivy games early in the season, but last night’s Harvard-Bryant game was fun to watch.

[Ice1570]

Thanks for unearthing this. I don’t see a lot of Ivy games early in the season, but last night’s Harvard-Bryant game was fun to watch.

Does that stream work? I see the live stats do not.

[molo]

All I can get are other archived games. Is anyone getting tonight’s game?