Loyola University Lacrosse 2020

[Matnum PI]

laxbro is a little negative and then P Brown steps in...

[TheBigIguana]

Overall solid team win. Rutgers is a good team, and
I think they will surprise some people in the Big 10.
The offense is still a work-in progress, but if we didn’t shoot so dismally then I think we have 4/5+ more goals. The potential is there. I was waiting for Kamish to play to his ability and it showed today. He just looked a step faster then everybody else-he’s gonna be scary. I also thought the D was great for the most part. They stuck to the apparent game plan which was to limit the Rutgers attack and let them shoot from the outside. They rotated very well and aside from a couple mistakes here and there, I was satisfied. Shafer was not his usual self in the second half-there were at least 3-4 he should have had. He seemed like he was in his own head. Regardless I think he’ll be fine, with the guys in front of him we don’t need a stover, just a guy who makes the ones he should

Solid team win??? This is a team Loyola should haven beaten by 5+ goals. Our shot selection is awful, our offensive turnovers, we shot 22%... we cant keep using the excuse that this is a young team. At some point this team has to mature. But the same mistakes that where made in the scrimmage are being made during the games. No growth. That has to be concerning.

Now we have a mid week game and we all know how Loyola fairs with midweek games.

I actually think the shot selection is pretty good. They just aren't putting them away. Poitras shot 0 for 7 and all of them were basically on the crease or hands free step downs from <10 yards. They're getting good looks mostly and it is just a matter of finishing more.

[wgdsr]

good win for the hounds, 2 b1g crossovers now in the books.
keep winning, the hoos may need it after watching them having trouble limiting pton yesterday and seeing lehigh struggle with vmi.

[Laxfan01]

Overall solid team win. Rutgers is a good team, and
I think they will surprise some people in the Big 10.
The offense is still a work-in progress, but if we didn’t shoot so dismally then I think we have 4/5+ more goals. The potential is there. I was waiting for Kamish to play to his ability and it showed today. He just looked a step faster then everybody else-he’s gonna be scary. I also thought the D was great for the most part. They stuck to the apparent game plan which was to limit the Rutgers attack and let them shoot from the outside. They rotated very well and aside from a couple mistakes here and there, I was satisfied. Shafer was not his usual self in the second half-there were at least 3-4 he should have had. He seemed like he was in his own head. Regardless I think he’ll be fine, with the guys in front of him we don’t need a stover, just a guy who makes the ones he should

Solid team win??? This is a team Loyola should haven beaten by 5+ goals. Our shot selection is awful, our offensive turnovers, we shot 22%... we cant keep using the excuse that this is a young team. At some point this team has to mature. But the same mistakes that where made in the scrimmage are being made during the games. No growth. That has to be concerning.

Now we have a mid week game and we all know how Loyola fairs with midweek games.

I never said it was a perfect game, not by any means. But for a team that lost arguably their top 3 offensive Players to hit double figures, while still shooting as poorly as we did I think says a lot about potential. I also think that Rutgers is pretty good offensive team that we essentially dominated for 3 quarters or so. I’d say that’s pretty solid-not great, but not bad for February.

[Peter Brown]

Want something else to smile about this morning?!

Clinching goal setup. Poitras (freshman) smartly checks the ball away from the Rutgers ball handler. Wyers (sophomore) body blocks the nearest Rutgers player away from the ball, getting a clean GB. Wyers then throws to a streaking Kamish (freshman) who rips a high to high past the Rutgers tender who didn’t even see the ball.

The cherry on top of that youth brigade? Teitlebaum (freshman) makes final game clinching save. Roohah!

Making this even more fun is next Fall’s incoming class which might be our best ever.

Get on board folks! This team will improve every game. Love that sideline spirit!!!

[laxbro11]

Want something else to smile about this morning?!

Clinching goal setup. Poitras (freshman) smartly checks the ball away from the Rutgers ball handler. Wyers (sophomore) body blocks the nearest Rutgers player away from the ball, getting a clean GB. Wyers then throws to a streaking Kamish (freshman) who rips a high to high past the Rutgers tender who didn’t even see the ball.

The cherry on top of that youth brigade? Teitlebaum (freshman) makes final game clinching save. Roohah!

Making this even more fun is next Fall’s incoming class which might be our best ever.

Get on board folks! This team will improve every game. Love that sideline spirit!!!

There was lots to be positive about yesterday... Salvio is a beast, close D and LSMs are killing it and Kamish came out of his shell. I am just not seeing the progression in the development of the midline. You can see that Lindley and Olmstead are trying to do too much. I think this team has potential, but i am seeing the same mistakes week in and week out.

I can see this team running the table, if they find the right chemistry at midline. I have said that Swindell and poitras are the two solids, the rest is up for grabs, no one has stood out

[GreyingHound]

OK, here are my favorite Hounds stats, aside from Bailey's 23 of 24 and 18 GBs, of course:

We still have not surrendered a man-down goal this season (0-6).

We were a perfect 16 of 16 clearing against Rutgers. and we held them to 18 of 21 (86%) when they had been averaging over 90%.

[houndace1]

Spent a long time rewatching the game and jotting down my notes on a word document so here we go.

The past two games before Rutgers, I didn’t have a lot of optimism regarding the team due to the amount of question marks we had on the field regarding offensive personnel, and goalie. Who replaces Stover, who organically can reproduce the amount of production that Spencer, Duffy and Scanlan gave? How will the defense look after all the starters are back with a year under their belts to learn the team’s systems and schemes? These again are questions we all have/had but I want to go a bit deeper.

After watching Rutgers I have answers to those questions of mine listed above. I can say that i’m comfortable with our defense, given how much depth we have at close D and LSM. I was hesitant to say this because although you can have depth and experience playing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the unit will perform greatly (circa Hopkins 2018 to 2019, Albany 2017 to 2018 etc etc). In our case, we’re lucky to have Matt Dwan who can instill a defensive identity into a crop of players and makes good decisions on schemes and game plans. Now obviously there are times where we get blown up (our history with Duke the past couple years, the game against BU last year to name a few) but most of the time, Dwan and the defense has kept many games for us in check. It is especially evident so far this year that the defense can turn the tides to stymie an opposing teams offensive rhythm with not only zone defense that can fluster some offensively great teams, but also occasional M2M with our shorties who can body up attackmen and cause turnovers (looking at you Razanka, loved the 3 caused TO’s this year). I think the best part of this defense is the fact that they can run in transition and hardly have had any clearing errors. McNulty has been fantastic so far and is a terror for opposing goalies when lining up to shoot. Middleton is a great Robin to McNulty’s Batman with his prowess on wings and in transition so far. One of the most eye popping things with this group is that if we’re man down, we can throw in another pole who got a lot of experience last year. We haven’t let in a single man down goal so far in three games, that’s impressive to me.
Goalie: Shafer looks to be the guy to replace Stover in cage. He had two pretty good games against UVA and Hopkins, but sadly he let in 5 straight goals yesterday. I’m not gonna put the blame on him, being a D1 goalie is no easy slouch and given the good shooters Rutgers has, even the best goalie will have trouble stopping shots. Shafer doesn’t have to be top tier like Stover was last year but as long as he can make the saves he should make given the defense in front of him, he should be fine. We’re very lucky to have Toomey as head coach who has remarkable goalie experience and teachings.

Faceoffs- Is this what having TD Ierlan is like? Bailey Savio went 23/24 yesterday and scooped up 18 ground balls. I believe that was a patriot league record. Granted, Rutgers is not a great FO team but the best part for me was how quickly Bailey pinched and popped the ball back out and made smart decisions to outlet the ball. I would only say, run a little more! Try to play some make it take it. Bailey had no one to go against last year in practice so it is wonderful to know that he can go against Cottone and Pacheco everyday. Pacheco sadly lost the only faceoff he took but his style looked different than Bailey. I’m sure he will come into his own.

Wings: McNulty and Middleton can definitely help out. Millhouse helped clear the ball yesterday! Develop him more and he will run like a rocket past guys once he really solidifies stick skills.

Offense:
a. Attack/Midfield
Hear me out guys, I’m equally a pessimist and an optimist about the team (you can ask PB how much he questions my fan loyalty from the offseason), but maybe we have the lineups and observations all wrong? Toomey’s been quoted multiple times that they are playing more team ball, they’re really sharing the ball, the middies are asked more and more to initiate. Sound familiar? This is pretty much North Carolina the past couple years before Chris gray arrived. Obviously running the offense through one player has its ups and downs but I really think we might need to go back to that with the right personnel, the right motions, and the right decisions. Our 6 v 6 might have decent system players, but I don’t think we have a guy a la Spencer that can really create his own shot or create for others. Now I know that’s a grandiose thing to say, we all got spoiled watching Pat play and operate for four years, and now seeing the offense without him is kinda hard to watch. But I think we’re just possibly having some lineups that don’t work as of right now. The only person I saw yesterday that can really beat his defender and/or back him down is…. Peter Swindell. And I really think it could be him, a midfielder to be the one to operate from behind the goal, or from up top. Just yesterday he dodged from the wing, beat his guy and was about to shoot from his left hand which caused every single Rutgers defender to look towards him. Instead of shooting, he passed to Lindley inside for the goal. He’s gotten assists like this before. To me, he really looks like the athlete to beat his guy and score, he just has to get assists going and maybe the offense will flow better. I only say this now because I still don’t see Olmstead as the true QB for assists. He’s more 85% QB scoring and 15% assists in what I’ve seen so far when he attacks from X and shoots really low angle shots. Little too much hero ball yesterday. Play as a team!! Crisp ball movement will beat a rotating defense any day of the week (look at some of the offensive sets we ran against virginia, as well as the Syracuse game last year where PJ Brown tied the game, which involved dodges to then swing around to get the best shot). Swindell and Poitras look to be the guys. This team I feel is comprised of a lot of one-handed guys. Poitras as a great dominant lefty was basically being begged by Hopkins to shoot right-handed, and he couldn’t. Cox is ONLY left-handed and can’t dodge with his right. Develop the off-hand and things will improve! Last point about the offense: do you guys ever see a guy with the ball in his stick and just feel a sense of comfort- knowing that something is about to happen? That’s the feeling I have with Swindell, but I really get that comforting feeling with Kamish, despite him only have 5-6 points in 3 games. He just gives off that QB type vibe from his HS tapes and I really really think he can come into his own. MVA has the offensive mind and coaching philosophy to develop them, he just needs to put the right guys on to create beautiful offense. We’ve seen it a handful of times this year that didn’t result in goals, but this team has shown flashes.

Overall- I don’t agree that this team can run the table but they can definitely get a couple more wins with this young 2020 team. Towson on Wednesday will be our 2nd of three games in a span of 8 days. They’re hurting. We can only go up and build but I expect another loss if our offensive blops don’t right itself- I think they will but it will take a couple more games. Do NOT sleep on towson, colgate, bucknell and Georgetown. Especially Georgetown. All I can say now is watch out for 2021..

[NovaHound]

Thoughtful summary HoundAce. Like your comments. More to follow later.

[loyolapride2015]

I agree the midfield production on 2nd and 3rd lines is Unfortunately lacking. We don’t have a 3rd offensive threat yet at midfield. I thought it might be 21 this year but not looking like that is the case. If teams have a really good long stack and a short stick to match up with Swindale and Poitras I think we will struggle with generating any kind of offense. If teams have a good LSM and at least one good short stick to match up with Swindale and Poitras. I think we will struggle with generating any kind of offense Certainly not good enough to beat good teams. Just a thought but maybe run Kamish at Middy At least some of the time. From observing this game yesterday his best attribute might is his speed and ability to dodge short sticks from up top and wings. He seems to be more effective dodging down hill then this trying to dodge from X. It certainly would be hard match up 13 -45 -16. Who would get the pole? They are extremely fast and can handle pressure while carrying the ball and create offense. They would still have to figure out the 2nd line. Maybe 32-42-27 -21 or 12. Someone needs to step up! We almost lost that one yesterday and the offense went ice cold for about 20 min. We need to figure out the chemistry before we get into Patriot League play.

On the positive we have two Big Ten wins!

[GreyingHound]

I agree the midfield production on 2nd and 3rd lines is Unfortunately lacking. We don’t have a 3rd offensive threat yet at midfield. I thought it might be 21 this year but not looking like that is the case. If teams have a really good long stack and a short stick to match up with Swindale and Poitras I think we will struggle with generating any kind of offense. If teams have a good LSM and at least one good short stick to match up with Swindale and Poitras. I think we will struggle with generating any kind of offense Certainly not good enough to beat good teams. Just a thought but maybe run Kamish at Middy At least some of the time. From observing this game yesterday his best attribute might is his speed and ability to dodge short sticks from up top and wings. He seems to be more effective dodging down hill then this trying to dodge from X. It certainly would be hard match up 13 -45 -16. Who would get the pole? They are extremely fast and can handle pressure while carrying the ball and create offense. They would still have to figure out the 2nd line. Maybe 32-42-27 -21 or 12. Someone needs to step up! We almost lost that one yesterday and the offense went ice cold for about 20 min. We need to figure out the chemistry before we get into Patriot League play.

On the positive we have two Big Ten wins!

I strongly disagree with the comment about not having the offense to beat good teams. We have already beaten two good teams! Hopkins and Rutgers are better than any Patriot League team aside from Army. And we outscored UVA in the second half.

Also, regarding running Kamish at middie, we effectively did that yesterday, but it might have been hard to see if you were watching on TV vs. in person. Just like we used to have Scanlan start at attack during the faceoff, and then Olmstead would run in from the box, we were doing the same yesterday with Swindell starting out down low, and Kamish coming in from the box.

[loyola11]

Hounds ace nice summary of the game. Loyolapride i would agree that Swindell and Poitras are solid, and Wigley is a good #3. Though first midline production is 8 of 50 or 15% The problem is the second line, that is the problem greyinghound. Time will tell if Hopkins and Rutgers are good teams, the jury is still out on that. James, Seay, Devaraux ,Cox and Bateman have not produced, they are 3 of 32 or 9%. The problem is we are not creating offense. It seems that Lindley and Olmstead are trying to do too much. Attack is 14 of 71 or 20%.

When we move the ball and create, we look good. We went almost 19 minutes of not scoring against Rutgers, blanked in the third and did not score until 11:38 in the fourth. And that is with Salvio winning all the face offs. If that does not concern anyone, they have blinders. These are problems that can be fixed with personal changes and finding the right chemistry.

[Peter Brown]

(posted 2x)

[Peter Brown]

Hounds ace nice summary of the game. Loyolapride i would agree that Swindell and Poitras are solid, and Wigley is a good #3. Though first midline production is 8 of 50 or 15% The problem is the second line, that is the problem greyinghound. Time will tell if Hopkins and Rutgers are good teams, the jury is still out on that. James, Seay, Devaraux ,Cox and Bateman have not produced, they are 3 of 32 or 9%. The problem is we are not creating offense. It seems that Lindley and Olmstead are trying to do too much. Attack is 14 of 71 or 20%.

When we move the ball and create, we look good. We went almost 19 minutes of not scoring against Rutgers, blanked in the third and did not score until 11:38 in the fourth. And that is with Salvio winning all the face offs. If that does not concern anyone, they have blinders. These are problems that can be fixed with personal changes and finding the right chemistry.

Some of you need to chill on the urgency of what you see as 'problems'; it's not how you start a season, but how you end it.

Let the maestro do his work tinkering with the sections; sit in the stands and cheer the development of the music. Charlie has every instrument he needs this year (and the next!), and eventually you'll hear no sweeter sound.

There will be moments early on when the sound might sound like Wagner, but in the end, it'll be all Beethoven.

For now, just enjoy watching Charlie create! Get fired up watching this video all the way through; this is the 2020 Hounds!!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJcQYVtZMo

[loyola11]

" I don't intend to be a Debbie downer, but I was unimpressed with the Hounds' 10-7 home win over Hopkins last weekend. And a one-goal victory over Rutgers after winning 23 of 25 draws leaves room for skepticism." Quint Kessenich

That is all i am saying, there is major room for improvement and with Army playing SU tough....

[Peter Brown]

" I don't intend to be a Debbie downer, but I was unimpressed with the Hounds' 10-7 home win over Hopkins last weekend. And a one-goal victory over Rutgers after winning 23 of 25 draws leaves room for skepticism." Quint Kessenich

That is all i am saying, there is major room for improvement and with Army playing SU tough....

QK is so preposterously anti-Hounds that whatever he writes about us needs to be recalibrated 100 ways to Sunday. Read the entire write up today. He praises literally every team above us and below us. For the Hounds though, he’s “unimpressed”. Charles Street envy, I’d say.

[44WeWantMore]

Maybe he is unimpressed because it is not a top-20 win.
https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... sets/56028

[Peter Brown]

Maybe he is unimpressed because it is not a top-20 win.
https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... sets/56028

QK doesn't chide one other team in the top-20 other than the Hounds (who, ahem, beat Hop and Rutgers, two B1G teams), even the teams who lose (or barely won). A few unintentionally revealing gems from this week's write-up:

Richmond: "Watching this team on tape there is an abundance of skill"

Army: "The Cadets gave 'Cuse everything it could handle on Sunday afternoon"

Nova: "'Nova showed maturity, holding serve against Hofstra, 10-8"

Terps: "Losing a game isn't the worst thing in the world"

But it's the Hounds that are "unimpressive". Charlie must've said something to Q that he didn't appreciate.

[kramerica.inc]

This team has got to shoot better. It's getting to the point now where it is no longer bad luck and now a legit concern.

Also it would be nice if they could get a settled defensive lineup. It's tough when you're tossing out 5 different guys on close D for significant minutes in 3 games.

They need to replace the do-nothing minis. Not sure if van is seeing the big picture. Swindell and poitras. Are the only two salad mids. Cox. Bateman. Seay. James. Deveraux have Not proven themselves. There was no reason this team should have struggled against Rutgers

It is a bit concerning when our LSMs have better shooting percentages than some of our offensive middies. I love Wigley, but he is in a huge slump.

Got a laugh-
Saw Wigley on the Fox 45 local news last night as the bystander reporting on all the construction work and cleanup in Baltimore City.

[GreyingHound]

Maybe he is unimpressed because it is not a top-20 win.
https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... sets/56028

Last year, Hopkins, Rutgers, and Towson were top-20 contests. What a difference a year makes...