UNC vs. Stony Brook at Noon (ACCN)

[laxagainsthumanity]

Did Miller score today?

Nope.

Did a lot of other stuff though.

[wlaxphan20]

Hand on head during draw? Legal? See SBU center

I had a post ready about this early on in the game as well but I guess it never posted because other new posts were made and I never hit the final "submit". I was wondering the same thing, did some research and this is straight from the 2020-2021 rule book:

I saw both SBU and UNC centers doing it when Mastroianni was on the draw.

"Draw Positioning
SECTION 2. The opponents each stand with one foot toeing the center line
and each opponent must have both of their feet on the same side of the center
line behind their stick. The sticks (shafts and heads) are held in the air, above
each player’s hip level with the lower side of the stick above the center line and
back to back, so that the players’ sticks are between the ball and the goal they
are defending. The lower side of the stick is defined as the right side of the stick
as the player looks at it with the open pocket facing them. The entire length of
both sticks, shafts and heads, must be contained within the vertical plane of the
center line and be parallel to and above the center line. When setting the draw,
officials must be aware of height differences between centers and position the
height of the sticks so that neither player gains an advantage. A player’s top hand
may not contact any part of the sidewall or pocket. The ball is placed between
the sticks by the official and must be placed in the upper third of each head at
its widest point. Once the official’s hands are on the drawers’ sticks, the draw
is being set and no substitutions may occur."

[Matnum PI]

so you can grab the head. just not the sidewall or pocket.

[DMac]

This was just a fantastic game to watch played by a field full of pretty darn good wlax players. Wow, a lot of talent out there. Several of NCs fast breaks were film for exactly how a fast break should be played and finished. Very sweet passing going on there, and in the stick for easy handling. 12 of the first 13 goals (including the one Wurzburger got shafted on) scored in the game were assisted (13th was a FPS), and many of those were of the thread the needle with perfect placement type assists. Ortega behind the cage is very pretty to watch. This NC team aint gonna be an easy out for nobody, mighty good looking team (in the cage too..wow).
Kennedy is a playah, Wurzburger too.

[Laxfan500]

This was just a fantastic game to watch played by a field full of pretty darn good wlax players. Wow, a lot of talent out there. Several of NCs fast breaks were film for exactly how a fast break should be played and finished. Very sweet passing going on there, and in the stick for easy handling. 12 of the first 13 goals (including the one Wurzburger got shafted on) scored in the game were assisted (13th was a FPS), and many of those were of the thread the needle with perfect placement type assists. Ortega behind the cage is very pretty to watch. This NC team aint gonna be an easy out for nobody, mighty good looking team (in the cage too..wow).
Kennedy is a playah, Wurzburger too.

Eh...I don’t think Kennedy showed up very well today - lot of desperation shots. Dirty hit on Ortega.
She’s not Tewaaraton caliber
They will lose to Syracuse then win all the rest of their super easy schedule . Today was her day to “prove people wrong” as Spallina always says . 3/10, several turnovers, dirty hit..no thanks

[Dr. Tact]

This was just a fantastic game to watch played by a field full of pretty darn good wlax players. Wow, a lot of talent out there. Several of NCs fast breaks were film for exactly how a fast break should be played and finished. Very sweet passing going on there, and in the stick for easy handling. 12 of the first 13 goals (including the one Wurzburger got shafted on) scored in the game were assisted (13th was a FPS), and many of those were of the thread the needle with perfect placement type assists. Ortega behind the cage is very pretty to watch. This NC team aint gonna be an easy out for nobody, mighty good looking team (in the cage too..wow).
Kennedy is a playah, Wurzburger too.

Eh...I don’t think Kennedy showed up very well today - lot of desperation shots. Dirty hit on Ortega.
She’s not Tewaaraton caliber
They will lose to Syracuse then win all the rest of their super easy schedule . Today was her day to “prove people wrong” as Spallina always says . 3/10, several turnovers, dirty hit..no thanks

She was overmatched. Became desperate with the forced drives. I am not as adamant about the hit as you are, but she may have lost the chance at a tewwy in that one game. Playing UNC is different than LSOTP.

[Dr. Tact]

so you can grab the head. just not the sidewall or pocket.

I am pretty sure that they were grabbing the sidewall....doesnt the sidewall extend the length of the head?

[Dr. Tact]

Kennedy is a playah, Wurzburger too.

I am sure you know more than I do, but I am still not ready to hand Wurzburger the GOAT award. Didnt see much in her first game.

[DMac]

I know more than you do? Not. I don't know much about these gals, only what I see here and on TV.
I don't buy into the hype for most players, I want to see them play at the D1 level against the type
of athletes we saw on the field in this game. Ms Wurzburger is going to get a steady diet of better
GKs and defenders than she's used to feeding on so we'll see how she's able to adjust to that level
of competition. I liked her quick stick shot/goal that was disallowed (I didn't like the call). It wasn't
something that a whole lot of other girls couldn't have done, it was a freshman in her first D1
game taking her first shot though and it was obvious that this girl can handle a stick and will attack
the cage with confidence and can put some mustard on the ball. I just liked the way she looked, she
knows what she's doing out there and can definitely handle a stick, looked as if she was pretty confident
out there too. This was her first game in a loooong time and her first one against D1 competition. I'd put
money on her turning out to be a pretty darn good one but I'm not ready to call her the GOAT quite yet.
I had actually forgotten about her and was glad when I heard her name as it gave me a chance to get a
look at her. Time will tell.

[njbill]

I assume the good doctor was using hyperbole when he floated "the GOAT" here.

No one has suggested that.

Let's give the young lady just a tad bit of time to adjust to the highest echelons of D1 play.

Everybody's "GOAT," even TL's, had to adjust to the level of college play.

[Cletus]

Eh...I don’t think Kennedy showed up very well today - lot of desperation shots. Dirty hit on Ortega.
She’s not Tewaaraton caliber
They will lose to Syracuse then win all the rest of their super easy schedule . Today was her day to “prove people wrong” as Spallina always says . 3/10, several turnovers, dirty hit..no thanks

I thought she had a Kennedy type game. 3 goals, 1 FPG, 7 DC's, 3 GB's and played all 60 minutes. The body check on Ortega was illegal but not dirty. Not bad against the powerhouse of the ACC, and perhaps the whole NCAA. As was mentioned in another post, Spallina's claim that he had his deepest team ever rang hollow in the end. Kennedy didn't have much support out there. Huff looked like she was subdued for some reason. I didn't see many of Kennedy's teammates playing with fire. The real test will come during The Tournament, though I doubt the team will be ready for the teams they'll have to face in the later, and perhaps earlier rounds depending on who they draw early. We shall see. They were clearly overmatched in this game. Out talented and out coached to boot.

[livelovelax]

So, what do so many of you think now that Stony Brook lost convincingly? Might JMU been a better first game matchup for UNC? A lot of you reveled in the idea of SB being a much better opponent for the Heels.

[sanelaxparent]

Not sure why anyone would say Wurzburger was robbed by that call on her goal, the defender was right on her body and hands, shooter followed through onto the defender's head - 2 minute yellow card for 'dangerous follow through' was pretty clear and the right call. The officials missed a bunch of important calls, the main one being the shot into the UNC defender's head in the first quarter, prompting lots of pro-helmet aficionados on forums to proclaim that all girls should wear helmets. The only way we can keep this game safe for girls is by enforcing the rules with penalties - so I'm glad that card was given on the dangerous follow through.

[DMac]

You're probably right (definitely right about the missed call on the ball to the head, don't know how you miss that call) I didn't see the stick to the head on the follow through by Wurzburger. In real time it looked to me as if the defender was more at fault for running into her than she being the guilty party. Don't see anywhere a replay of this game can be seen, maybe it'll pop up later (I hope). Anyway you look at (IMO) it was a pretty shot. Only one play in the very beginning of a freshman's career but there's not much question in my mind that this girl is going to be really good.

[8meterPA]

Not sure why anyone would say Wurzburger was robbed by that call on her goal, the defender was right on her body and hands, shooter followed through onto the defender's head - 2 minute yellow card for 'dangerous follow through' was pretty clear and the right call. The officials missed a bunch of important calls, the main one being the shot into the UNC defender's head in the first quarter, prompting lots of pro-helmet aficionados on forums to proclaim that all girls should wear helmets. The only way we can keep this game safe for girls is by enforcing the rules with penalties - so I'm glad that card was given on the dangerous follow through.

correct, it was an easy call

[Cletus]

So, what do so many of you think now that Stony Brook lost convincingly? Might JMU been a better first game matchup for UNC? A lot of you reveled in the idea of SB being a much better opponent for the Heels.

No way of knowing. They lost but not embarrassingly.

[Dr. Tact]

I assume the good doctor was using hyperbole when he floated "the GOAT" here.

No one has suggested that.

Let's give the young lady just a tad bit of time to adjust to the highest echelons of D1 play.

Everybody's "GOAT," even TL's, had to adjust to the level of college play.

Yep. No disrespect to her or her supporters.

[Dr. Tact]

So, what do so many of you think now that Stony Brook lost convincingly? Might JMU been a better first game matchup for UNC? A lot of you reveled in the idea of SB being a much better opponent for the Heels.

No way of knowing. They lost but not embarrassingly.

I watched all but the last few minutes. They were beat convincingly.

They showed the rest of the top 20 how to beat them. Defend the top dodging and make SBU cut with feeds from X. The abandonment of that one thing that was working well for them is a head scratcher. Similarly, on O, against SBU, take the ball to X against that backer and feed top/elbow dodges....UNC had so many assists because of this. Quick catch/release/quickstick skills required.

SBU seems to be the Ally Kennedy show...From my memory, UNC doesnt FG much, I would think Miss Kennedy will be seeing more focused defending going forward. Speaking of FG, why did they stop FG #3? They were winning and seemed to have UNC off (A little). I know... lots of weapons, but the worst performance for UNC was when #3 was FG and when she was injured on the sideline....Cause/effect or coincidence?

JMU would have been a different challenge, I think. But I have to think the result would be similar. My guess is that it might be a smaller lead at the end.

[DMac]

Dr. Tact wrote wrote
Quick catch/release/quickstick skills required.

Not only that but eagle eye and pinpoint passing from behind the cage (am a big fan of play coming from behind the cage) which was demonstrated gorgeously by NC. Very pretty stuff going on there. First game of the year and teams will look different in May but this NC team looks scary good, just loaded with top notch players.

[seacoaster]

So, what do so many of you think now that Stony Brook lost convincingly? Might JMU been a better first game matchup for UNC? A lot of you reveled in the idea of SB being a much better opponent for the Heels.

No way of knowing. They lost but not embarrassingly.

I could only see a few minutes of this game. But I thought SBU played OK and showed themselves to a be a pretty good team under the circumstances. We won't know how SBU compares until we see UNC play other comparables. Joe sticks with the zone, and Jenny was ready.

Also, my sense is, for all the banner headlines UNC's offense rightly gets, its defense is very good. Nos. 16 and 23 are excellent cover defenders and have played together now for years. No. 6 is an excellent, experienced defender, converted from midfield some years ago I think. No. 1 is the heir apparent to a tradition that goes back to Sloan Serpe and Cookie Carr. Moreno is among the two or three best keepers in Division 1. So maybe 7 goals should not be a surprise.

Someone said earlier that the distance between No. 1 and No. 2 might be bigger than that between 2 and 6. Maybe, maybe even probably. But Syracuse and Notre Dame will get their shot at UNC April 3 and April 10, respectively.