Hobart 2021

[Laxbuck]

Just looked at the NEC standings. This weekends game v Merrimack is a MUST WIN for both teams to make the NEC tourney. If Hobart loses, that's it. So, the team better have worked out the numerous issues. If not, they will have squandered what should have been a good shot at the NCAA tourney.

Is Merrimack eligible for the conference tournament?

[catchnshoot]

Looks like Hobart may have lucked out :

Merrimack will be incorporated into NEC athletic schedules beginning with the 2019-20 season. During its reclassification Merrimack will be able to participate in NEC championships in NCAA non-automatic qualifier sports (cross country, swimming and diving, and indoor and outdoor track and field) only.

Reading this looks like they are not eligible for the lacrosse tourney until 2023/24 season

Anyone have different info?

[Farfromgeneva]

I’d prefer it if we just beat the breaks off Mack on Sat and don’t have to look it up.

[Laxgunea]

I’d prefer it if we just beat the breaks off Mack on Sat and don’t have to look it up.

Amen.
We've seen flashes. I think we played our best in Q2 against St. Joes. We do have the talent and potential, even if Knox does not get out there.
I haven't seen LIU in any but the game against us. They played okay. We played worse. I didn't see any brilliance out there by anyone. St. Joes, on the other hand, seems to be clicking. I think we have more raw talent overall, but they out hustled, out strategized, and then out played us in the second half. Ball-handling aside, in the second half we played unintelligently.

[Farfromgeneva]

Agree w all of that. Wish we had more info on Knox.

[Ketch]

I put this out there one time, but none of he Genevans answered. Is there any chance that fans will be allowed on Saturday? How is the view of the field from the railing across from the stands? I really want to see this game in person. I suppose there’s also a chance that they’ll play the game on Stiles Field (look at the weather today), in which case fans would be totally out of the question.

[Farfromgeneva]

Can stand on other side of fence at least

[oldbartman]

I expect to see Knox back out there this Saturday after being out v. SJU. He is a player who needs the ball. That said, one has to play by the team and game rules. The offense doesn't click as well without him out there, either scoring or drawing the attention of the defense.

[catchnshoot]

Does anyone know why Knox has been MIA?

[Laxgunea]

Ketch, parents sat on the far side against St Joe's and had a good view. Some folk stood on the sidewalk of 5 and 20, but that is too obstructed for me. Womens lacrosse allowed parents in last weekend for senior day, so I bet parents are allowed in. Weather looks to be good Saturday. I'll be there for sure.

[Ketch]

Ketch, parents sat on the far side against St Joe's and had a good view. Some folk stood on the sidewalk of 5 and 20, but that is too obstructed for me. Womens lacrosse allowed parents in last weekend for senior day, so I bet parents are allowed in. Weather looks to be good Saturday. I'll be there for sure.

Thanks. I’m going to seriously consider it. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t see the team live at least once. It’s probably been over twenty years. Damn Covid.

[Ketch]

I expect to see Knox back out there this Saturday after being out v. SJU. He is a player who needs the ball. That said, one has to play by the team and game rules. The offense doesn't click as well without him out there, either scoring or drawing the attention of the defense.

Knox is not listed among the probable starters in the game notes. He must be pretty far in the coach’s doghouse because he doesn’t appear to be injured. Huge deficit for the team.

[oldbartman]

If I was o the coaching staff, I wouldn't want to tip my hand too much. I just listened to the latest podcast and Coach Raymond mentioned Knox as part of the man-up. Holden would be run out of the box a lot. More than a few times he wasn't listed as an expected starter.

[Laxgunea]

I listened to the podcast today and thought it was pretty good. Coach was right to shoulder the blame for the St. Joe's overtime loss and I thought he was spot on about when the tide started to shift ( end of quarter 2 when we made poor decisions and turned over the ball). Better coaching at that point about ball control and decision making in second half would have slowed St Joe's momentum.
I also thought his analysis of Merrimack is right ... a similar team to LIU, playing with nothing to lose. Tomorrow will be a great test: can this team learn from the past? Can we play four solid quarters? Can we maintain possession of the ball? Can we get or minds in the game after two weeks off and fits and starts all season?
The only area where the comments didnt fit for me is EMOs. I think with the current drought you play some young guys. What is there to lose?
The Knox situation is a real puzzle.

[Farfromgeneva]

Much better start today. Knox looks pretty good. Madonna between last week and early today (2g in Q1) is rounding into form for a kid that shot 40% and had 30,11 in his first season and a half of 21 games.

Baltzer playing a lot more offense. Limited by size but he’s been a solid SSDM for us and has two assists from behind the x.

Mack looks small.

Barthelme with a nice goal. Just can’t see him as a kid sitting on left wing set up to shoot for someone who’s 6’7”

[Farfromgeneva]

Geneva refs still suck, including Abbott. Rooney was warding worse than I’ve ever seen in my life and no call but they get us in a crease push? Seriously waving Christiansen’s stick away with his off arm like a full 45 degree movement of Christiansen’s stick.

We got called for far less on Veltman on a Rutgers road game in 06 or 07 in OT (Havilchuk had a great game) and lost so very sensitive to that call ever since.

[Farfromgeneva]

Love Baltzers overall game. Watch him next two years be a more potent offensive version of Sean Murphy.

Christiansen is quietly becoming the best close D man in the D1 era which would probably be considered Austin Gardner, Dave Cain, Greg McCarthy, Justin Hager, Reid Rosello and Willman. If the team can find more success he should be looked at for HM consideration but Raymond of course teaches more positioning/footwork and folks tend to go crazy for CT stats.

[Farfromgeneva]

That flag on Imburgia is bull stuff. Black is like 5’7” 145 and I didn’t think it was high let alone a non releasable. Putrid call.

[Farfromgeneva]

Blanchard wins a FO and is flagged while face first on the ground in a FO our wing wins cleanly and somehow while in the ground did something g justifying a unsportsmanlike unreleasable?

These refs are a joke.

[Farfromgeneva]

After taking all the responsibility for St Joes how come we had a 1-4 Q3 after a 9-3 half? I mean I can take blame all the time for everything and it sounds good but if I don’t start executing on my job eventually it’s just empty words and platitudes.

Was kind of the same thing w Raymond talking significantly about Snelders and then let’s him go crazy on us vs LIU a few days after noting that issue.