SoCon

[Dip&Dunk]

Remember the name Dalton Young, freshman Richmond. Saw him in High School and was impressed then. Legit All Star in the making.

[Matnum PI]

D1 MEN: Sean Goldsmith Flying Under-Radar

This article bugs the tar out of me. Admittedly, I know very little about the inner workings of college lacrosse, but to suggest this kid should transfer to a perennial power is not good for the sport at all. Mercer has struggled in its short lacrosse history and the get a kid that can help them get some stability in their program and this guy wants him to transfer to a perennial power, What the heck!?
College lacrosse would be better served to be more competitive across the board, not have a dominate five or six programs.
Again, I know very little about the sport but the author of this article is completely wrong in this instance.

Would you say the same if Goldsmith was playing for a D3 or D2 team?

[Matnum PI]

Remember the name Dalton Young, freshman Richmond. Saw him in High School and was impressed then. Legit All Star in the making.

Player Profile

[BearsLax]

D1 MEN: Sean Goldsmith Flying Under-Radar

This article bugs the tar out of me. Admittedly, I know very little about the inner workings of college lacrosse, but to suggest this kid should transfer to a perennial power is not good for the sport at all. Mercer has struggled in its short lacrosse history and the get a kid that can help them get some stability in their program and this guy wants him to transfer to a perennial power, What the heck!?
College lacrosse would be better served to be more competitive across the board, not have a dominate five or six programs.
Again, I know very little about the sport but the author of this article is completely wrong in this instance.

Would you say the same if Goldsmith was playing for a D3 or D2 team?

I’m ok with a kid transferring if that’s what he wants, but he has a chance to be a building block in what has been a struggling program. For someone to suggest he should transfer to become one of many talented kids on an already talent laden team is just wrong to me.
He might be the player to put Mercer on the path to be a better program. Having Goldsmith for 2 more years could draw more talent in.
I feel college lacrosse will benefit from having the talent dispersed among all programs rather than concentrated in a few.

[Matnum PI]

There's no question that BU, G'town, innumerable D2 and D3 teams, Mercer, etc. benefit from having top-talent players sticking around. And many, many do. And, sometimes, a player goes to a top-program and it's a pleasure to watch the kid shine while surrounded by other similarly talented kids. An arguably selfish move for the kid, arguably selfish of the fan to want to see it, undeniably to the detriment of the program losing the top talent. And... I can see why doing what's best (in some cases) for the kid and for the fan is a worthwhile endeavor.

[10stone5]

2nd straight big win for Mercer.
Over Air Force 15-13.
With Sean Goldsmith back, they’re making a late
season run for the SoCon 4th spot.

[Tdemling6]

2nd straight big win for Mercer.
Over Air Force 15-13.
With Sean Goldsmith back, they’re making a late
season run for the SoCon 4th spot.

Could see Mercer very well get that fourth spot. Have seen AF in person recently and they are just too inconsistent at times for my liking, despite having some very talented players.

[Dip&Dunk]

Remember the name Dalton Young, freshman Richmond. Saw him in High School and was impressed then. Legit All Star in the making.

Player Profile

For what it is worth, Soph. Young is leading the team in goals with 7 more than their Tewaaraton Award Watch List senior. Don't get me wrong, there are many other players better than him, but watching him grow is one of the best parts of NCAA lax in my opinion.

[10stone5]

Too bad,
Mercer’s game against Richmond today got shut down.
Mercer had been developing some momentum,
I was looking forward to seeing how they stacked up
against the Spiders.

[10stone5]

Mercer keeping up with High Point.
7-6 High Point.

[Dip&Dunk]

Richmond and High Point deja vu.

[Dip&Dunk]

Officials need to get ahold of this game (Richmond/Mercer) and quickly or it is going to get out of hand. One team in particular (and I am a fan of neither).

[gymman1031]

So, Richmond, High Point, Jacksonville, and Air Force are the four teams in the conference tournament.

After Richmond losing to Air Force, does High Point get the #1 seed.

[Dip&Dunk]

No Richmond remains #1 creating a rematch with AF. You will certainly see Richmond‘a best effort if you were of the mind Richmond was not as motivated as the zoomies were yesterday.

[Dip&Dunk]

And I failed to say the other semi final is also a direct rematch. HPU/Jax.

[Dip&Dunk]

Chalk in the semi's: Richmond rematch with HPU.

HPU will probably cover Dalton Young this time (he was 6/2 in Richmond's 17-10 victory over HPU earlier this year) but at what expense in Lachbury's coverage?

Richmond's defense has hit its stride having only given up over ten goals to some teams named Duke/UNC/UVA. HPU's defense has improved too so this could be a low scoring game.

Completely unscientific analysis: I just get the feeling HPU has yet to play up to its potential. It will be tough to find that potential against Richmond, at Richmond in the championship game. In a low scoring game, HPU certainly has the offensive talent to get "that goal" late in the fourth quarter so if they keep it close.......

Pick: Richmond 12-9. Richmond's extra possessions winning FO's 15-10 plus better EMO carries the day.

[Dip&Dunk]

Why I do not bet: Congrats HPU. Low scoring game and Dalton Young was blanketed as predicted. HPU FO (77%) was what I did not see. Richmond some what made up for that by having 7 less TO's but it obviously was not enough.

My bottom line: HPU showed their defense is tourny ready. And thank you Lynchburg transfer Kevin Rogers.

Interesting to see who they draw and I am sure they have seen enough ACC but I think they have one more to go as a minimum.

[laxlife]

The Spiders O did not play up to it's potential. The D gave up 41 goals in it's last 5 games and lost 2 including the SoCon championship. 17 goals in a conference tourney should get it done. Respectfully, can't help but believe that coaching was a factor. Simply too much offensive talent to only score 8 against HP. Congrats to HP. They made clutch plays when it got tight.

[Dip&Dunk]

Offensive Player of the Year
Ryan Lanchbury, Richmond, Sr., A

Defensive Player of the Year
Sean Menges, Richmond, Gr., LSM

Freshman of the Year
Dalton Young, Richmond, A

Coach of the Year
Dan Chemotti, Richmond


All-Southern Conference
First team
A Asher Nolting, High Point
A Jack Dolan, Jacksonville
A Ryan Lanchbury, Richmond
M Kevin Rogers, High Point
M Evan Tyler, Jacksonville
M Tyler Shoults, Richmond
D Quentin Carlile, Air Force
D Jon Robbins, Bellarmine
D Jason Reynolds, Richmond
GK Jack Rusbuldt, Richmond
FO Jacob Griffin, Richmond
SSM Zack Deaken, Jacksonville
LSM Eric Rubak, Bellarmine
LSM Sean Menges, Richmond

Second team
A Sean Goldsmith, Mercer
A Richie Connell, Richmond
A Dalton Young, Richmond
M Brenden Crouse, Air Force
M Landon Trout, Bellarmine
M Mitch Savoca, Richmond
D Colin Hinton, Jacksonville
D Conor Shears, Jacksonville
D Ray Baran, Richmond
GK Jason Yoquinto, Jacksonville
FO Ashton Wood, Mercer
SSM Tate Gallagher, Richmond
LSM Jordan Young, Jacksonville

All-freshman
Ethan Grandolfo, Air Force, A
Brayden Mayea, High Point, A
Nathan Kapp, Jacksonville, FO
Jacob Greiner, Jacksonville, A
Richie Connell, Richmond, A
Dalton Young, Richmond, A

Congratulations to all.

Observations from afar: (A) Pretty obvious voting was before the last weekend. (B) Voters cannot differentiate between good players and good systems. (C) All freshman team with no defense, middies or LSM? Embarrassing. (D) Looks like voters need to get outside of Henrico county.

[camskidamski]

As with all-conference selections, I am always surprised to only see 1 SSDM on the first team...should be 2 IMO. Why have two LSM and not two SSDM? Teams are won with their SSDMs and coaches always rave about them yet they are often overlooked