Limestone 2019

[Laxwarrior]

Stone has beaten the south semifinalists 19-8 and 18-7!

[RedFromMI]

A great start, for sure. But lots of possible land mines in the schedule:

Sat 2/23 hosting Mercyhurst (currently #10)
Sat 2/2 hosting Queens
Mon 3/11 hosting Rockhurst
Sat Mar 16 hosting Seton Hill
Wed Apr 10 hosting Abbey
Sat April 20 at Mount Olive
Sat May 4 hosting Indy

and they will likely see at least one of UMO and Abbey twice.

But I like what I see in the box scores (have not yet had a chance to be at a game in person). In particular faceoffs are improved, and D seems to be getting into form (3 goals in the last three quarters against Leo). And the offense is rolling pretty well.

[Laxwarrior]

There back!!!!!!

#RESTORETHEORDER

[RedFromMI]

All the way up to #3 (USILA coaches poll) behind Mack who has not played yet, and Adelphi at 1-0. Passed Abbey who moved up to #4.

Next up Mercyhurst (1-0) on Saturday at noon. I will be there...

[CharlotteLaxDad]

It both Abbey and Limestone hold serve the rest of the way their April 10th game should be something special.

[Laxwarrior]

It both Abbey and Limestone hold serve the rest of the way their April 10th game should be something special.

I wish that April 10 game wasn't on a Wednesday! Would love to see it in person!

Red, It is possible Limestone could face Belmont Abbey and Mount Olive both twice depending on the seeding of the conference tournament. Assuming that Limestone is 2 or 3 seed in conference and wins the first game they could meet the other in the championship.

[stickhead]

Wth is this? I get approved 5 days later from an email with the communist sport soccer in it!!!! On a positive note Limestone Getting a big shout out on ESPN with Vincent Smith starting for the Houston Texans. Congrats kid your living the dream. Hope everyone’s well. Any word on how Stones looking?

Happy New Year SH.
Looks like our main man, Nick Saputo, is doing well post grad.
Still in the SE PA area I understand.

Nicky's a beast. Hear he's doing extremely well.

[RedFromMI]

It both Abbey and Limestone hold serve the rest of the way their April 10th game should be something special.

I wish that April 10 game wasn't on a Wednesday! Would love to see it in person!

Red, It is possible Limestone could face Belmont Abbey and Mount Olive both twice depending on the seeding of the conference tournament. Assuming that Limestone is 2 or 3 seed in conference and wins the first game they could meet the other in the championship.

Don't assume anything about a seed. But I would guess 1 or 2, not 3 although all three could be possible. Certainly if Stone ends up without the 1 seed it is likely that they see both twice as I don't see anyone else in the conference breaking into the top three other than Stone, Abbey and UMO.

[RedFromMI]

Great game today at the Rock with a 13-10 victory over the Lakers. Zoomed ahead early, but Mercyhurst fought back and had it tied at the half 7-7. Even took the lead at 8-7, but after a 1-1 third quarter it was 5-2 for the Saints in the fourth for the win. Faceoff was awesome at 23-27 (although maybe a half dozen wins turned into effective losses as the ball was nearly immediately taken away. But still dominating enough to overcome the higher TOs Stone had (22 vs 14).

Nathan Grenon had (4,1) in the losing effort. Hat trick for Tyler Papa, and two goals each for Sundown, Bennett, Walter, and Burns. Burns added three As for a five point day, with Papa and Walter also at 4 points. Danny Forren had some critical late saves to keep Stone up at then end...

[Laxwarrior]

Thanks for the review Red!

Limestone is certainly coming around!

[RedFromMI]

The Saints are at 8-0, which is a _far_ cry from this point last year, after hanging on to defeat #9 Seton Hill. Limestone had a 4 goal lead twice (4-0 and 13-9) but the Griffins were able to get right back in each time. Nicely patient offense for the Griffins, who made the adjustments they needed in order to figure out how to get the ball by the Saints keeper Danny Forren who was red hot early with some big saves on point-blank shots.

Defense had some good moments for the Griffins as they forced Stone into shot clock violations a few times, and in the first half helped the Saints to 4 unsuccessful clears, but have a weak spot - penalties and fouls. 6 total penalties for SHU and Stone converted 3 of them as man-up goals. Also Limestone would have had more shot clock violations, but fouls by the Griffin defense several times gave the Saints a fresh clock.

For the Griffins - Scerbo 16-30 at the X, but only 6 ground balls. Hat tricks for Bennett Johnson, Zack Estabrooks, and John Miller. The Saints were led by Larson Sundown with (5,1) and both Tyler Papa and Clark Walter were (3,1). Sundown also had 5 GB.

Even with a 4-3 record now, SHU is one of the tougher opponents Stone will face this year in the regular season. They still have the Abbey (4/10, 7 pm) and UMO (4/20, noon) in conference (at least one of these probably twice), and that season finale May 4 hosting Indy (noon) for yet another time.

[RedFromMI]

Another big win for Stone - 24-7 over Catawba. Indians only losses to Conference Carolinas teams...(the big 3 at the top).

4,2 for Sundown and Hommel, and 2,4 for Papa. Forren with 12 saves (8 in Q1) and 5 GA... At the X 4 combined for 31 of 35 faceoff wins. Ground balls an eyepopping 65 to 23 margin for the Saints.

And if you missed it - Limestone and the South Atlantic Conference announced today that beginning with Fall 2020 (same time Limestone College -> Limestone University) the Saints will be full members of the SAC.

[MDLax30]

Nice game for Stone. It looked like it may be a good one after 1st qtr 1-0 score. Stone dominant at face off X and shot 21 times in 2nd qtr alone.
They look like the real deal considering Catawba is a pretty good team. Indians looked to be off, but that was a complete game from Stone and they deserve the credit.

[MDLax30]

Why leave Conference Carolinas? Other sports?

[leeatu]

Link to Limestone release about move to SAC: https://golimestonesaints.com/news/2019 ... -2020.aspx

Link to SAC youtube channel for video of the announcement. Here is where they mention the goal to eventually become a 16 team conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxyzGSLDi-M

[RedFromMI]

Why leave Conference Carolinas? Other sports?

Most sports would be tougher overall - with some exceptions. In particular for wlax - so many new teams in CC that the level of opposition within conference makes getting a good strength of schedule tough. Track and field might actually be easier for men - UMO has such a large stable of distance runners they clean up on pretty much all scoring positions for the long events, and Limestone so far has not been able to break that.

The only sport that Conference Carolinas has that the SAC does not is men's volleyball. It is certainly possible that Limestone will work out an associate membership for that, or might get lucky and another couple of SAC schools start up men's VB (Limestone would make 4 teams as it stands now).

The biggest reason is that the majority of SAC schools are a bit closer to Gaffney, and because it is a football sponsoring conference, locals to the area are often more familiar to those schools.

[leeatu]

Why leave Conference Carolinas? Other sports?

Most sports would be tougher overall - with some exceptions. In particular for wlax - so many new teams in CC that the level of opposition within conference makes getting a good strength of schedule tough. Track and field might actually be easier for men - UMO has such a large stable of distance runners they clean up on pretty much all scoring positions for the long events, and Limestone so far has not been able to break that.

The only sport that Conference Carolinas has that the SAC does not is men's volleyball. It is certainly possible that Limestone will work out an associate membership for that, or might get lucky and another couple of SAC schools start up men's VB (Limestone would make 4 teams as it stands now).

The biggest reason is that the majority of SAC schools are a bit closer to Gaffney, and because it is a football sponsoring conference, locals to the area are often more familiar to those schools.

Limestone will be the 5th SAC men's volleyball team. Tusculum starts a team in 2019-20.

[RedFromMI]

Now I will finally agree with Stickhead: they're back! (with correct grammar of course )

A well fought game through 3 quarters - until 4:22 left in the 3rd quarter, this was never more than a one goal game. At 4:32 left Abbey scores to make it 7-6 their advantage, then 10 seconds later another score to go to 8-6. At 2:23 left (total elapsed time 2:09) Abbey is up 3.

Looks like trouble - but Stone scores two (at 1:23 and 1:05 left) to make the third quarter score the same margin it was at halftime (BTW, the first game this year Stone has trailed at the half). As the fourth quarter starts - Saints reel off three more in a row before BA answers (score now 11-10 Saints). Last Crusader score, with Stone adding four more to make the final 15-10.

Great game plan - and good to see the Saints with the confidence to take over the game near the end of the third quarter...

Saints outshot Crusaders 16-6 in the final quarter...10 extra SOGs for the game (10-3 4th Q)...Each team had 15 TOs, but BA only caused 5, but Saints had 11 CTs.

For BA: Pigott (3,1). Haas and Osborne (2,1). Keeper with 16 saves (had I think 17 in the win over UMO).

For Stone: Walter (6,2). Sundown (4,2). Bennett in his return to action (0,3)...Parrott 15-20 at the X. Forren with 10 saves...

Next up: Barton on Sunday for Senior day, then next Saturday travel to meet UMO for regular season finale...

[WhiteCarrera]

As for Limestone, it sounds like they’re on their game

[Laxwarrior]

Red,
Senior day is 5/4 vs Uindy