VIRGINIA Lacrosse

[blue angels]

My question is why didn't Lar's poach any defensemen in the 2018 and 2019 class after his first year?

He clearly had no problems poaching Reagan Quinn (Fairfield), Jeff Connors (St. Joe's) and Jack Simmons (Georgetown). Maybe he tried and it didn't work out. But it is a problem that should have been forseen after their first year.

Unfortunately the best Dman that was committed is currently racking up the awards at Yale.

I thought there was a defenseman starter that Lars got to come over last season or the season before from Georgetown although I can't spot any D players on the roster from there.

Jarrett Jones, transfer starter from Georgetown, couldn’t overcome injuries. Apparently the same occurred with Fersen who started games early in his career. Fersen isn’t on the roster but can be seen with the team on the sidelines during games. Perhaps, he wants to be a coach. He would likely be our #1 at close if healthy. No idea what went down with Ambrosino and staff but he is no longer playing. Those are a lot of hits at a position of little depth. Regardless, it all falls on LT to have the team ready.

[anotherbighoofan]

Taking everything into account, I've got the hoos by 5 tomorrow over Princeton. I think the D is going to dig in and the O is going to sync up and start getting things done no problem. Nothing in the rear view mirror just looking forward.

Go Hoos !

[CharmCityLaxMan]

My question is why didn't Lar's poach any defensemen in the 2018 and 2019 class after his first year?

He clearly had no problems poaching Reagan Quinn (Fairfield), Jeff Connors (St. Joe's) and Jack Simmons (Georgetown). Maybe he tried and it didn't work out. But it is a problem that should have been forseen after their first year.

Unfortunately the best Dman that was committed is currently racking up the awards at Yale.

He had a few tremendous opportunities, including a superior dmid prototype from a well-known lacrosse school in the great state of Maryland that has supplied some of the greatest talent to the program, which somehow he whiffed on.

[MDlaxfan76]

More proof that the playing field is much more leveled across the top 1/3 in D1. Coaching is key, and to be frank, Lars appears to have little control of the team...there is a line between letting them play and not giving them too much rope, currently someone keeps adding more rope to the spool. It's gonna be tough to pull this back in unless there is some devious orchestrated plan we know nothing about.

The only organization on defense appears to be some type of hedge/trap around GLE and even that appears to not have disciplined standards. #TheyNeedYouLars.

Ever occur to you that the guy has no idea how to coach defense ? It's occurred to many of the opposing team coaches.

Pretty sure we've covered this multiple times. Prove to me that UVA has the mature AA level horses on D and then we'll start talking about coaching.

BTW, I'm a huge fan of Jon Torpey and his coaching capabilities.

MDlaxfan that is an excuse to buy time and if Lars is waiting for "his guys" he should at least be teaching "his system" to not his guys which unfortunately appears to be very little of system, its like free for for all, except around GLE. At a minimum, do what Starsia did when the chips fell and some offensive prowess slipped away....work on and implement a zone that allows your AA level offense to pull away in goal diff. You have to believe the offensive AA level horses are on the roster, no?

I feel horrible for the UVA goalie, he is getting hung out to dry with hosts of shots inside the paint.

Do you feel the same way about Danowski? They made Duke's tender have a rough day, too.

I don't have a clue about whether UVA's defensive schemes are the issue or they've simply faced some offenses that are giving all opponents fits and they just don't have the horses to stop them. My sense last year was that they had only one top tier pole, and he graduated. I didn't see evidence of anyone being able to step up, much less a whole crew.

Listen, I was a pretty tough critic of Starsia and Petro, particularly of how the ER process made the likelihood of accurately evaluating D talent for college quite problematic. Add to that the nepotism in coaching and I think there was much less in the pipeline on the defensive end than for the O. I think both teams have been suffering defensively since then. It'll take some time to change that.

In the meantime, they need some saves.
There's nothing that gives a defense a spark, a sense of confidence, than a tender who makes the tough saves and is reliable on the easy ones.

24 saves

[wahoomurf]

This is the 'Hoos/Jays/Cuse paradox: the assumption is these programs don't so much recruit as cull.

cull (verb): Select from a large quantity; obtain from a variety of sources.
Cull (noun): A lobster that just has one claw.

Spot on. The days, when a few schools could "cull" lacrosse talent, are in the rearview mirror. Recruits. no matter their reputations and swagger must, perhaps more than ever, get the proper amount of "seasoning"(coaching) to be of value to their teams. Just as Culls must be properly "seasoned" to develop the same succulence as their 2 clawed brethren.

The proof of success either on the field or on the plate is in the end result.

CULL.jpg (8.06 KiB) Viewed 3581 times

[boxlacrosse]

More proof that the playing field is much more leveled across the top 1/3 in D1. Coaching is key, and to be frank, Lars appears to have little control of the team...there is a line between letting them play and not giving them too much rope, currently someone keeps adding more rope to the spool. It's gonna be tough to pull this back in unless there is some devious orchestrated plan we know nothing about.

The only organization on defense appears to be some type of hedge/trap around GLE and even that appears to not have disciplined standards. #TheyNeedYouLars.

Ever occur to you that the guy has no idea how to coach defense ? It's occurred to many of the opposing team coaches.

Pretty sure we've covered this multiple times. Prove to me that UVA has the mature AA level horses on D and then we'll start talking about coaching.

BTW, I'm a huge fan of Jon Torpey and his coaching capabilities.

MDlaxfan that is an excuse to buy time and if Lars is waiting for "his guys" he should at least be teaching "his system" to not his guys which unfortunately appears to be very little of system, its like free for for all, except around GLE. At a minimum, do what Starsia did when the chips fell and some offensive prowess slipped away....work on and implement a zone that allows your AA level offense to pull away in goal diff. You have to believe the offensive AA level horses are on the roster, no?

I feel horrible for the UVA goalie, he is getting hung out to dry with hosts of shots inside the paint.

Do you feel the same way about Danowski? They made Duke's tender have a rough day, too.

I don't have a clue about whether UVA's defensive schemes are the issue or they've simply faced some offenses that are giving all opponents fits and they just don't have the horses to stop them. My sense last year was that they had only one top tier pole, and he graduated. I didn't see evidence of anyone being able to step up, much less a whole crew.

Listen, I was a pretty tough critic of Starsia and Petro, particularly of how the ER process made the likelihood of accurately evaluating D talent for college quite problematic. Add to that the nepotism in coaching and I think there was much less in the pipeline on the defensive end than for the O. I think both teams have been suffering defensively since then. It'll take some time to change that.

In the meantime, they need some saves.
There's nothing that gives a defense a spark, a sense of confidence, than a tender who makes the tough saves and is reliable on the easy ones.

24 saves

Princeton took 55 shots with 35 on goal with a no-name offense no Solomon. Army held Syracuse to 37 shots and still lost the game. If Cuse (or any other opponent with good shooters) is let take 55 shots a game its highly questionable if things turn out good no matter how good the keeper is on UVA. Cuse is ranked 12 and Princeton is unranked base on last weeks games. Not sure the 24 saves proves anything.

[Mr3Putt]

They made a switch in the goal . Get 24 saves & hold them to 11. Finally!

[boxlacrosse]

They made a switch in the goal . Get 24 saves & hold them to 11. Finally!

Against an unranked opponent puts it in the category of interesting information coach.

[10stone5]

Why would 24 saves against Princeton not count ?

I watched that game, many were difficult saves, and with one of the top players in the land on the other side.

Pretty silly statement.

[boxlacrosse]

Why would 24 saves against Princeton not count ?

I watched that game, many were difficult saves, and with one of the top players in the land on the other side.

Pretty silly statement.

Nahhhh, I like it.

[MDlaxfan76]

They made a switch in the goal . Get 24 saves & hold them to 11. Finally!

Against an unranked opponent puts it in the category of interesting information coach.

I think "interesting information" is fair. It's just one data point.
But that one data point was crucial.

68.5% saves rate.
Without that and UVA would be 1-3 instead of 2-2.

Look at it another way, even a 50% rate vs High Point and UVA would be 3-1, with it's sole loss being to a very hot Loyola.

Heck, 68% vs Loyola and UVA is 4-0.
But even a 50% day vs Loyola, instead of 26%, would have meant enough additional possessions to have been within reach of winning that game.
The opposing tender had a 66.7% day. Too big a gap.

My point had been that, absent a big improvement in defensive play and at X, the one thing UVA might hope for was more saves. They made a change in tender and got more saves.


In the meantime, they need some saves.
There's nothing that gives a defense a spark, a sense of confidence, than a tender who makes the tough saves and is reliable on the easy ones.


Sure, it's just one game. But there's a path forward if the team get's a spark defensively from its tender, whoever that is.

IMO, UVA has multiple strong goalie options and they need to be willing to go with whoever has the hot hand. And if the starter doesn't look confident on a given day, make a switch early enough to make a difference.

[MDlaxfan76]

BTW, what does "no Solomon" mean?

Nate Solomon had 39 points last year; excellent player.

Michael Sowers had 83 points. Pretty good.

[stupefied]

They made a switch in the goal . Get 24 saves & hold them to 11. Finally!

Against an unranked opponent puts it in the category of interesting information coach.

UVA goalie was difference between winning and losing that game. Dont care about rankings, Princeton is a solid team with a superstar attackman. 24 saves is an eye opener for any goalie against any d1 program

[Mr3Putt]

They made a switch in the goal . Get 24 saves & hold them to 11. Finally!

Against an unranked opponent puts it in the category of interesting information coach.

What are we missing ? High Point 40 shots 14 goals given up. Loyola 40 shots 17 goals given up. Please let’s not go back to the Acc Champ game vs ND. I get zero pleasure of seeing anyone lose the starting job. But, adjustments had to be made. At Princeton, then at the Dome this Saturday. UNC maybe in there w Marist & VMI as far as signifance. Who knows? As quirky as they are.

[molo]

I agree that Princeton is a good team with a superstar attackman. That was a quality win.

[boxlacrosse]

Yeah those are the stats. Not complaining about the switch it looks like it works. I am saying this is a contextual world what I mean by Solomon is there's a big difference between a Princeton with a nice shooter and they are a well coached team, and a high powered ACC team with a star surrounded by a much stronger supporting cast on both ends of the field. It won't work if a Syracuse or Army type team get 50 shots a game with 35 of em on cage and apply tough defense at the other end of the field can clear well. that's a different game and probably a different outcome.

I have no idea what this is coach "At Princeton, then at the Dome this Saturday. UNC maybe in there w Marist & VMI as far as signifance. Who knows? As quirky as they are." Sounds confusing.

[tech37]

So what are you guys expecting vs Cuse?

[MDlaxfan76]

Yeah those are the stats. Not complaining about the switch it looks like it works. I am saying this is a contextual world what I mean by Solomon is there's a big difference between a Princeton with a nice shooter and they are a well coached team, and a high powered ACC team with a star surrounded by a much stronger supporting cast on both ends of the field. It won't work if a Syracuse or Army type team get 50 shots a game with 35 of em on cage and apply tough defense at the other end of the field can clear well. that's a different game and probably a different outcome.

I have no idea what this is coach "At Princeton, then at the Dome this Saturday. UNC maybe in there w Marist & VMI as far as signifance. Who knows? As quirky as they are." Sounds confusing.

Since your first 4 posts on FL, at least under this moniker, are all on this topic, we can't be sure whether you're trolling UVA or Princeton. Perhaps both.

I don't know what "contextual world" you live in, but your statement "there's a big difference between a Princeton with a nice shooter" reveals how little you obviously know, perhaps not just about Princeton but maybe about the game in general? You do realize that Yale won the title last year, right?

More to the point, Sowers isn't merely a "nice shooter" (he had 27 goals last year; 10 more than Solomon btw), he's primarily a feeder (56 assists). QB type. 83 points over 13 games.

Solomon is a terrific player but he had a whopping 39 points over 15 games. He, too, is more of a feeder than shooter, with 17 goals and 39 assists.

Let me help you with the math: Sowers averaged 6.4 points per game; Solomon averaged 2.6 points per game.

And hey, that's continuing in 2019 with Sowers averaging 6.5 points per game, Solomon averaging 2 points.

Let me help you even further: against UVA last year, Solomon scored 2 points in a one goal victory; Sowers scored 5 points in a 3 goal loss.

With all due respect to Cuse (I assume you must be an Orange fan and are just trolling), you may want to at least be in the ballpark.

Until seeing this goalie performance at UVA, I'd have had Cuse vs UVA at a very comfortable spread for Cuse. After all, your goalie is averaging 63% over 3 games! Outstanding!

Now, I have more of a question mark about the contest. As a UVA fan, that at least provides some hope.

[johnnyonthegunpowder]

I was surprised to see the switch in goal myself. Rode has played well, but he has had some turnovers. Coaches and players alike do boast about the stable of quality goalies in Charlottesville, so I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two more goalie changes this season from Tiffany. I really like that #11, that kid is impressive.

[baltlaxdad1966]

Thinking this matchup with cuse next week should be interesting. Both teams don't have the greatest amount of depth on the offensive end. Could come down to coaching adjustments. Desko likely to have the upper hand in that case in the Dome. Lars needs a win in the dome too, I cant imagine the alums are patient with 2-2 start