~Loyola University Lacrosse 2019~

[Peter Brown]

What an amazing and unbelievably fun opportunity to play Syracuse. If there is one team I'd prefer to play in Round 1, the Hounds got them with Syracuse.

If you want to be considered elite, then beat elite programs and I don't mean the neighbor a mile south. IMO, Syracuse is the real storied program in lacrosse, not Hopkins. 'Cuse is always there at the end of the year, always. Hopkins is meh.

I hope every kid playing for Loyola realizes how few chances they get to play teams like 'Cuse in the tourney. God, if I was 20 years younger I'd give anything to be on that field for Loyola and I promise I would leave nothing behind. From the starting whistle to the last second. I'm so jealous of these kids.

[NovaHound]

Totally agree with you PB. Well said.

And conversely, Cuse fans will get a chance to see a well coached team, at a fantastic venue, with "special" players, particularly two Seniors...0 and 7.

[thatsmell]

Not sure what the outcome will be, but I'm very excited for this game. Those Loyola/Cuse matchups in the 90s and 00s were always huge- competitive and fun! Both at Curley/Aikens Field and in the Dome. Glad the young, current Hounds are getting to experience one. Sad that series came to an end when conference play was prioritized 10-15 years ago. I expect both teams will really get after it. Hoping for a competitive game and no injuries on either side!

[laxbro11]

Here is a question for the Loyola fans, is Spencer burned out? Is he looking onto his next challenge of basketball. He seems to be healthy, but play has not been up to par.

[thatsmell]

A couple points:

The play was really only been poor in the second Army game and BU. And much credit to Army's defense. They are top 5 in the nation in most defensive categories and tweaked their game paln the second time against Pat.

People have actually become spoiled with Spencer's play. In the past 4 games he has still had 12 points. Of course, when you were scoring 25-31 points in every other 4 game stretch of the year, I get why it feels like a major drop-off.

I doubt he's burned out. Highly competitive guys like Spencer don't get burned out at the stretch run end of the season. I think it's the wear and tear of the season- more nagging nicks AND conference defensive coaches and all 7 defenders each possession focusing all their attention on him.

[Peter Brown]

Here is a question for the Loyola fans, is Spencer burned out? Is he looking onto his next challenge of basketball. He seems to be healthy, but play has not been up to par.

I think like most things in life, this is probably a multi-level answer with no one reason. Could be injury; could be senioritis; could be better defenses; could be a girlfriend; could be team issues; could be anything and everything.

I might disagree with thatsmell because I do think something is definitively off about Spencer (yes he did well in the regular season Army game, but even that game was not 'Spencer-like'), and I go back to the second half of the Gtown game. In the Gtown game in the second half, when he was passed the ball, he seemed to dump it fast to his teammates, when the game was tightening up. I wrote here then that his choice to pass the ball so quickly seemed to indicate an issue of sorts...injury or otherwise. I just thought those moves were strange to the naked eye with no other input. You want your leader showing the way at that stage, not deferring to sophomores and freshmen. Case in point this past weekend with UVA versus Notre Dame; when Aitken, Krauss, and Conrad got the ball, those dudes went straight to the hole; the underclassmen on their lines were there strictly as outlet targets if the big boys got doubled up (Laviano Dickson etc - the underclassmen - did zero dodging).

Well, now is the tournament, and each game is one and done, so you either rise to the occasion, or you go home. We will see if Pat wants the ball or not. If not, I suspect something was always wrong with Pat (at least since 2nd half Gtown) and Charlie just didn't tell the lax world for purposes of winning games. I mean, Spencer gets whacked hard by the long poles all game long, every game...at some stage, that likely hurts your production.

Finally, I'd literally trade so much to be in the Hounds' shoes, ESPECIALLY having the opportunity to beat Syracuse. I don't think any other team in NCAA lacrosse exhibits lacrosse excellence year in and year out like 'Cuse. To knock them off would be as close to me as winning the tournament. Not a chance I would not be laser-focused on this game; I'd be a caged animal at start of the whistle.

[GreyingHound]

The play was really only been poor in the second Army game and BU. And much credit to Army's defense. They are top 5 in the nation in most defensive categories and tweaked their game paln the second time against Pat.

Watch the first half of the Lafayette game again. To me, that was the worst performance of Spencer's career. Something just seems wrong for the last few weeks.

[New2lax]

Here is a question for the Loyola fans, is Spencer burned out? Is he looking onto his next challenge of basketball. He seems to be healthy, but play has not been up to par.

It’s tournament time, you just need to wait and see. What does he have this year point wise 93 or something like that. I also heard rumor that while Ament will break single season assist record, 5 more assists and Spencer will hold the all time NCAA assist record. Wow not to shabby, huh?! As far as I can see and from what I have read this kid is pretty amazing and he has been consistent year in and year out. Has he ever missed a game, has he ever not had at least 1 point in every game of his 4 year college career? Come Saturday every game begins 0 - 0 guess we will all have to wait and see. I know one thing if I was a betting man, I would not bet against him...just sayin #gohounds

[houndace1]

Imo every championship winning team has that alpha guy who really takes their game up to another level and plays through injury and still performs. Spencer is the guy, and he needs to regain form for this tournament because this team goes as he goes.

That being said, one guy solely can’t being the championship to the team, they have a good supporting cast. Reeves and morril, Rambo/heacock, pontrello/cloutier ... Cannizzaro/Berg, wolf/jones ... ya get the idea.

Spencer can get his points but his cast of Duffy, Lindley, Scanlan, olmstead needs to be produce and step up even more from here on out

[Peter Brown]

Imo every championship winning team has that alpha guy who really takes their game up to another level and plays through injury and still performs. Spencer is the guy, and he needs to regain form for this tournament because this team goes as he goes.

That being said, one guy solely can’t being the championship to the team, they have a good supporting cast. Reeves and morril, Rambo/heacock, pontrello/cloutier ... Cannizzaro/Berg, wolf/jones ... ya get the idea.

Spencer can get his points but his cast of Duffy, Lindley, Scanlan, olmstead needs to be produce and step up even more from here on out

Tomorrow will be interesting, to say the least. I feel like the last five games have caused me and others to wonder which Loyola team shows up on game day; we are all hoping for the 'February' version of Loyola, and with the bad weather forecast, that might be exactly what we needed.

A major concern for me is we seem to have lost 'the fight' when we fall behind in games; the absolute antipodal team to that is Syracuse, where no deficit is too large for a comeback. Keep your eyes on Loyola's energy level; if we are very scrappy and smart with GB's, you'll be a happy Hounds fan tomorrow.

Offense won't be my worry even if Spencer is hurt or otherwise production-challenged; the important positions will be yet again Stover and Savio. If both perform well, the Hounds stand a good chance. If those two have off days, others will need to play exceptionally well to make up the difference. Again, GB's make or break at this stage. Wings, middies, DMids, defense...watch their feet and you'll know who wants this.

These two teams match up well, on paper. This is the game where the Hounds need to leave it all on the field, full stop, til the last whistle. I am not a betting man, but I do believe the Hounds pull the upset here; the weather gods are what has tilted my needle.

[DMac]

Forecast says mid 60s and cloudy with a 20% of rain, has that changed?

[Peter Brown]

Forecast says mid 60s and cloudy with a 20% of rain, has that changed?

I got "65 and showers". Definitely overcast. No sun. Sunday even worse.

[kramerica.inc]

None of the teams in the tourney this year are invincible. Whoever wins it all needs to be in it together.
Whether it's Loyola or someone else like UMD, ND or JHU- 2011, 2013 and 2016 all had team that were "limping" into the playoffs get hot and win it all.
New season, could be anyone's championship.

[Peter Brown]

None of the teams in the tourney this year are invincible. Whoever wins it all needs to be in it together.
Whether it's Loyola or someone else like UMD, ND or JHU- 2011, 2013 and 2016 all had team that were "limping" into the playoffs get hot and win it all.
New season, could be anyone's championship.

agree with this.

[NovaHound]

Baltimore Weather - High of 65, cloudy, no rain forecast. Let's play!!

[DMac]

Nice!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUNqsfFUwhY

[10stone5]

Great comeback.
Hounds live to fight another day !

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

Super!

It’s always great to stick a fork in Cuse.

[tech37]

Nice game Hounds...congrats. Good luck rest of way.

[DocBarrister]

Nice game Hounds...congrats. Good luck rest of way.

Especially next week!

DocBarrister