Maryland 2024

[keno in reno]

Gait has some interesting post game comments… maybe I’m misinterpreting but it was almost like he was calling the cuse crease goal review bs.

He says the refs throughout the season come to him (tears in their eyes, maybe?) to say they can't review whether or not a player has been pushed into the crease.

Nope. That's what they absolutely were reviewing.

He and Tills have developed a bit of a frosty relationship due to Tills's lead on the rules committee. They banned that Gait Lacrosse stick for defensemen before last season. If you watch his comments last night, he's clearly referring to that again when he talks about having to do a lot business with Tills...with the "we're great friends" cover at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYg5wZh-YI

Maybe...just maybe...he should have been getting his players set up on their ride so that they didn't leave a defensive midfield completely alone at your restraining line with a minute left in OT.

Looks like the waterboys give more strategic guidance on the sideline than Gait does.

[Wheels]

UMD looks sharp. My reservation about them is what can Phipps further develop. He seems to thrive when his already talented players do the hard work and what comes natural to them early season. When it comes to scouting an opponents defensive weaknesses and implementing adjustments to combat them in mid to late May...I see a flaw.

It certainly helps to have Tills in the offensive huddle.

Late in the game during a timeout (it was after Syracuse had jumped into a zone to disrupt the Terps), Tills was with the offense and had a whiteboard drawing up a play. Then Phipps came into the huddle with a whiteboard to with a play. Don't know for sure, but it looked like one had a play for zone and one had a play for man. Malever ended up with that inside shot with 3 seconds left.

The last two weeks have had really good game plans at both ends of the field. Gonna watch some of the Princeton game today at 1 on ESPN+. I'm sure Tills, Phipps, Jesse, and TOB will be, too!

[Wheels]

Gait has some interesting post game comments… maybe I’m misinterpreting but it was almost like he was calling the cuse crease goal review bs.

He says the refs throughout the season come to him (tears in their eyes, maybe?) to say they can't review whether or not a player has been pushed into the crease.

Nope. That's what they absolutely were reviewing.

He and Tills have developed a bit of a frosty relationship due to Tills's lead on the rules committee. They banned that Gait Lacrosse stick for defensemen before last season. If you watch his comments last night, he's clearly referring to that again when he talks about having to do a lot business with Tills...with the "we're great friends" cover at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYg5wZh-YI

Maybe...just maybe...he should have been getting his players set up on their ride so that they didn't leave a defensive midfield completely alone at your restraining line with a minute left in OT.

Looks like the waterboys give more strategic guidance on the sideline than Gait does.

In all fairness to Gary, when the offense is in their huddle and the defense is their huddle, someone has to make sure the FOGOs, student managers, and injured players have someone to rally them.

[Finster]

Gait has some interesting post game comments… maybe I’m misinterpreting but it was almost like he was calling the cuse crease goal review bs.

He says the refs throughout the season come to him (tears in their eyes, maybe?) to say they can't review whether or not a player has been pushed into the crease.

Nope. That's what they absolutely were reviewing.

He and Tills have developed a bit of a frosty relationship due to Tills's lead on the rules committee. They banned that Gait Lacrosse stick for defensemen before last season. If you watch his comments last night, he's clearly referring to that again when he talks about having to do a lot business with Tills...with the "we're great friends" cover at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYg5wZh-YI

Maybe...just maybe...he should have been getting his players set up on their ride so that they didn't leave a defensive midfield completely alone at your restraining line with a minute left in OT.

Looks like the waterboys give more strategic guidance on the sideline than Gait does.

I know it looks like that, and who knows maybe it’s true, but one thing you can also say about Gary is, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a coach enjoy himself on a sideline more. The guy is cracking jokes with refs almost every stoppage. He’s as different from Tillman in that regard as I can imagine. I can’t see Tillman yucking it up with any ref.

One other issue between them: Tills is a born and bred upstater, Gary is Canadian. Yet it’s the Canadian who coaches Cuse, whereas Tills coaches MD. Obviously they recruit similar kids (and Syracuse seems to have had great success recruiting in MD’s backyard the past few years), but adding intrigue to everything else, I think the Canada versus upstate NY dynamic might come into play here between the two.

[keno in reno]

Gait has some interesting post game comments… maybe I’m misinterpreting but it was almost like he was calling the cuse crease goal review bs.

He says the refs throughout the season come to him (tears in their eyes, maybe?) to say they can't review whether or not a player has been pushed into the crease.

Nope. That's what they absolutely were reviewing.

He and Tills have developed a bit of a frosty relationship due to Tills's lead on the rules committee. They banned that Gait Lacrosse stick for defensemen before last season. If you watch his comments last night, he's clearly referring to that again when he talks about having to do a lot business with Tills...with the "we're great friends" cover at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYg5wZh-YI

Maybe...just maybe...he should have been getting his players set up on their ride so that they didn't leave a defensive midfield completely alone at your restraining line with a minute left in OT.

Looks like the waterboys give more strategic guidance on the sideline than Gait does.

In all fairness to Gary, when the offense is in their huddle and the defense is their huddle, someone has to make sure the FOGOs, student managers, and injured players have someone to rally them.

Ha yep. To his credit, he's certainly recruited a strong talent base. Losing Petro was probably a setback for the defense and overall coaching acumen. It will be interesting to see how his team ends up this year, and how Spallina does against an array of more athletic and larger defenders. He's fun to watch, sort of like Trae Young. But it's different against the beasts like Notre Dame, UVA and the others awaiting have.

[gtownterpfan]

I am very curious to see how those two Orange middies (#7, #8) will do when SU gets into its ACC schedule. Without them, MD probably wins going away. Better shooting/finishing for MD and there's no OT. I like that seven middies for UMD are getting regular runs, and also that Stobaugh was on and even got a GB, if I am remembering correctly. I still think if Murphy can get going, maybe get a little chemistry with Erksa, and to a lesser extent Kelly, then the offense might find another gear. Overall, I could have lived with a loss, being in the Dome and all, and generally playing pretty well, On the other hand, despite the announcers obvious glee in informing the viewers that Syracuse is back, it is always a good thing to beat Syracuse.

[Finster]

Gait has some interesting post game comments… maybe I’m misinterpreting but it was almost like he was calling the cuse crease goal review bs.

Because he’s always going to defend his team. The call was clearly the right one. What’s painful is hearing the homer fans like Casey Powell chime in who damn well know the game too.

Disappointed in Casey doing that. It’s the obvious correct call, made more impressive by calling it at the Dome. That’s not easy to do, to go against the home crowd in a game which meant more to Cuse than Maryland (trust me, it meant a lot). Tip of the cap to whoever those refs are. It hurts as a Cuse fan, but no denying the reality. Would have preferred the team getting back on defense tbh.

Oh well. Great game by both teams. Will Mark and Logan McNaney played really really well. Such good tenders. Nothing bad about this game at all. If you like lacrosse, you’ll love this game.

Sorry to the Hop fans, but I really feel the Syracuse Maryland game takes the cake for best rivalry.

[Finster]

What an amazing game. That was - and the women's game earlier being 2OT as well - everything you want as a showcase for lacrosse. Standalone power game, national TV spotlight, back and forth drama, incredible crowd in the Dome. It was fantastic. A total win and obviously stoked the Terps gritted their way through and got that W. Still +1 on the year and this team is showing some really promising signs while racking up some potential big wins for down the line

Pros
- There have been so many great #1 cover defenders and elite goalies in this program under Tillman; but for my money Zaps and McNaney are the best of them all. Saw all the reasons why tonight. McNaney was just incredible, dialed in from minute 1, Cuse got frustrated and forced shots in that first half and with the offense going quiet for the entire middle of that game, it was his presence as always that kept them in it. Zaps faced another stud and kept him in check. Cuse made the adjustments and it got their offense going, but they had to change their gameplan because he dictated the terms first, as he always does. So good.
- The close defense and poles are just tremendous. The communication, footwork, fundamentals are so strong. Owen Hiltz was a ghost. Schaller had him in jail. And Burlace had Mule locked up as well. One thing to take down Spallina; but to hold the #2/#3 attackmen on a team to 1 goal/1 assist is incredible
- Erksa started to emerge late there. The most confident and authoritative he's been all season, he wanted the ball and the offense got moving again because Cuse had to adjust to the fact he was winning his match-up. That's what we want to see from him. Hope it's a sign of things to come.
- The offense obviously has a fantastic opening "script" if you will; they have great 1Q's. Whatever Phipps/Tills ID on tape that they attack early, it's awesome. When the game develops though, things break down. Not enough shooting, the best athletes/dodgers are younger guys and older guys are great decision makers and role players but not the party starters. Leads to what we saw 2Q/3Q. But that 4Q was so encouraging. What we've been wanting to see last two years, them break through that wall and have a big offensive push late in the game. It happened with Erksa stepping up (assisted 7th goal, scored 8th and 9th) but also got basically the games only transition tallies through some big plays by Koras for the 10th and then obviously Stamos' winner
- It felt like Kohn was getting the better of Wierman and in the end Wierman went 16-29 and won some big ones in the 4Q. He always wins the big ones

Cons
- The shortie depth is going to be an issue. Hopefully Kolar comes back. I think Stamos will get better; he's clearly an amazing athlete and you can work with that. I think it's time to maybe try Brennan taking some shifts there and plug his offensive reps with Stobaugh who got some run later in the 2H. Cuse just targeted the shorties over and over in the 2H and outside of Redd I'm not sure there's anyone on the team I'm feeling 100% confident in. Wicks looked great and if you had Kolar there too you had 3 guys you felt good about which was a solid position. It's a long season, guys can come along, but it's an issue and with how many offensive middies they have, I'd try some of the better athletes they have on offense there.
- Basically everything in the 2Q/3Q on offense. They gotta figure out ways to make quicker adjustments. They have a great initial gameplan, and it's clear that until Erksa really pops or Malever feels 100% from the injury the offense is sort of going to be where it's at, but they have to sustain a higher floor throughout. Hopefully the end of 4Q is a building block for that
- Is Spanos hurt? Or was he hurt? He doesn't look right to me. He's got some type of deal on his knee and he just is not getting separation at all laterally. He just looks...gimpy.
- Malever doesn't look hurt, but he does look like a guy who's coming off a long layoff. Just a little gunshy. Hopefully he has a game here where it comes together and he gets the confidence back

Overall, a lot to feel good about. The offense had a big late 4Q push to get the win. Defense held an amazing Cuse offense to 12 goals. Kept battling and kept battling on the road and got the win. Great game. Onto Princeton

The defensive game plan the past 2 weeks have been stellar. Syracuse came into the game with its attack unit averaging 16 combined points per game. They were held to 5 tonight. 5. And 2 of those were five came from the Hiltz to Mule goal to tie the game at 12. Jesse forced Syracuse to win with its midfield. Spallina makes up for his average athleticism with elite stick skills, creativity, and body leveraging ability. But against an elite defender, his athleticism limits him. Mule and Hiltz are small-ish guys, and the big, athletic Terrapin defenders just erased them. So, yeah, Case's midfield put up 10 goals today and they almost won; but Maryland forced Syracuse to play in a way they don't like playing. Cuse had 4 assists on the game. So the trade off today was Maryland's rope unit looked worse than it did against Loyola. I do think Kolar is close to returning.

I'm sure we're going to hear Quint et al. blather about the "Terps not having THE GUY" on offense, but after seeing what Maryland did to Syracuse tonight, why can't the same be said about them? Because Spallina will put up 10 points against a MAAC team?

The stats on the game are kinda wonky. The Terps shot over 40% but only had 28 shots. So you think they must have turned the ball over a bunch. LaxRef had them at 11 turnovers. So what was happening on offense? Just grinding the shot clock and getting a late possession shot? Must have been.

Erksa is also interesting. His overall efficiency is low because of his turnover rate. They're just going to have to live with it. Malever got robbed on a goal by Mark, and then Mark robbed 2 Terps' shooters on great passes from Malever. So what can you do about that? A lesser goalie doesn't make those saves, and all the sudden, Malever has a goal and 3 assists. But that's lacrosse. Mark is a good goalie.

I really want to see Whittier get more run. He adds a different dynamic to the midfield. Siracusa gives the midfield explosiveness. Whitter gives it some scoot.

As AreaLax said, Spanos isn't injured. He's just not forcing things. He often draws the pole. If I'm a Cuse fan, I'm worried about their rope unit. Maryland unmercifully attacked them today and it wasn't even close.

Tonight was a big win. This team has some onions.

Can we also talk about Cuse's schedule? 8 straight home games to open the season? Kudos for playing Maryland and JHU but not leaving the Dome until mid March? Is that the best way to prepare them for a deep tournament run? If they stumble during their ACC schedule, their hot start will look like a mirage.

The ‘8 straight home games’ to open the season is done not at Syracuse’s request nor behest, but because it’s an indoor facility that works for everyone in February (and March). Opposing coaches prefer the Dome to playing outside at this time of the year.

Let me also add that Maryland fans travel well, and I’m sure they saw a generally appreciative lacrosse crowd yesterday who simply love lacrosse. Obviously they want Cuse to win, but if an opponent has a great play, those fans extended the olive branch.

If others get a dome, they’ll host more games in February too.

[HopFan16]

Sorry to the Hop fans, but I really feel the Syracuse Maryland game takes the cake for best rivalry.

Syracuse hasn't beaten Maryland since 2009 lol

[Wheels]

What an amazing game. That was - and the women's game earlier being 2OT as well - everything you want as a showcase for lacrosse. Standalone power game, national TV spotlight, back and forth drama, incredible crowd in the Dome. It was fantastic. A total win and obviously stoked the Terps gritted their way through and got that W. Still +1 on the year and this team is showing some really promising signs while racking up some potential big wins for down the line

Pros
- There have been so many great #1 cover defenders and elite goalies in this program under Tillman; but for my money Zaps and McNaney are the best of them all. Saw all the reasons why tonight. McNaney was just incredible, dialed in from minute 1, Cuse got frustrated and forced shots in that first half and with the offense going quiet for the entire middle of that game, it was his presence as always that kept them in it. Zaps faced another stud and kept him in check. Cuse made the adjustments and it got their offense going, but they had to change their gameplan because he dictated the terms first, as he always does. So good.
- The close defense and poles are just tremendous. The communication, footwork, fundamentals are so strong. Owen Hiltz was a ghost. Schaller had him in jail. And Burlace had Mule locked up as well. One thing to take down Spallina; but to hold the #2/#3 attackmen on a team to 1 goal/1 assist is incredible
- Erksa started to emerge late there. The most confident and authoritative he's been all season, he wanted the ball and the offense got moving again because Cuse had to adjust to the fact he was winning his match-up. That's what we want to see from him. Hope it's a sign of things to come.
- The offense obviously has a fantastic opening "script" if you will; they have great 1Q's. Whatever Phipps/Tills ID on tape that they attack early, it's awesome. When the game develops though, things break down. Not enough shooting, the best athletes/dodgers are younger guys and older guys are great decision makers and role players but not the party starters. Leads to what we saw 2Q/3Q. But that 4Q was so encouraging. What we've been wanting to see last two years, them break through that wall and have a big offensive push late in the game. It happened with Erksa stepping up (assisted 7th goal, scored 8th and 9th) but also got basically the games only transition tallies through some big plays by Koras for the 10th and then obviously Stamos' winner
- It felt like Kohn was getting the better of Wierman and in the end Wierman went 16-29 and won some big ones in the 4Q. He always wins the big ones

Cons
- The shortie depth is going to be an issue. Hopefully Kolar comes back. I think Stamos will get better; he's clearly an amazing athlete and you can work with that. I think it's time to maybe try Brennan taking some shifts there and plug his offensive reps with Stobaugh who got some run later in the 2H. Cuse just targeted the shorties over and over in the 2H and outside of Redd I'm not sure there's anyone on the team I'm feeling 100% confident in. Wicks looked great and if you had Kolar there too you had 3 guys you felt good about which was a solid position. It's a long season, guys can come along, but it's an issue and with how many offensive middies they have, I'd try some of the better athletes they have on offense there.
- Basically everything in the 2Q/3Q on offense. They gotta figure out ways to make quicker adjustments. They have a great initial gameplan, and it's clear that until Erksa really pops or Malever feels 100% from the injury the offense is sort of going to be where it's at, but they have to sustain a higher floor throughout. Hopefully the end of 4Q is a building block for that
- Is Spanos hurt? Or was he hurt? He doesn't look right to me. He's got some type of deal on his knee and he just is not getting separation at all laterally. He just looks...gimpy.
- Malever doesn't look hurt, but he does look like a guy who's coming off a long layoff. Just a little gunshy. Hopefully he has a game here where it comes together and he gets the confidence back

Overall, a lot to feel good about. The offense had a big late 4Q push to get the win. Defense held an amazing Cuse offense to 12 goals. Kept battling and kept battling on the road and got the win. Great game. Onto Princeton

The defensive game plan the past 2 weeks have been stellar. Syracuse came into the game with its attack unit averaging 16 combined points per game. They were held to 5 tonight. 5. And 2 of those were five came from the Hiltz to Mule goal to tie the game at 12. Jesse forced Syracuse to win with its midfield. Spallina makes up for his average athleticism with elite stick skills, creativity, and body leveraging ability. But against an elite defender, his athleticism limits him. Mule and Hiltz are small-ish guys, and the big, athletic Terrapin defenders just erased them. So, yeah, Case's midfield put up 10 goals today and they almost won; but Maryland forced Syracuse to play in a way they don't like playing. Cuse had 4 assists on the game. So the trade off today was Maryland's rope unit looked worse than it did against Loyola. I do think Kolar is close to returning.

I'm sure we're going to hear Quint et al. blather about the "Terps not having THE GUY" on offense, but after seeing what Maryland did to Syracuse tonight, why can't the same be said about them? Because Spallina will put up 10 points against a MAAC team?

The stats on the game are kinda wonky. The Terps shot over 40% but only had 28 shots. So you think they must have turned the ball over a bunch. LaxRef had them at 11 turnovers. So what was happening on offense? Just grinding the shot clock and getting a late possession shot? Must have been.

Erksa is also interesting. His overall efficiency is low because of his turnover rate. They're just going to have to live with it. Malever got robbed on a goal by Mark, and then Mark robbed 2 Terps' shooters on great passes from Malever. So what can you do about that? A lesser goalie doesn't make those saves, and all the sudden, Malever has a goal and 3 assists. But that's lacrosse. Mark is a good goalie.

I really want to see Whittier get more run. He adds a different dynamic to the midfield. Siracusa gives the midfield explosiveness. Whitter gives it some scoot.

As AreaLax said, Spanos isn't injured. He's just not forcing things. He often draws the pole. If I'm a Cuse fan, I'm worried about their rope unit. Maryland unmercifully attacked them today and it wasn't even close.

Tonight was a big win. This team has some onions.

Can we also talk about Cuse's schedule? 8 straight home games to open the season? Kudos for playing Maryland and JHU but not leaving the Dome until mid March? Is that the best way to prepare them for a deep tournament run? If they stumble during their ACC schedule, their hot start will look like a mirage.

The ‘8 straight home games’ to open the season is done not at Syracuse’s request nor behest, but because it’s an indoor facility that works for everyone in February (and March). Opposing coaches prefer the Dome to playing outside at this time of the year.

Let me also add that Maryland fans travel well, and I’m sure they saw a generally appreciative lacrosse crowd yesterday who simply love lacrosse. Obviously they want Cuse to win, but if an opponent has a great play, those fans extended the olive branch.

If others get a dome, they’ll host more games in February too.

I was at the game up there in 2022, and it was a phenomenal experience. I recommend any lacrosse fan see a game in the Dome.

I do think Gary should take them on the road earlier in the season, especially when you have a relatively young team (supplemented with the grad transfers). Those guys need to be tested in different ways, including on the road to a top team or two. The first 3 games against cupcakes...maybe have one of those at Penn State or Ohio State...or even out at Denver. Just for the experience of a tough game in less than ideal conditions. I wouldn't want to wait until conference play to get that kind of adversity on the road.

Cuse has the perfect schedule for a high seed. They get Maryland, Army, Hopkins, Duke, and UVA all at home. They're going to win a couple of those. They can drop a game at ND or at Cornell (better not drop that @ UNC game, though!), and it won't do much to their metrics. I'd be concerned, though, about a QF game at a neutral site against a Top 5 kind of team. I'd hope to have that team tested in more of those types of situations beyond ND or Cornell so they know how to respond.

BTW, I have the same issues with Duke's schedule early on. I know it's great to get O'Neill a gazillion points for his Tewy profile and all, but how's their schedule preparing them for Memorial Day?

[Pensky Material]

I do think Gary should take them on the road earlier in the season, especially when you have a relatively young team (supplemented with the grad transfers). Those guys need to be tested in different ways, including on the road to a top team or two. The first 3 games against cupcakes...maybe have one of those at Penn State or Ohio State...or even out at Denver. Just for the experience of a tough game in less than ideal conditions. I wouldn't want to wait until conference play to get that kind of adversity on the road.


Just a note on this year's game with Hopkins, it would have been in Baltimore so JHU is the home team even though the game is being played in Charlotte.

I def agree with you here, and while it makes sense for teams in the northeast to come play indoors in Feb. I have been beating the drum going back to Desko's last few seasons for them to mix it up a little with the early portion of the schedule. Geographically it would make sense for them to try to get an OSU, PSU or even Michigan on the schedule. They have a connection with Galloway as an alum, take the team to Jacksonsville. They're playing Utah this week, throw them a bone and agree to give them a home game against next year or the following year.

[Finster]

What an amazing game. That was - and the women's game earlier being 2OT as well - everything you want as a showcase for lacrosse. Standalone power game, national TV spotlight, back and forth drama, incredible crowd in the Dome. It was fantastic. A total win and obviously stoked the Terps gritted their way through and got that W. Still +1 on the year and this team is showing some really promising signs while racking up some potential big wins for down the line

Pros
- There have been so many great #1 cover defenders and elite goalies in this program under Tillman; but for my money Zaps and McNaney are the best of them all. Saw all the reasons why tonight. McNaney was just incredible, dialed in from minute 1, Cuse got frustrated and forced shots in that first half and with the offense going quiet for the entire middle of that game, it was his presence as always that kept them in it. Zaps faced another stud and kept him in check. Cuse made the adjustments and it got their offense going, but they had to change their gameplan because he dictated the terms first, as he always does. So good.
- The close defense and poles are just tremendous. The communication, footwork, fundamentals are so strong. Owen Hiltz was a ghost. Schaller had him in jail. And Burlace had Mule locked up as well. One thing to take down Spallina; but to hold the #2/#3 attackmen on a team to 1 goal/1 assist is incredible
- Erksa started to emerge late there. The most confident and authoritative he's been all season, he wanted the ball and the offense got moving again because Cuse had to adjust to the fact he was winning his match-up. That's what we want to see from him. Hope it's a sign of things to come.
- The offense obviously has a fantastic opening "script" if you will; they have great 1Q's. Whatever Phipps/Tills ID on tape that they attack early, it's awesome. When the game develops though, things break down. Not enough shooting, the best athletes/dodgers are younger guys and older guys are great decision makers and role players but not the party starters. Leads to what we saw 2Q/3Q. But that 4Q was so encouraging. What we've been wanting to see last two years, them break through that wall and have a big offensive push late in the game. It happened with Erksa stepping up (assisted 7th goal, scored 8th and 9th) but also got basically the games only transition tallies through some big plays by Koras for the 10th and then obviously Stamos' winner
- It felt like Kohn was getting the better of Wierman and in the end Wierman went 16-29 and won some big ones in the 4Q. He always wins the big ones

Cons
- The shortie depth is going to be an issue. Hopefully Kolar comes back. I think Stamos will get better; he's clearly an amazing athlete and you can work with that. I think it's time to maybe try Brennan taking some shifts there and plug his offensive reps with Stobaugh who got some run later in the 2H. Cuse just targeted the shorties over and over in the 2H and outside of Redd I'm not sure there's anyone on the team I'm feeling 100% confident in. Wicks looked great and if you had Kolar there too you had 3 guys you felt good about which was a solid position. It's a long season, guys can come along, but it's an issue and with how many offensive middies they have, I'd try some of the better athletes they have on offense there.
- Basically everything in the 2Q/3Q on offense. They gotta figure out ways to make quicker adjustments. They have a great initial gameplan, and it's clear that until Erksa really pops or Malever feels 100% from the injury the offense is sort of going to be where it's at, but they have to sustain a higher floor throughout. Hopefully the end of 4Q is a building block for that
- Is Spanos hurt? Or was he hurt? He doesn't look right to me. He's got some type of deal on his knee and he just is not getting separation at all laterally. He just looks...gimpy.
- Malever doesn't look hurt, but he does look like a guy who's coming off a long layoff. Just a little gunshy. Hopefully he has a game here where it comes together and he gets the confidence back

Overall, a lot to feel good about. The offense had a big late 4Q push to get the win. Defense held an amazing Cuse offense to 12 goals. Kept battling and kept battling on the road and got the win. Great game. Onto Princeton

The defensive game plan the past 2 weeks have been stellar. Syracuse came into the game with its attack unit averaging 16 combined points per game. They were held to 5 tonight. 5. And 2 of those were five came from the Hiltz to Mule goal to tie the game at 12. Jesse forced Syracuse to win with its midfield. Spallina makes up for his average athleticism with elite stick skills, creativity, and body leveraging ability. But against an elite defender, his athleticism limits him. Mule and Hiltz are small-ish guys, and the big, athletic Terrapin defenders just erased them. So, yeah, Case's midfield put up 10 goals today and they almost won; but Maryland forced Syracuse to play in a way they don't like playing. Cuse had 4 assists on the game. So the trade off today was Maryland's rope unit looked worse than it did against Loyola. I do think Kolar is close to returning.

I'm sure we're going to hear Quint et al. blather about the "Terps not having THE GUY" on offense, but after seeing what Maryland did to Syracuse tonight, why can't the same be said about them? Because Spallina will put up 10 points against a MAAC team?

The stats on the game are kinda wonky. The Terps shot over 40% but only had 28 shots. So you think they must have turned the ball over a bunch. LaxRef had them at 11 turnovers. So what was happening on offense? Just grinding the shot clock and getting a late possession shot? Must have been.

Erksa is also interesting. His overall efficiency is low because of his turnover rate. They're just going to have to live with it. Malever got robbed on a goal by Mark, and then Mark robbed 2 Terps' shooters on great passes from Malever. So what can you do about that? A lesser goalie doesn't make those saves, and all the sudden, Malever has a goal and 3 assists. But that's lacrosse. Mark is a good goalie.

I really want to see Whittier get more run. He adds a different dynamic to the midfield. Siracusa gives the midfield explosiveness. Whitter gives it some scoot.

As AreaLax said, Spanos isn't injured. He's just not forcing things. He often draws the pole. If I'm a Cuse fan, I'm worried about their rope unit. Maryland unmercifully attacked them today and it wasn't even close.

Tonight was a big win. This team has some onions.

Can we also talk about Cuse's schedule? 8 straight home games to open the season? Kudos for playing Maryland and JHU but not leaving the Dome until mid March? Is that the best way to prepare them for a deep tournament run? If they stumble during their ACC schedule, their hot start will look like a mirage.

The ‘8 straight home games’ to open the season is done not at Syracuse’s request nor behest, but because it’s an indoor facility that works for everyone in February (and March). Opposing coaches prefer the Dome to playing outside at this time of the year.

Let me also add that Maryland fans travel well, and I’m sure they saw a generally appreciative lacrosse crowd yesterday who simply love lacrosse. Obviously they want Cuse to win, but if an opponent has a great play, those fans extended the olive branch.

If others get a dome, they’ll host more games in February too.

I was at the game up there in 2022, and it was a phenomenal experience. I recommend any lacrosse fan see a game in the Dome.

I do think Gary should take them on the road earlier in the season, especially when you have a relatively young team (supplemented with the grad transfers). Those guys need to be tested in different ways, including on the road to a top team or two. The first 3 games against cupcakes...maybe have one of those at Penn State or Ohio State...or even out at Denver. Just for the experience of a tough game in less than ideal conditions. I wouldn't want to wait until conference play to get that kind of adversity on the road.

Cuse has the perfect schedule for a high seed. They get Maryland, Army, Hopkins, Duke, and UVA all at home. They're going to win a couple of those. They can drop a game at ND or at Cornell (better not drop that @ UNC game, though!), and it won't do much to their metrics. I'd be concerned, though, about a QF game at a neutral site against a Top 5 kind of team. I'd hope to have that team tested in more of those types of situations beyond ND or Cornell so they know how to respond.

BTW, I have the same issues with Duke's schedule early on. I know it's great to get O'Neill a gazillion points for his Tewy profile and all, but how's their schedule preparing them for Memorial Day?

I agree with everything you wrote above.

1. The overweight-home schedule will likely hurt down the road.

2. Cuse gets nearly all of the most difficult opponents at home, except ND. Very favorable schedule in addition to the 8 straight home games to open the season.

[Finster]

I do think Gary should take them on the road earlier in the season, especially when you have a relatively young team (supplemented with the grad transfers). Those guys need to be tested in different ways, including on the road to a top team or two. The first 3 games against cupcakes...maybe have one of those at Penn State or Ohio State...or even out at Denver. Just for the experience of a tough game in less than ideal conditions. I wouldn't want to wait until conference play to get that kind of adversity on the road.


Just a note on this year's game with Hopkins, it would have been in Baltimore so JHU is the home team even though the game is being played in Charlotte.

I def agree with you here, and while it makes sense for teams in the northeast to come play indoors in Feb. I have been beating the drum going back to Desko's last few seasons for them to mix it up a little with the early portion of the schedule. Geographically it would make sense for them to try to get an OSU, PSU or even Michigan on the schedule. They have a connection with Galloway as an alum, take the team to Jacksonsville. They're playing Utah this week, throw them a bone and agree to give them a home game against next year or the following year.

Definitely a trip to Jacksonville would have been for the best. I’d be curious if anyone has intel on how the schedule came out like it did, besides what I’ve heard, which is opponents prefer the indoor to outdoor scenarios in February.

[Terpslax1991]

It’s not just Cuse. The Terps are 3-0 vs the Top 20, all 3 ACC teams are a combined 2-1.

ACC early scheduling is embarrassing. BE THE BEST means play the best teams.

[Mr3Putt]

It’s not just Cuse. The Terps are 3-0 vs the Top 20, all 3 ACC teams are a combined 2-1.

ACC early scheduling is embarrassing. BE THE BEST means play the best teams.

But, Maryland just went to an ACC school for a big game. Right? It’s February 18th - relax. Nice win.

[Mr3Putt]

It’s not just Cuse. The Terps are 3-0 vs the Top 20, all 3 ACC teams are a combined 2-1.

ACC early scheduling is embarrassing. BE THE BEST means play the best teams.

But, Maryland just went to an ACC school for a big game. Right? It’s February 18th - relax. Nice win.

[jrn19]

What an amazing game. That was - and the women's game earlier being 2OT as well - everything you want as a showcase for lacrosse. Standalone power game, national TV spotlight, back and forth drama, incredible crowd in the Dome. It was fantastic. A total win and obviously stoked the Terps gritted their way through and got that W. Still +1 on the year and this team is showing some really promising signs while racking up some potential big wins for down the line

Pros
- There have been so many great #1 cover defenders and elite goalies in this program under Tillman; but for my money Zaps and McNaney are the best of them all. Saw all the reasons why tonight. McNaney was just incredible, dialed in from minute 1, Cuse got frustrated and forced shots in that first half and with the offense going quiet for the entire middle of that game, it was his presence as always that kept them in it. Zaps faced another stud and kept him in check. Cuse made the adjustments and it got their offense going, but they had to change their gameplan because he dictated the terms first, as he always does. So good.
- The close defense and poles are just tremendous. The communication, footwork, fundamentals are so strong. Owen Hiltz was a ghost. Schaller had him in jail. And Burlace had Mule locked up as well. One thing to take down Spallina; but to hold the #2/#3 attackmen on a team to 1 goal/1 assist is incredible
- Erksa started to emerge late there. The most confident and authoritative he's been all season, he wanted the ball and the offense got moving again because Cuse had to adjust to the fact he was winning his match-up. That's what we want to see from him. Hope it's a sign of things to come.
- The offense obviously has a fantastic opening "script" if you will; they have great 1Q's. Whatever Phipps/Tills ID on tape that they attack early, it's awesome. When the game develops though, things break down. Not enough shooting, the best athletes/dodgers are younger guys and older guys are great decision makers and role players but not the party starters. Leads to what we saw 2Q/3Q. But that 4Q was so encouraging. What we've been wanting to see last two years, them break through that wall and have a big offensive push late in the game. It happened with Erksa stepping up (assisted 7th goal, scored 8th and 9th) but also got basically the games only transition tallies through some big plays by Koras for the 10th and then obviously Stamos' winner
- It felt like Kohn was getting the better of Wierman and in the end Wierman went 16-29 and won some big ones in the 4Q. He always wins the big ones

Cons
- The shortie depth is going to be an issue. Hopefully Kolar comes back. I think Stamos will get better; he's clearly an amazing athlete and you can work with that. I think it's time to maybe try Brennan taking some shifts there and plug his offensive reps with Stobaugh who got some run later in the 2H. Cuse just targeted the shorties over and over in the 2H and outside of Redd I'm not sure there's anyone on the team I'm feeling 100% confident in. Wicks looked great and if you had Kolar there too you had 3 guys you felt good about which was a solid position. It's a long season, guys can come along, but it's an issue and with how many offensive middies they have, I'd try some of the better athletes they have on offense there.
- Basically everything in the 2Q/3Q on offense. They gotta figure out ways to make quicker adjustments. They have a great initial gameplan, and it's clear that until Erksa really pops or Malever feels 100% from the injury the offense is sort of going to be where it's at, but they have to sustain a higher floor throughout. Hopefully the end of 4Q is a building block for that
- Is Spanos hurt? Or was he hurt? He doesn't look right to me. He's got some type of deal on his knee and he just is not getting separation at all laterally. He just looks...gimpy.
- Malever doesn't look hurt, but he does look like a guy who's coming off a long layoff. Just a little gunshy. Hopefully he has a game here where it comes together and he gets the confidence back

Overall, a lot to feel good about. The offense had a big late 4Q push to get the win. Defense held an amazing Cuse offense to 12 goals. Kept battling and kept battling on the road and got the win. Great game. Onto Princeton

The defensive game plan the past 2 weeks have been stellar. Syracuse came into the game with its attack unit averaging 16 combined points per game. They were held to 5 tonight. 5. And 2 of those were five came from the Hiltz to Mule goal to tie the game at 12. Jesse forced Syracuse to win with its midfield. Spallina makes up for his average athleticism with elite stick skills, creativity, and body leveraging ability. But against an elite defender, his athleticism limits him. Mule and Hiltz are small-ish guys, and the big, athletic Terrapin defenders just erased them. So, yeah, Case's midfield put up 10 goals today and they almost won; but Maryland forced Syracuse to play in a way they don't like playing. Cuse had 4 assists on the game. So the trade off today was Maryland's rope unit looked worse than it did against Loyola. I do think Kolar is close to returning.

I'm sure we're going to hear Quint et al. blather about the "Terps not having THE GUY" on offense, but after seeing what Maryland did to Syracuse tonight, why can't the same be said about them? Because Spallina will put up 10 points against a MAAC team?

The stats on the game are kinda wonky. The Terps shot over 40% but only had 28 shots. So you think they must have turned the ball over a bunch. LaxRef had them at 11 turnovers. So what was happening on offense? Just grinding the shot clock and getting a late possession shot? Must have been.

Erksa is also interesting. His overall efficiency is low because of his turnover rate. They're just going to have to live with it. Malever got robbed on a goal by Mark, and then Mark robbed 2 Terps' shooters on great passes from Malever. So what can you do about that? A lesser goalie doesn't make those saves, and all the sudden, Malever has a goal and 3 assists. But that's lacrosse. Mark is a good goalie.

I really want to see Whittier get more run. He adds a different dynamic to the midfield. Siracusa gives the midfield explosiveness. Whitter gives it some scoot.

As AreaLax said, Spanos isn't injured. He's just not forcing things. He often draws the pole. If I'm a Cuse fan, I'm worried about their rope unit. Maryland unmercifully attacked them today and it wasn't even close.

Tonight was a big win. This team has some onions.

Can we also talk about Cuse's schedule? 8 straight home games to open the season? Kudos for playing Maryland and JHU but not leaving the Dome until mid March? Is that the best way to prepare them for a deep tournament run? If they stumble during their ACC schedule, their hot start will look like a mirage.

I don't think it'd be unfair to say they don't have an elite QB/Guy/difference maker yet; it largely depends on the speed of Erksa's development. If he's the guy he was in the 4Q, he's an All-American and this team could beat anybody at their best. If he's the guy he was in the Loyola game - and yes there's some shooting variance there - then they're still an elite team, but the offense looks a lot like last year and they're leaning on the D/McNaney/Wierman. That's the intriguing thing with this team right now. We're learning what their ceiling is on the fly and it could be game to game based on how these younger guys develop

I think it'd be unfair to say Spallina isn't elite based on this game; Zaps does this to everyone, Connor Shellenberger included. I don't know if Spallina is in the Top 5-6 tier yet, but he had some big games a year ago against tough competition. The bigger problem for them is that Hiltz just is not a true QB #2. I think they want that to be what UVA had with Shelly/Moore, but Hiltz is a pure feeder. He's a good accessory to Joey, not an initiator in his own right

As for the shot disparity, Syracuse was both playing faster and peppering the goal. They were 7s quicker on average taking their first shot in a possession - 40s in on average - whereas Maryland was taking their first shot on average 47s in. Maryland averaged only 0.78 shots per possession. In the first quarter, they had 7 shots on 10 possessions and scored 5; they were basically scoring on their first good look. In the 2nd quarter basically every possession was a turnover and they weren't getting shots off at all; third quarter onwards it became closer to what you'd expect, about a shot per possession. Cuse meanwhile was just in a shoot first mindset because, as you noted well, Maryland really took their ball movement away with Zaps shutting Spallina down and Hiltz a non-factor. Everything ran from the midfield.

I thought both teams rope units held up pretty well all things considered. That's the weakness on both teams right now; for Cuse coming into the season and Maryland after the injuries but each got some critical stops when needed and while there times where they got exposed, they also made adjustments and hung in there. If this is as "bad" as it gets for those units, I think they'll be okay. But it is the one thing holding them back right now from being pretty well stacked up.

That's how Cuse's schedule always is. Whether it best prepares them or not who knows, but nothing new

[Abr2016]

I watched the game on TV. Unbelievable game. I was amazed and extremely impressed with the demeanor of Tills and Phipps in the late game huddles. They seemed to be in sync and have a great rapport. Both were drawing things up and calmly working together.

As a Navy alum and fan, it seems we have the opposite.

[keno in reno]

I don't think it'd be unfair to say they don't have an elite QB/Guy/difference maker yet; it largely depends on the speed of Erksa's development. If he's the guy he was in the 4Q, he's an All-American and this team could beat anybody at their best. If he's the guy he was in the Loyola game - and yes there's some shooting variance there - then they're still an elite team, but the offense looks a lot like last year and they're leaning on the D/McNaney/Wierman. That's the intriguing thing with this team right now. We're learning what their ceiling is on the fly and it could be game to game based on how these younger guys develop

I think it'd be unfair to say Spallina isn't elite based on this game; Zaps does this to everyone, Connor Shellenberger included. I don't know if Spallina is in the Top 5-6 tier yet, but he had some big games a year ago against tough competition. The bigger problem for them is that Hiltz just is not a true QB #2. I think they want that to be what UVA had with Shelly/Moore, but Hiltz is a pure feeder. He's a good accessory to Joey, not an initiator in his own right

As for the shot disparity, Syracuse was both playing faster and peppering the goal. They were 7s quicker on average taking their first shot in a possession - 40s in on average - whereas Maryland was taking their first shot on average 47s in. Maryland averaged only 0.78 shots per possession. In the first quarter, they had 7 shots on 10 possessions and scored 5; they were basically scoring on their first good look. In the 2nd quarter basically every possession was a turnover and they weren't getting shots off at all; third quarter onwards it became closer to what you'd expect, about a shot per possession. Cuse meanwhile was just in a shoot first mindset because, as you noted well, Maryland really took their ball movement away with Zaps shutting Spallina down and Hiltz a non-factor. Everything ran from the midfield.

I thought both teams rope units held up pretty well all things considered. That's the weakness on both teams right now; for Cuse coming into the season and Maryland after the injuries but each got some critical stops when needed and while there times where they got exposed, they also made adjustments and hung in there. If this is as "bad" as it gets for those units, I think they'll be okay. But it is the one thing holding them back right now from being pretty well stacked up.

That's how Cuse's schedule always is. Whether it best prepares them or not who knows, but nothing new

I think it's unfair to say Erksa isn't a difference maker. If his name was Millon or if he prepped at St. Anthony's, he'd be on the Tewaaraton list right now. He wouldn't win it, and he has plenty of skills to improve upon, especially close-in passing, but he's better than many of the current watch list guys. He was certainly the best offensive player on the field last night.

[nyjay]

its unreal that is two minutes unreleasable. Its a foul, but thats a lacrosse play. Ridiculous.

Don't recall seeing Schaller after that. Did they sit him?

I think they did

No he was back in the game

Didn't see him (and was looking). IL has him for 0's across the board in the box (which makes no sense given the penalty). Candidly, seemed like his removal coincided with SU playing better on offense and scoring more goals. I hope he's not in the dog house - think he makes you guys better.