UVA LACROSSE 2021

[molo]

Like that first half attack unit of Shellenberger, Moore, and Bertrand.

[molo]

Like that first half attack unit of Shellenberger, Moore, and Bertrand.

[molo]

Of course, giving 1 and 41 some runs at mid enhances their chances for individual accolades.

[courtdog]

Wow, beat down. Cavs are so dangerous with all those weapons.

[10stone5]

FYI,
Villanova football has begun play,

https://villanova.com/news/2021/3/6/foo ... pener.aspx

[PATalk]

Is Mike Bienkowski injured?

[molo]

I wondered the same thing. He hasn’t played this year after seeing some time with the first middies last year.

[ohmilax34]

I wondered the same thing. He hasn’t played this year after seeing some time with the first middies last year.

Have the expectations of the coaches for the midfielders changed much since the end of the 2019 season? Certainly Ryan Conrad was a unique player who got lots of two-way middie runs. Did the coaches try to plug someone in to that role? Did they change how they play to eliminate that role since Conrad was so unique? Are they still trying to figure out how they want to play?

[molo]

Conrad was an offensive middie who took most of the shortstick wings in 2019 after playing more dm in 2018. This year they are using a combination of ssdms--basically all but Fox--and offensive middies on the shortstick wings on face-offs. Where in 2019 Conrad and Aitken were in on most offensive possessions with a rotating supporting cast, this year they are running more attackmen--Shellenberger, Betrand, Cormier, Laviano--at offensive midfield as well as attack. Garno is the "true" middie on the first unit, and Aitken is often the only natural middie on the second. It's not clear whether it's a change in philosophy or just an acknowledgment that Conrad was a rare example of a full service middie in today's era of specialization. What is clear this year is that a team that had led the nation in gbs is no longer doing so. The half field set is reminiscent of Team Canada, who ran four and five attackmen at a time, which is much easier to do with international rules.
In the shot clock era, I think it pays to have middies who can play both ends of the field--dms who can score in transition, offensive mids who are not a liability when stuck in on d. I will say that two of the natural attackmen who play a lot of midfield--Shellenberger and Bertrand--are athletic enough that they are good wing men and can hold their own on d. Cormier and Laviano, on the other hand, are clearly natural attackmen. Laviano, an excellent rider, holds his own on d but is more effective on the crease or righty wing on o, and Cormier lacks the speed to play much d.

[stupefied]

Conrad was soooo good in college . Thought he was UVA MVP . Did he discontinue playing IN PLL?

[Dip&Dunk]

What is clear this year is that a team that had led the nation in gbs is no longer doing so. Shellenberger and Bertrand--are athletic enough that they are good wing men and can hold their own on d.

+1

I believe as deep as UVA is, they will face the issue his coaches have faced since first grade: how do I play Shellenberger to keep him on the field as much as possible.

I am not handing Duke or UNC the trophy yet. Impressive as they are, I believe UVA’s best lax is still ahead of them. Underdog is a great spot for them to be in.

[ohmilax34]

What is clear this year is that a team that had led the nation in gbs is no longer doing so. Shellenberger and Bertrand--are athletic enough that they are good wing men and can hold their own on d.

+1

I believe as deep as UVA is, they will face the issue his coaches have faced since first grade: how do I play Shellenberger to keep him on the field as much as possible.

I am not handing Duke or UNC the trophy yet. Impressive as they are, I believe UVA’s best lax is still ahead of them. Underdog is a great spot for them to be in.

I really like it when coaches find unique ways to use a player with unique skills.

[wahoomurf]

Rocky Point Pete carries the day.Rode as well.Another sloppy win.Turnovers,clearing,inability to defeat the double,shot selection? What's going on?

[HowieT3]

Rocky Point Pete carries the day. Rode as well. Another sloppy win. Turnovers, clearing, inability to defeat the double, shot selection? What's going on?

The poor play on the doubles was particularly frustrating to me. No one seemed to be talking. No one was coming to the ball so the player could pass out of it. 1-shot possessions. 0-shot possessions due to unforced turnovers because we couldn't pass and catch. We're making mistakes that a middle school team doesn't make.

[molo]

I know the depth chart varies by the hour, but against RM, Shellenberger, Moore, and Cormier played attack, first midfield was Bertrand, Aitken, and Laviano. These middies saw time on the second unit: Conner, Dickson, Quinn, Harris, McIntosh, and Garno, who was still on EMO with the starting attack, Bertrand, and Laviano.
After scoring three goals, will Aitken replace Garno in EMO? Against ACC competition, will we see more balanced midfields, or will we see a heavy dose of the first with limited runs by the second and third groups without someone from the first?

[molo]

IL named Conners to its midseason AA first team and Shellenberger second as a middie. Moore, LaSalla, Kology, and Aitken received HM. Along with Aitken, the ssdm from OSU and the FOGO from Denver were named HM as players who were probably considered likely candidates for first team but have missed some games.

[molo]

According to the Sun, Richie Evans, UVA AA defenseman who later owned the Aquarius in DC and the Crease in Towson, has died at 79 of Covid.

[Dip&Dunk]

I know the depth chart varies by the hour, but against RM, Shellenberger, Moore, and Cormier played attack, first midfield was Bertrand, Aitken, and Laviano. These middies saw time on the second unit: Conner, Dickson, Quinn, Harris, McIntosh, and Garno, who was still on EMO with the starting attack, Bertrand, and Laviano.
After scoring three goals, will Aitken replace Garno in EMO? Against ACC competition, will we see more balanced midfields, or will we see a heavy dose of the first with limited runs by the second and third groups without someone from the first?

Starting line up = .30 * (How well player is performing) + .15 * (Matchups versus oppostion) + .14 * (Keep opposition guessing) + .51 * (Health of player)

How well player is playing = Lax "WAR" where WAR measures a player's value in all facets of the game by deciphering how many more wins he's worth than a replacement-level player at his same position

Match ups versus opposition = player's ability to execute coaches' game plan given opposition's strengths and weaknesses

Keep opposition guessing = difficulty in scouting/preparing for your team when using multiple looks from multiple line ups in multiple situations

Health of player = Best ability is availability

To transition from strating line up to game in progress lines: Add a dynamic substitution coeficient also based on above factors with the addition of a live game WAR (think SSDM keeps getting backed down by bigger middie forcing you to go larger or opposition is only running one line on a hot day, etc.)

And finally, no plan survives the starting whistle.

In other owrds, we can guess but we will never know all the factors that go into the decision of who plays. We see correlation not causation.

[blue angels]

It will be interesting to see the defensive matchups against Duke. Saustad as a #1 at Close would normally take the Princeton transfer but with his size, you could also make the call to mark the Duke star Frosh attack as well. Virginia has Kology at 6’4 225 and Bower at 6 3” 215 so there are some options for them. It will be a tough assignment regardless