Ivy League 2023

[faircornell]

I really don't think the ivy comes out of this looking bad. Michigan just ripped through the big ten tournament but needed OT to beat cornell. Yale was very competive with a highly regarded Gtown team. Princeton barely loses to a good penn st. team. Sometimes things just don't break your way.

We will certainly see some Ivy hate here, but:

2 goal loss to All Star GT team of grad transfers
1 goal OT loss to Big Ten tourney champs
1 goal loss to Big Ten regular season champs

Not the desired result, but it's not like the Ivy teams did not belong on the same field as competitors. Some great lacrosse played.

[FannOLax]

I really don't think the ivy comes out of this looking bad. Michigan just ripped through the big ten tournament but needed OT to beat cornell. Yale was very competive with a highly regarded Gtown team. Princeton barely loses to a good penn st. team. Sometimes things just don't break your way.

We will certainly see some Ivy hate here, but:

2 goal loss to All Star GT team of grad transfers
1 goal OT loss to Big Ten tourney champs
1 goal loss to Big Ten regular season champs

Not the desired result, but it's not like the Ivy teams did nit belong on the same field as competitors. Some great lacrosse played.

And taking a longer view, of the years the Ivy has played lacrosse this is the first time since 2017 that there won't be an Ivy playing in the national-championship game.

[Typical Lax Dad]

I really don't think the ivy comes out of this looking bad. Michigan just ripped through the big ten tournament but needed OT to beat cornell. Yale was very competive with a highly regarded Gtown team. Princeton barely loses to a good penn st. team. Sometimes things just don't break your way.

We will certainly see some Ivy hate here, but:

2 goal loss to All Star GT team of grad transfers
1 goal OT loss to Big Ten tourney champs
1 goal loss to Big Ten regular season champs

Not the desired result, but it's not like the Ivy teams did not belong on the same field as competitors. Some great lacrosse played.

A lot of the difference makers in the games this weekend were grad transfers. One more year before it burns off. Many of the Ivy players will be playing elsewhere next season.

[The Orfling]

Three exciting, hard-fought games; sorry the Ivies came up short but the players on Yale, Cornell and Princeton gave it all they had and represented their schools (and the Ivy League) well in 2023. Here's hoping we get equally riveting games as the tournament continues.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Three exciting, hard-fought games; sorry the Ivies came up short but the players on Yale, Cornell and Princeton gave it all they had and represented their schools (and the Ivy League) well in 2023. Here's hoping we get equally riveting games as the tournament continues.

+1

[DocBarrister]

Three exciting, hard-fought games; sorry the Ivies came up short but the players on Yale, Cornell and Princeton gave it all they had and represented their schools (and the Ivy League) well in 2023. Here's hoping we get equally riveting games as the tournament continues.

+1

Agree. Yale and Princeton fought hard on the road and Cornell had the bad luck of playing the team on the hottest streak in college lacrosse.

DocBarrister

[Lager]

I really don't think the ivy comes out of this looking bad. Michigan just ripped through the big ten tournament but needed OT to beat cornell. Yale was very competive with a highly regarded Gtown team. Princeton barely loses to a good penn st. team. Sometimes things just don't break your way.

Pretty good but to go 0 for3?? Not what we expect from those who ooze elitism. I propose the Ivies find a totally new member for their conference like the CAA did. They’re all for things like that, eh?

It was already widely accepted that this wasn't a "strong" year for the ivys. But, the ivy league showed this weekend that they were essentially on par with the "strong" big ten, or a borderline elite team like Gtown. Ooze elitism? I don't think anyone was claiming the ivy was the king of the college lacrosse landscape this spring. I'm also a Cornell fan, "blue collar ivy" if such a thing truly does exist, perhaps turn your hatred toward Princeton or Yale.

[chosen1lax]

How many Ivy teams win this weekend? I don’t know his to set up a poll.

0

wasn't it supposed to be a 1 bid league?

I just recognized that Princeton’s only Non-Ivy wins were Monmouth and Manhattan, Cornell’s best OOC was Army and Yale actually had the best OOC results with wins over Denver and Nova, both who did not make the tournament. How well prepared were the teams going into this weekend? Tough to say.

[bearlaxfan]

How many Ivy teams win this weekend? I don’t know his to set up a poll.

0

wasn't it supposed to be a 1 bid league?

I just recognized that Princeton’s only Non-Ivy wins were Monmouth and Manhattan, Cornell’s best OOC was Army and Yale actually had the best OOC results with wins over Denver and Nova, both who did not make the tournament. How well prepared were the teams going into this weekend? Tough to say.

This years ncaa reps' records resembled last year's Brown ncaa team a bit too much: Bears earned their credits in-league, with nice, but not top-tier OOC wins ('22 Villanova & Vermont.) The result was 1-and-done.
Outside of Cornell>Army, some "nice" wins this year but nothing to really instill confidence.

Princeton impressed given their injury status, just really beat up.
Cornell had high absolutely top-end talent in spots (you know the names) but depth & f/o were uneven.
Yale I don't know What the heck is up with their defense. I know there was a coaching change but I assume they didn't bring in someone who would gut a successful system, so: talent drop?

ETA: the page edited my Yale comment, replacing doubleu tee eff with "what the heck"

[DMac]

These will help you out, w*t*f, or just plain old what the phukk.

[bearlaxfan]

These will help you out, w*t*f, or just plain old what the phukk.

I always appreciate a voice of experience when I'm trying to do an end-around community standards!

[NovaLax17]

I was going to post a question on the Princeton thread, but could not find it.

Could someone please summarize the goalie situation this season? I noticed the starter this week received a lot of praise about his performance, but apparently he was not the starter at the start of the season.

[The Orfling]

I was going to post a question on the Princeton thread, but could not find it.

Could someone please summarize the goalie situation this season? I noticed the starter this week received a lot of praise about his performance, but apparently he was not the starter at the start of the season.

Princeton’s starting goalie from 2022 graduated. At the beginning of the season they platooned the goalies, playing Rakower, the Senior in half the game and bringing in Gianforcaro the junior in the second half of the game. Both played well with save percentages well above 50%. By game six or so, they went with Gianforcaro as the traditional starter. He did very well and prior to the tournament had a save percentage of 62% in the games in which he was solo/starting goalie.

[FannOLax]

...
Yale I don't know What the heck is up with their defense. I know there was a coaching change but I assume they didn't bring in someone who would gut a successful system, so: talent drop?
...

Well, I am of the opinion that Shay should hire a new Defensive Coordinator this off-season.

I also think there has been a talent drop. Several Yale defensive commits ended up at other programs. This year Yale went with a couple of two-way middies who probably weren't as good defensively as the SSDMs the Elis had through 2018.

In an off-season podcast, Shay commented that he knew the defense needed to improve. The results this season suggest that the task was not an easy, simple one.

[NovaLax17]

I was going to post a question on the Princeton thread, but could not find it.

Could someone please summarize the goalie situation this season? I noticed the starter this week received a lot of praise about his performance, but apparently he was not the starter at the start of the season.

Princeton’s starting goalie from 2022 graduated. At the beginning of the season they platooned the goalies, playing Rakower, the Senior in half the game and bringing in Gianforcaro the junior in the second half of the game. Both played well with save percentages well above 50%. By game six or so, they went with Gianforcaro as the traditional starter. He did very well and prior to the tournament had a save percentage of 62% in the games in which he was solo/starting goalie.

Thanks. I did notice that Rakower got the start early in the season. I thought it interesting that Rakower is from the same high school as a former Princeton goalie, Pancho Gutstein, whom I believe earned the NCAA Tournament MVP for the champion Tigers early in Tierney's tenure.

[Chousnake]

When does the 5th year of eligibility end? That is putting the Ivies at a competitive disadvantage

[Typical Lax Dad]

When does the 5th year of eligibility end? That is putting the Ivies at a competitive disadvantage

I believe next season is the last year of the COVID bubble….a lot of Ivy League players have remaining eligibility and will use it elsewhere.

[molo]

Congratulations to the Ivies on three tough games this weekend. All three went out hard to good teams.

[Stiffler]

I really don't think the ivy comes out of this looking bad. Michigan just ripped through the big ten tournament but needed OT to beat cornell. Yale was very competive with a highly regarded Gtown team. Princeton barely loses to a good penn st. team. Sometimes things just don't break your way.

We will certainly see some Ivy hate here, but:

2 goal loss to All Star GT team of grad transfers
1 goal OT loss to Big Ten tourney champs
1 goal loss to Big Ten regular season champs

Not the desired result, but it's not like the Ivy teams did not belong on the same field as competitors. Some great lacrosse played.

A lot of the difference makers in the games this weekend were grad transfers. One more year before it burns off. Many of the Ivy players will be playing elsewhere next season.

Totally agree with this point. GT, Mich, Hop and ND have worked the grad transfer strategy to their benefit. Not a complaint, just a fact. UMD did it last year to perfection, as well. That strategy go's away. Transfers will still happen, which is good for the kids, but they will happen as undergrads and not the extra year thrown in. That should help the Ivy's get teams back into the top 10.

[FMUBart]

Transfer portal accessibility aside, a few bounces here or there and all 3 Ivies advance to quarters...those were all great games!