UNC v. Denver -- NCAA Quarterfinal

[wlaxphan20]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

They can try, but will likely switch back to what they were doing before. It will be hard for teams to do it as effectively as Denver can. Coaches should coach to their players strengths, not just imitate other teams.

[Seacoaster(1)]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

People said this when the backer first came out. People said this when JMU won the title. Didn’t happen then. Playing a good zone aint easy. Playing an aggressive pressure zone is even harder.

Don’t like the zone? Figure out how to beat it. I saw very little adjustment tonight.

Totally agree. Coaching and teaching a zone is hard; getting players to maintain their discipline and shape is really hard. I thought UNC should have caught 2 or 3 SS calls and gotten to the line, but the refs deemed Denver players close enough. Hard to argue. Denver stayed composed and disciplined, and won. Finis.

[jff97]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

They can try, but will likely switch back to what they were doing before. It will be hard for teams to do it as effectively as Denver can. Coaches should coach to their players strengths, not just imitate other teams.

That's what I think coaches should do too, but you see it all the time in other sports that coaches try to see if what really good teams do can work for them.

[Laxfan500]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

Last years unc team would have beaten them even with their zone. This years team looked over matched . Their top scoring player did nothing. They took some dopey shots . And sconnone needs to take that shot at the end. It’s her bread and butter

[DMac]

Is Denver's zone any/much different than Cuse's (which, btw, was mighty pretty to watch today)?

[Womenslaxxfan]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

People said this when the backer first came out. People said this when JMU won the title. Didn’t happen then. Playing a good zone aint easy. Playing an aggressive pressure zone is even harder.

Don’t like the zone? Figure out how to beat it. I saw very little adjustment tonight.

I don’t disagree that it’s effective. What I’m saying is it’s incredibly boring to watch and makes an otherwise exciting game boring. It’s currently allowed so I don’t blame Denver for creating the best one I’ve seen.

Doesn’t mean I don’t think the game would be better off if zones were illegal. As I’ve said elsewhere, the inability to shoot through a crowd makes women’s zones much tougher to crack than men’s. If north could stand 15 yards out and just crank, she’d break any zone. But she can’t.

I’m glad Denver is in the final four. It’s exciting. But their game isn’t.

[Bart]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

People said this when the backer first came out. People said this when JMU won the title. Didn’t happen then. Playing a good zone aint easy. Playing an aggressive pressure zone is even harder.

Don’t like the zone? Figure out how to beat it. I saw very little adjustment tonight.

I don’t disagree that it’s effective. What I’m saying is it’s incredibly boring to watch and makes an otherwise exciting game boring. It’s currently allowed so I don’t blame Denver for creating the best one I’ve seen.

Doesn’t mean I don’t think the game would be better off if zones were illegal. As I’ve said elsewhere, the inability to shoot through a crowd makes women’s zones much tougher to crack than men’s. If north could stand 15 yards out and just crank, she’d break any zone. But she can’t.

I’m glad Denver is in the final four. It’s exciting. But their game isn’t.

I wasn’t bored at all. I can appreciate the fantastic teamwork to be that effective playing that zone.

Would you be saying the same thing if DU put 12 in and won 12-4?

[Seacoaster(1)]

Is Denver's zone any/much different than Cuse's (which, btw, was mighty pretty to watch today)?

In my opinion, Denver's is better. They stay in shape rigorously, and are really difficult to move and induce any rotation. It operates like a really connected organism. They'll be a tough, tough out. A Northwestern-Denver game would be a physically demanding and depleting match.

[Womenslaxxfan]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

People said this when the backer first came out. People said this when JMU won the title. Didn’t happen then. Playing a good zone aint easy. Playing an aggressive pressure zone is even harder.

Don’t like the zone? Figure out how to beat it. I saw very little adjustment tonight.

I don’t disagree that it’s effective. What I’m saying is it’s incredibly boring to watch and makes an otherwise exciting game boring. It’s currently allowed so I don’t blame Denver for creating the best one I’ve seen.

Doesn’t mean I don’t think the game would be better off if zones were illegal. As I’ve said elsewhere, the inability to shoot through a crowd makes women’s zones much tougher to crack than men’s. If north could stand 15 yards out and just crank, she’d break any zone. But she can’t.

I’m glad Denver is in the final four. It’s exciting. But their game isn’t.

I wasn’t bored at all. I can appreciate the fantastic teamwork to be that effective playing that zone.

Would you be saying the same thing if DU put 12 in and won 12-4?

They scored 10 against usc and 8 against Albany. No chance they score 12…

[Bart]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

People said this when the backer first came out. People said this when JMU won the title. Didn’t happen then. Playing a good zone aint easy. Playing an aggressive pressure zone is even harder.

Don’t like the zone? Figure out how to beat it. I saw very little adjustment tonight.

I don’t disagree that it’s effective. What I’m saying is it’s incredibly boring to watch and makes an otherwise exciting game boring. It’s currently allowed so I don’t blame Denver for creating the best one I’ve seen.

Doesn’t mean I don’t think the game would be better off if zones were illegal. As I’ve said elsewhere, the inability to shoot through a crowd makes women’s zones much tougher to crack than men’s. If north could stand 15 yards out and just crank, she’d break any zone. But she can’t.

I’m glad Denver is in the final four. It’s exciting. But their game isn’t.

I wasn’t bored at all. I can appreciate the fantastic teamwork to be that effective playing that zone.

Would you be saying the same thing if DU put 12 in and won 12-4?

They scored 10 against usc and 8 against Albany. No chance they score 12…

I know that. It’s a thought experiment. If they had a more effective offense and won 12-4 would you have been bored?

Northwestern is playing a zonr right now. Are you bored with that game?

[watcherinthewoods]

WHAT was that call on Denver?!?!?! BWW clearly PLOWED through the pick ... flattened the Curry with her feet set and position established ... and the ball went to UNC!?!?! WTH!?!?!

can't set a blind pick. not like bball.

Was not blind ... she was facing the player. Horrible call.

[DMac]

Doesn’t mean I don’t think the game would be better off if zones were illegal. As I’ve said elsewhere, the inability to shoot through a crowd makes women’s zones much tougher to crack than men’s. If north could stand 15 yards out and just crank, she’d break any zone. But she can’t.

Man, I really don't agree with that. Being much harder to crack than the men's adds a lot to the beauty of the women's game, I think. There's a lot of ball movement, pretty passing trying to move that zone, get it out of sorts and slip through it. The Denver-UNC game was a game the likes of which is rarely seen. I like watching a good zone operate.

[watcherinthewoods]

Not sure what "rule change" folks would like to see. Defense wins championships.

Both teams stuck with what bought 'em to the party and Denver's MO won out.

Next.

[user1020]

No need to change the rules at all, especially to benefit potential fans. Again that seems to be a common thought…change the rules for the benefit of potential fans and hurt the current game and fans. I love watching the Denver defense. It is beautiful lacrosse and it would pain me to somehow make it illegal in the hopes that someone new will become a fan.

[Womenslaxxfan]

It feels like this win will only encourage more teams to play zone and try to grind it out like Denver. Obviously you need a certain amount of talent to do it, but the blueprint is now there.

People said this when the backer first came out. People said this when JMU won the title. Didn’t happen then. Playing a good zone aint easy. Playing an aggressive pressure zone is even harder.

Don’t like the zone? Figure out how to beat it. I saw very little adjustment tonight.

I don’t disagree that it’s effective. What I’m saying is it’s incredibly boring to watch and makes an otherwise exciting game boring. It’s currently allowed so I don’t blame Denver for creating the best one I’ve seen.

Doesn’t mean I don’t think the game would be better off if zones were illegal. As I’ve said elsewhere, the inability to shoot through a crowd makes women’s zones much tougher to crack than men’s. If north could stand 15 yards out and just crank, she’d break any zone. But she can’t.

I’m glad Denver is in the final four. It’s exciting. But their game isn’t.

I wasn’t bored at all. I can appreciate the fantastic teamwork to be that effective playing that zone.

Would you be saying the same thing if DU put 12 in and won 12-4?

They scored 10 against usc and 8 against Albany. No chance they score 12…

I know that. It’s a thought experiment. If they had a more effective offense and won 12-4 would you have been bored?

Northwestern is playing a zonr right now. Are you bored with that game?

I’d rather watch them both play man. That’s just my opinion. I think it would be a more fun game to watch.

[thedisciple516]

I’m sorry. This is a terrible product. If the jmu/denver zone philosophy spreads more widely, NOBODY other than die hard womens lax fans (meaning us crazies in this forum) will watch this on tv. I’m in a bar in a non hotbed. People are watching for 5 minutes and then asking the bartender to turn this to golf replays.

The rules committee needs to consider how to ensure the game is exciting…

Because this is not. And I love women’s lax an unreasonable amount…

It's going to take more than an increase in goals to get the general public interested in NCAA women's lax. It most likely will never happen. Punishing Denver because they came up with something effective is ridiculous. Kudos to the Denver players and coaching staff for making it work.

[DMac]

If both teams were playing m to m those people in the bar would have said the same thing because they have absolutely no idea, or appreciation, for what goes on on a wlax field. Did they say they liked the draw or did they say they need to do away with that too? If the keepers of the game start listening to and tailoring the game for the bar crowd/casual fan you can say good bye to wlax and start watching the girls play sixes with helmets and gloves on. I don't care what the bar crowd/casual fan thinks about wlax, the game is fantastic just the way it is. There's a bit of a learning curve in understanding the game but that's fine by me. Those same fans who are b*tching about the game would sit and watch a sixty minute football game in which you get about fifteen minutes of football that takes nearly four hours to play. Don't give a damn about the bar crowd/casual fan. Most sports bars have several TVs so they can go find one that has golf on when the wlax game comes on.
Was at a bar not no long ago when this game came on and everyone was immediately grabbed by the game, all eyes were on the TV. What can we do to make wlax more like this and grab everyone's attention?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy8zUBkd-8U

[laxfan22]

Geez. One low scoring game and the “let’s change the rules” crowd is out in force. It’s OK to have a low scoring game. Frankly it’s a hell of a lot more interesting to watch some games have defense as opposed to a 17-15 game.

[Sunnylax]

WHAT was that call on Denver?!?!?! BWW clearly PLOWED through the pick ... flattened the Curry with her feet set and position established ... and the ball went to UNC!?!?! WTH!?!?!

can't set a blind pick. not like bball.

Was not blind ... she was facing the player. Horrible call.

yes it was and she was not given room to move. so not horrible

[Madlax59]

WHAT was that call on Denver?!?!?! BWW clearly PLOWED through the pick ... flattened the Curry with her feet set and position established ... and the ball went to UNC!?!?! WTH!?!?!

can't set a blind pick. not like bball.

Was not blind ... she was facing the player. Horrible call.

yes it was and she was not given room to move. so not horrible

At the end it seemed to me that UNC’s lack of experienced players, no one willing to step up, and poor game planning by levy/McCool doomed the heels . #14 on D a weak link all season. But overall D and goalie did their jobs . Only player willing to muscle through to score was long. Next year they get the top recruit and don’t lose any key players . In theory they should be good.