GLVC 2019

[dodger29]

The second year of Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) lacrosse is proving the conference to be quick studies and a fast-growing player in the Southern division of NCAA Div 2. The USILA rankings just announced the second full member of this year’s GLVC cracking the top 20 (UIndy #9, Rockhurst #19) If you include future member Lindenwood (#14 – GLVC 2020) that makes 3 teams. Lindenwood is scheduled to play the other expected top teams in the conference this year UIndy, Rockhurst, Maryville and already have beaten Young Harris.

The question is can any of these teams manage their out of conference schedules the next couple of weeks and win games against some stiff competition?

UIndy – vs Mercyhurst 3/2, @Belmont Abbey 3/14, plus @Limestone 5/4 (already beat #3 Seton Hill in PA)
Rockhurst – @Belmont Abbey 3/2, @Limestone 3/11 (already beat #19 Lake Erie in OH)
Lindenwood – @Seton Hill 3/2, vs Tampa 3/9 (already beat #10 Colorado Mesa)

Here is how the GLVC looks:
In order of coaches’ Pre-season poll:
UIndy
Rockhurst
Young Harris
Maryville
Alabama Huntsville
Montevallo
Shorter

These three programs will start play in GLVC in 2020:
Lindenwood https://www.lindenwood.edu/about/news/d ... th-member/
Qunicy (second announcement) https://quhawks.com/news/2018/3/13/gene ... rosse.aspx
Lewis https://lewisflyers.com/news/2018/8/9/l ... coach.aspx

Of course if you have been following closely UIndy, Rockhurst, Maryville, Lindenwood, Quincy, and Lewis are all full-time GLVC members (6) and Bellarmine is out there with a Div 1 lacrosse team which is a ???? for the future according to GLVC bylaws. YHC, UAH, Montevallo and Shorter are associate members. Those southern 4 schools makes for a lot of travelling, so there will be some shuffling as the conference and D2 lacrosse grows.

[HoundsDad]

It will be interesting to see what this conference looks like in a couple of years.

[JimBeam]

The question is can any of these teams manage their out of conference schedules the next couple of weeks and win games against some stiff competition?

UIndy – vs Mercyhurst 3/2, @Belmont Abbey 3/14, plus @Limestone 5/4 (already beat #3 Seton Hill in PA)
Rockhurst – @Belmont Abbey 3/2, @Limestone 3/11 (already beat #19 Lake Erie in OH)
Lindenwood – @Seton Hill 3/2, vs Tampa 3/9 (already beat #10 Colorado Mesa)

Rockhurst and Lindenwood both looking good so far.

I think the Mercyhurst game is pivotal for UIndy. Was Seton Hill a one-off, or do they have what it takes to beat ranked teams. UIndy has been flaky in the past, and thrown games they should have won. I don't think they have ever beaten Rockhurst, and Rockhurst is showing substantially better, so far this year. UIndy lost in the regular season to Young Harris last year, and YH wasn't the team they are this year. UIndy needs to play consistently.

The teams that stay at the top of the rankings don't lose random games to unranked teams.

[HoundsDad]

UIndy responded with a big win yesterday! It was a great game played by the Hounds.

[PeteVenkman]

I've seen both UIndy and Rockhurst play. Both are for real. As far as the national scene, one gets love, the other should now start getting love. This season make for an interesting GLVC tournament.

Also, UIndy obviously will move up in the poll's, but Rockhurst, despite their 2OT loss to the #4 ranked team, should also move up in polls. We'll see.

[dodger29]

Dr. Venkman, I can appreciate where you are coming from on this post

UIndy obviously will move up in the poll's, but Rockhurst, despite their 2OT loss to the #4 ranked team, should also move up in polls. We'll see.

You are probably correct in regards to UIndy. However, pollsters have not been kind to Rockhurst the past couple of years when they've given them a spot in the top 20 and they loose. It hasn't really mattered in the past that they lost to top 10 teams or not. In fact look at this year's poll. USILA had them at #18 at the end of last season yet no mention on preseason or any of the first couple of weeks. They have to smoke Lake Erie (in OH) by 8 goals before they get the #19 spot. With teams like Assumption beating Tampa, FSC rolling Emmanual by almost 30 goals. Bentley winning their opener against NYIT. You will see some interesting things come poll time...

[JimBeam]

Dr. Venkman, I can appreciate where you are coming from on this post

UIndy obviously will move up in the poll's, but Rockhurst, despite their 2OT loss to the #4 ranked team, should also move up in polls. We'll see.

You are probably correct in regards to UIndy. However, pollsters have not been kind to Rockhurst the past couple of years when they've given them a spot in the top 20 and they loose. It hasn't really mattered in the past that they lost to top 10 teams or not. In fact look at this year's poll. USILA had them at #18 at the end of last season yet no mention on preseason or any of the first couple of weeks. They have to smoke Lake Erie (in OH) by 8 goals before they get the #19 spot. With teams like Assumption beating Tampa, FSC rolling Emmanual by almost 30 goals. Bentley winning their opener against NYIT. You will see some interesting things come poll time...

Looks like Rockhurst got the lovin' they deserved. #13 USILA

[splitdodge]

UIndy and Rockhurst are really representing for Midwest lacrosse this year... both teams are pushing to make the playoffs. Only 5-10 more years of consistency until they're considered "legit"

All jokes aside... good to see both recognized in the polls this week. UIndy at 6, Rockhurst at 13.

Dodger - totally agreed with you and thought Rockhurst was going to drop out. Is the GLVC getting... dare I say it... RESPECT?!?!

[dodger29]

GLVC in their second year, will have to earn respect like all new leagues and play well against good teams out of their conference. I am surprised that USILA would have them that high But, as a reward they get to play Limestone in exactly a week and the Saints know they are coming...

[WhiteCarrera]

Some interesting differences in the polls. The top 10 are pretty close, and most teams are within a spot or two poll-to-poll, but some are a little wacky.

Rockhurst 13 in the USILA poll, but not even in the US Lacrosse Mag poll,
St. Leo still hanging at 17 (USILA) but out of the USLax Mag poll,
Lynn not even in the USILA poll but at #11 in USLax Mag,
Mercyhurst is 11th or 15th.

And all this before the Inside Lacrosse poll comes out on Wednesday (or Thursday, whenever they feel like).

Does anyone know of a page that updates all three and stacks them side by side?

[laxmarmot]

Curious about Shorter, they seeming are holding on by a thread, ex -player announced as a Coach at the beginning of the season. 10 Sr, 4 Jr, 3 So, 4 Fr. doesn't look good for the future. The program came out of the gate looking like there was promise, but they never seemed to get things rolling after the school administration changed hands. Any one with some insight ?

[ManFeelings]

Curious about Shorter, they seeming are holding on by a thread, ex -player announced as a Coach at the beginning of the season. 10 Sr, 4 Jr, 3 So, 4 Fr. doesn't look good for the future. The program came out of the gate looking like there was promise, but they never seemed to get things rolling after the school administration changed hands. Any one with some insight ?

Hired the wrong coach in 2016 (strong senior class managed to lead them to a .500 record that season though). It’s really been downhill since then. The school itself isn’t in great shape either, with enrollment dropping every year.

[Lander2020]

GLVC 2020 You missed another incoming school Lander University out of South Carolina that will make 10 schools 5 from South when it gets to 11 or more I'm sure the GLVC Will probably split from. the southern schools

[dodger29]

Lander 2020, in Lander's announcement of adding lacrosse, there is no mention of conference that they are planning on completing. The list above is of teams that have been confirmed playing in the GLVC. Lander is currently in the Peach Belt as are a couple of current GLVC associate members. But, no word yet if Lander will be playing in GLVC...

[Pitt12]

Rough one for Rockhurst...16-3 loss to Limestone. Sundown and Bennett with big games!

[RedFromMI]

Rough one for Rockhurst...16-3 loss to Limestone. Sundown and Bennett with big games!

Also Forren in goal - 16 saves on 19 SOG. 0.842 save percentage. Rockhurst's penchance for long sniper shots mostly met by Forren's crosse if on target. Sundown (7,1), Bennett (1,4), Huyghue (1,4). Hat tricks also for Papa and Logan.

Lindahl, who has averaged 6 points per game for the Hawks before this one held to (1,1).

[dodger29]

If you've seen Rockhurst play the last few years, today was possibly the worst all around game they've played in that time. That being said give credit to Limestone, they were very good in transition. Their off-ball movement was exceptional. Saints defense wasn't giving much up other than shots from the outside (Agreed Red some of those shots were ill advised and at the Saints goalie). The Saints also go to a lot of GBs (60). It will be interesting to see if Rockhurst can get some momentum back before they play UIndy and Lindwood later in the season.

UIndy plays Belmont Abbey Thursday in NC. They looked good against Mercyhurst and Young Harris.

[RedFromMI]

If you've seen Rockhurst play the last few years, today was possibly the worst all around game they've played in that time. That being said give credit to Limestone, they were very good in transition. Their off-ball movement was exceptional. Saints defense wasn't giving much up other than shots from the outside (Agreed Red some of those shots were ill advised and at the Saints goalie). The Saints also go to a lot of GBs (60). It will be interesting to see if Rockhurst can get some momentum back before they play UIndy and Lindwood later in the season.

UIndy plays Belmont Abbey Thursday in NC. They looked good against Mercyhurst and Young Harris.

Note that that same UIndy team makes yet another journey to Gaffney, SC on May 4 (day before the selection show). And having beat the Saints for the first time last year, I expect Limestone will be ready...

[dodger29]

The GLVC sees yet another member enter the USILA top 20. Maryville joins the party at #17 tied with fellow GLVC member Rockhurst at #17.

Maryville had a good week last week winning two home games. They snatched the victory from #18 Saint Leo with a late goal to take the 13-12 win. Then they beat Lake Earie, who started the year off as a preseason #19 but hasn’t won a game in 5 attempts to date. Maryville won 10-7 against the storm. Maryville plays a very aggressive style of defense that gets a lot of turnovers. In fact, 2 of their defensemen are ranked in the top 10 nationally in caused turnovers per game with national leader Jake Socia averaging 3.44 per game. Maryville doesn’t travel outside the state of Missouri for the rest of their regular season. But, have #17 Rockhurst (4/6), #9 UIndy (4/13), and #14 Lindenwood (4/20) to finish out that schedule.

#17 Rockhurst had a difficult week going 2-1 to finish their annual Spring Break lacrosse trek across the country. In the past few years they had been travelling to Utah and Colorado. This year their trip included games in 4 states against 4 different opponents in 8 days. If you count back to the start of their season that would be 6 teams played in 6 different states with that final game being their first D2 home game. The game that sticks out in everyone’s mind was Limestone. Rockhurst came out flat and got mashed by the Saints. It was supposed to be a matchup between arguably a couple of the nation’s best scoring offenses and face-off teams with defenses that needed to prove themselves. Ultimately Limestone proved they can play defense and scorched Rockhurst in the first half. While Rockhurst played better in the second half they couldn’t catch a motivated Limestone team. Rockhurst still has the nation’s leading scoring offence and one of the best face-off winning percentage teams in the country. But, defense is a work in progress. Rockhurst is still ranked #17 in the nation in scoring defense, but Limestone is ranked #5 in that category (that looks like a championship recipe...). Rockhurst still has some meat on its schedule with #17 Maryville, #14 Lindenwood, #9 UIndy the final three weeks of the schedule. This weekend they play UAH and Young Harris, with Westminster following those games next week. But none of these three games will really help them as only Young Harris is at .500 on the season. Rockhurst will need some help to get to one of the 6 Southern region NCAA bid spots. They can help themselves by taking care of business the rest of the season.

#9 UIndy went on the road for two games and finished the week 1-1. Belmont Abbey beat the Greyhounds 13-10 in a game that the Crusaders controlled the entire time and never trailed. But, UIndy scored 4 of the final 5 goals to pull to within the 3 goal final margin. UIndy plays Lindenwood this weekend and that should help sort out Lindenwood and UIndy’s spots in the Southern region rankings. Lindenwood (who will be a GLVC member in 2020) needs a win to keep their chances alive. UIndy has tough games against #17 Maryville and #17 Rockhurst to finish their regular season as well as the GLVC championships where they will probably see Maryville and Rockhurst again. Then they play Limestone May 4th. The Greyhounds control their own destiny in the Southern region in my mind. But, are in a good spot to grab one of the 6 Southern Region NCAA bids.

Young Harris is sitting at 4-4 on the season with 5 straight GLVC games coming up on their schedule. They look to be in a good spot to grab the #4 seed for the GLVC tournament. The top 4 play at the #1 seed for the tournament championship. That would be a good finish for them.

Montevallo sits at 3-6 overall. They got a win last week against Newberry. They finish their regular season with 4 straight GLVC games. One of those is on the road at Young Harris. If they could upset YHC they could snatch that #4 seed from YHC.

UAH and Shorter are struggling with both on significant losing streaks. Shorter is winless on the season. UAH had a good win in Tennessee against a tough Lincoln Memorial squad, but couldn’t get any momentum from that win and stand at 1-5 on the season.

I am going to talk about Lindenwood in this space as they are essentially a GLVC member (playing almost all of the GLVC teams) and will be a full member next season. They have one of the tougher schedules left of the Midwest teams that are in the Southern region. UIndy this weekend at home, #13 Mount Olive (4/6 In NC), #17 Rockhurst (4/13 in KC MO), and #17 Maryville at home 4/20. They have wins over Tampa and Colorado Mesa, who at the time were ranked. But, neither Tampa nor Mesa are ranked currently. Both teams should finish the season above .500. They lost against Seton Hill and Saint Leo (remember Maryville beat Saint Leo). Lindenwood is a player in the Southern region. We just don’t know if they will be used to prop up other’s resume or be able to power to one of those 6 Southern region NCAA bid spots.

[Rick24]

Great write-up Dodger, thanks for the color. A podcast in your future? No good DII podcasts out there and one is needed!