[NU Sports] LAX ...

Tom Maycock tkmaycock at yahoo.com
Sat May 29 08:37:06 CDT 2010 

Briefly, the "face off" is called a "draw" in WLAX. Spence's ability to control the draw herself last night was HUGE. She hasn't done that as much lately, but did it brilliantly. Basically, you can't lose if the other team never has the ball, so winning draws, especially without any sort of scrum for a loose ball is really a big deal.

As for NUs offense, they can play any style. They aren't as good a passing team this year without Nielsen (the best assist maker in Lax history), but still have a lot of ability to move the ball around and work for shots, as well as players who are great at creating their own shots--none moreso than Katrina (how did she do that) Dowd.

You will see NU pause a lot once the get in the offensive zone, to run in subs and call plays (they sub more than many teams), but what you saw in the second half was definitely a sort of stall technique. I'm sure UNC fans were booing, because they knew they were in deep trouble. On that key possession, NU definitely took the air out of the ball. UNC had a choice--continue to play their usual safe defense (which limits breakdowns on cuts to the goal or the chances of leaving one of our attackers with a one-on-one opportunity), or go aggressive and start double-teaming the ball trying to create a turnover. 

The finally decide to attack on defense, and that's where the Cats were so spectacular--keeping the ball alive both with passing and with great movement and stick skills, until they eventually were able to pop free for a can't-pass-it-up shooting chance. 

And that was the story of the rest of the game--UNC kept having to attack on D, and the Cats made them pay time and time again, with careful ball control, lots of confidence, skills, and great coaching. Recall the late goal where Dowd was stationed behind the goal with one defender in front watching her. Finally a second defender switches off and runs toward Dowd from Dowd's left side. Katrina sees it, immediately fakes hard to her left forcing the defender to start moving in that direction, at which point Dowd cuts back right, leaves the defender in the dust and fires in a goal. Great stuff. 

The lack of a "shot clock" is a topic that comes up occasionally, as it is certainly possible to just sit on the ball late in the game, but I like it the way it is. You always have the option of attacking the ball (as UNC did), at which point it's a question of whether your defense can create a turnover without giving up an easy goal. 

I believe Maryland is generally a lower-scoring team that also gives up a lot fewer goals. The whole game will probably look more like the first half of last night's--more cautious possessions and great D. Should be fun.

And yeah, we do seem to be disliked (strongly in some cases) by the old-guard Lax world. We play too aggressive on D, we cheat by moving early, we do this, we do that, etc., etc. Jealousy basically. And boy, is it weird to be on the other side of that for a change!

Great game last night--huge performances by a lot of players, and great coaching as always. 

Tom



----- Original Message ----
> From: "CHerron604 at aol.com" <CHerron604 at aol.com>
> To: Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
> Sent: Sat, May 29, 2010 8:06:35 AM
> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] LAX ...
> 
> TOWSON, MARYLAND - Beautiful night in suburban Baltimore - Unitas Stadium  
> 
at Towson is a very nice venue, though parking (and post-match car-finding) 
> 
can  be a bit tricky.

Tickets for Friday night were $12 general 
> admission.  The crowd seemed  to 
be overwhelmingly Lacrosse 
> players, and parents with young families.

Perfect weather, some storms 
> had passed through the mountains of Western  
Maryland (unfortunately 
> while I was driving through them.

University and stadium are very 
> accesible from the Baltimore Beltway, but  
nearby hotels seem a bit 
> harder to find.

I admit to being a total Lacrosse newbie...about all 
> that I know is that we 
have won many titles in a row.

Being totally 
> new to the sport, it looked to me like NU likes to win  
face-offs, take 
> the ball behind the opponents net, the run something like a  
'four 
> corners' from basketball til they get a very good shot and take it  
> in.  
Does anybody know, has this been the coach's style all along 
> ?   It seems 
very smart, kill clock and get good shots (and fewer 
> 'apparent rules to  force 
play' seemed like both teams were willing to 
> stall)

Again, apologies for being a lacrosse novice, just my 
> observations

We definitely out-shot them, even though it was 4-4 at the 
> half.  NU  got 
two quick goals to go up 6-4 at the 28 minute 
> mark.  We traded goals  after 
that, with NU winning more serves, 
> and staying ahead on goals.

It was 10-9 with 15 to go.  Around 
> then, I heard some slight booing  
(uncharacteristic of the night's 
> crowd) when NU ran off 2-3 minutes, then closed  
with a nice shot and 
> goal.  NU ran it up to 14-9 on these face-off  
victories, 
> slowdowns and good shots.  The match ended at 15-10, but it  seemed to 
> 
this novice that NU was in control from the 15 minute mark

8762 fans 
> there, said to be the biggest crowd in NCAA womens lacrosse  
finals 
> history

Looking forward to Sunday's title game, though I would guess our 
> fans will  
be way outnumbered by Terp fans.  

GENERAL 
> QUESTIONS

- Is our 'win face-off, four corners, good shot' strategy 
> unusual ?   NC's 
goals were marked by fast breaks, 2- or 3- quick 
> passes down field, and a  
fast shot.  And the NC women were fast, 
> great at passing, and strong when  
they attacked the net.  Our 
> tactics seemed to neutralize them late,  however

- Are we (mildly) 
> disliked by the East coast lacrosse world ?  Is it  our 
tactics 
> ?  Or our recent domination ?

A recommendation to all our fans to 
> get out here for Sunday - if its a  
close drive (took me 2-2.5 days to 
> drive out from Chicago, but I took a slow  
pace).   and note 
> carefully where you parked your car.   Parking was free, 
and admission 
> only $12.  And concessions were  reasonable.  It was very 
> 
pleasant to see an NCAA championship targeted to  young people, 
> families and 
lovers of the game.

Chuck Herron - Tech '85 


> 


In a message dated 5/29/2010 5:50:28 A.M. Central Daylight 
> Time,  

> href="mailto:Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com">Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com 
> writes:

And  Katrina Dowd's late second-half goal, shot behind her 
> head/behind her 
back,  made ESPN SportsCenter's Top Ten plays (reairing 
> this morning).

The  championship game is on CBS College Sports TV 
> (613 on DirecTV) Sunday 
@ 5:30p  E.

Go 
> Cats,
Willie

-----Original Message-----
From:  
> ymailto="mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com" 
> href="mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com">nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com 
> [mailto:
> href="mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com">nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On 
> 
Behalf Of  SjT (Stephen J. Truog)
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2010 12:33 
> AM
To:  
> href="mailto:nwu-sports at tssi.com">nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: [NU 
> Sports] LAX ...

Didn't see it  posted yet, but it appears our Cats 
> got revenge on UNC 15-10 
in the semis and  will face top-seeded 
> Maryland in the national 
championship Sunday!

GO  CATS!!!
- 
> SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J.  TRUOG

> ymailto="mailto:sjtruog at yahoo.com" 
> href="mailto:sjtruog at yahoo.com">sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX 
> SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV  
> Champions!
==========================




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