[NU Sports] In the Final Four again...how about that...

[Weinbaum, Willie]

I'm hoping to attend the game tomorrow - - if any of you are going, please drop me a line.

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Roy S. Lamberton
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:30 PM
To: 'Tom Maycock'; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] In the Final Four again...how about that...

What was obvious in the loss to Maryland last year was their team speed vs our team speed.

We could play them even when we got the ball behind the net, but in the open field, those Terps were deadly.

In the one game I did get to see on the internet (Notre Dame), it appeared that we were playing a little more uptempo, and with some quicker players.

I guess everything is relative, Lacrosse is fast enough without introducing greased lightning. And it appears that the back to back losses served as a wakeup.

Have many things on tap this weekend, but will try to catch Friday's game, if nothing else but to cheer on our Ladies.

And will wear purple tomorrow.

Of course

rsl

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate & Unix Guru.
Computer Applications & Support Associates
-------------------- Also ---------------------- "Commissioner" Delaware American Legion Baseball Director Media Relations - Little League
  Senior League Softball World Series
CTR2 USN (67-70) - CTRCS USNR (Ret) (64-67/70-95) Northwestern University - Speech 1974 - Chi Phi: Pi 1974, KD 1968 Publisher Emeritus: Purple Reign (Fox Sports) ================================================
Opinions expressed above are mine alone and are not those of any organizations of which I am a member.
------------------------------------------------
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
==========  Go Cats -  Beat 'em All  ===========


-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Tom Maycock
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 4:42 PM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] In the Final Four again...how about that...

OK, I've been "lax" in commenting on the "Lax" team this year, but was prompted to post by the announcement that the Big Ten Network will be carrying the final four Women's Lacrosse games:

http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/spec-rel/052611aab.html

Much to my surprise, I had just found out via a forum thread at laxpower that CBS College Sports network wasn't carrying the final four games this year as they had in the past. So, as of this morning, the only way to watch was going to be the NCAA live internet feed (which Buffalo Wild Wings in Evanston was picking up).

Pretty sad step backward, and I was actually wondering whether there might be an opportunity for the BTN to step in, particularly given this week's news that Michigan would be stepping up their men's and women's programs to D1 over the next couple of years.

And sure enough, the BTN made it happen. First game will be tape delayed following baseball at 9:30 or thereabouts (you can still watch the stream live starting at 6:30pm Central), and then the championship game will be aired live.
Now if NU can just make it to that game!

It's been an interesting year for the Cats. We've had an absolutely miserable spring weather-wise here in Chicago, with February-esque conditions prevailing through March, April, and May (it's cold, windy, and wet out AGAIN today). The weather has been especially nasty for almost every Lax home game--horizontal snow, 30mph wind/40 degree mists, and so on. As a result, we missed several home games, and I wondered if ugly practice conditions might slow development of the team--although I think they do practice indoors sometimes.

The team started off well, winning some tough early matchups, but then struggled with back-to-back losses against fast-rising Florida and Johns Hopkins. The step backward wasn't terribly surprising, given the overall youth of this team in what is clearly a bit of a rebuilding year. To my outsider eyes, they also seemed to be lacking some of enthusiasm, and perhaps some of the vocal leadership, of past teams. Lamanto also had a shaky few games in goal, which was very unusual.

Since then, however, the defense has really started to crank it up, "Breezy"
seemed to get her mojo back between the pipes, the offense has developed a much better flow, and Shannon Smith has been on an absolute tear scoring goals and dishing out assists (Shannon *not* being named ALC player of the year may have been the best thing to happen to the Cats--I think she's scored 5 goals in every game since then).

The Cats exacted revenge over Florda in a tight conference title game, secured a hard-fought win over BC in the first round NCAA game, and then played easily their best game of the year in a complete dismantling of Albany last Saturday.
The enthusiasm seems back in a big way.

They play North Carolina on Friday--a team they beat in OT on the road earlier this year, so that's clearly a tough but winnable game. If they get by NC, it's hard to see this team upsetting Maryland for the championship, but anything is possible.

Meanwhile, Taylor Thornton has built on the pure speed she displayed last year with ever-improving skills at picking up loose balls and causing turnovers.
There's nothing more entertaining at a home game then hearing the crowd go nuts when she takes off on one of her patented end-to-end one woman clears, blowing past defenders who look like they are running in mud.

Should be fun to watch Friday's game. I just have to decide whether to watch the stream live or wait for the BTN delay.

Tom

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