From: DU Clarion
by Steve Coulter
The DU men’s lacrosse team couldn’t finish off what would have been one
of the most epic comebacks in lacrosse history, falling 14-13 in an
overtime thriller to No. 3-ranked Loyola in the semifinals of the
Eastern College Athletic Conference championship tournament this
afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
The Greyhounds survived a seven-goal comeback by the Pioneers in the
fourth quarter, when junior Scott Ratliff, a long-stick midfielder,
scored past freshman goalie Ryan LaPlante eight seconds into overtime
following the opening face-off [read entire article].
20 comments:
DU (8-6) will wait and see if its name is called Sunday night when the 16-team NCAA Tournament field is announced.
Loyola will play Fairfield in Friday's ECAC championship at Barton Stadium, with an automatic NCAA bid on the line.
The comeback was both amazing and tragic...
Loyola was a much better team through three quarters, but DU took over the game in the fourth. I've nver seen a seven goal comeback, especially against a top team like Loyola.
DU lost four overtime games this year and in two of them (inlcuding yesterday), they never even got an OT possession.
College football does OT right - both teams get a chance at possesion. College lax should look into a rule change to allow both offeneses a chance to play in OT.
Without OT DU was 8-2-4, with OT 8-6-0.
The Wisconsin hockey team currently has an unbelievable losing streak going in Overtime.
To win in OT in any sport you need a lockdown defense. Clearly DU this was DU's weakness this year.
Difference with OT rules and possessions is that you fight for possession on the faceoff instead of kicking off. Why should you get a guaranteed possession if you lose the faceoff?
Lax faceoffs are not like center-ice hockey facehoffs. Hockey goals are rarelly scored within 5-8 seconds of a center ice faceoff, but in lacrosse that happens all the time. Too often, IMHO.
DU lost two lax games in OT this year where they never possessed the ball in OT. Losing a face-off should not mean you lose the game.
I think two teams that have battled all game to a tie each deserve successive offensive possessions to deterimine a winner - much like NCAA football gives each team a shot from the 25 yeard line to win the game and to make the opposition respond to their score.
So a hockey goal scored 10 seconds into overtime is less valid?
What's the point of a faceoff in lacrosse, then? Sure, it's crappy to lose games that way but your argument comparing it to football is totally irrelevant. Winning the faceoff is a good way to avoid that situation, and you have the same chances of getting the ball as the other guy. Plus your 2 teammates on the wings helping you out.
Would you feel differently if DU had won all of those OT games?
No. I think the faceoff in lacrosse has become way too important. It's a singular one player-skill that has too much influence on a team game of possession.
If it were up to me, there would be four faceoffs per game, at the beginning of each quarter. After goals, the team that was scored on would get the ball free and clear back at the center line, like soccer.
I would also put in a 60 second shot clock that starts with clear possession. Stalling sucks.
Good luck getting any rule changes in lacrosse. The sport is run by the Baltimore elite.
I'm a lax novice so I don't have a strong opinion either way. There does seem to be two interesting sides to lax games though.
They can be super boring. Almost combining the worst aspects of football and soccer. Where in football a team can have a slow, methodical drive, that chews up 8 minutes, only to punt the ball and not score any points. And in soccer where a team can pass the ball around the perimeter of its defense forever with no real pressure from the other team.
But, it can also be super exciting with big swings possible. A team winning those faceoffs can rattle off 5 goals in short order if they are clicking on all cylinders. The up and down nature can be similar to hockey when lax is at its best. Or even the big runs that basketball teams can go on.
Baltimore elites can shove it up their ass, then. They seriously need a shot clock in this sport. I watch some lacrosse because I'm a DU fan...but my god, that passing around the perimeter can be tough sit through sometimes. Another bitching point--Tierney is obviously a legend, and we are sooooo lucky to have him at DU. But his constant scowling and bitching at the refs is annoying. What purpose does it serve? He'd be better off putting that energy into coaching his players during the game.
A google search for "Bill Tierney" and "referees" turned up this commentary on Tierney's sideline tactics: http://laxunation.com/2011/05/17/bill-tierneys-secret-to-success/
If you google "shot clock in college lacrosse," it turns up some articles which suggest that it's just a matter of time before the rules committee adds a shot clock to NCAA lacrosse. Thank goodness.
Its not just lacrosse.
"Working the referees" is huge part of college hockey and college basketball as well.
What I like about lacrosse is the momentum swings, the high number of goals and how the games seem to flow better than college hockey. Less timeouts, faster quarters and quicker games.
Also, LawPower.com has a pretty good Message Board where you can learn a lot about the game and hear from other fans around the country.
Thanks for the info, DG. I'm the one who posted above about Tierney's scowling, etc. I agree that working the refs is (unfortunately) part of the game. it's just that Tierney looks much worse doing it than Gwoz does. When you see Tierney on TV, he doesn't come across as the legend and mentor that he is. He comes across as an angry man, whose sole focus is on how bad the refs are f-ing up. He just overdoes it, and I don't think that the extra calls that he may get outweigh the negative effect that it has on the way that he comes across.
Tierney isn't going to change his stripes, so we better get used to it.
He didn't want the pep band in Peter Barton Stadium last year for the NCAA playoff game, because he didn't want them to drown out his "conversations" with the refs. :-)
And Gwozdecky has had his moments including the "March in Grand Forks."
These coaches get paid a lot of money and a huge part of that salary is tied to winning. Refs are human and can be intimidated, especially by legends like Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Bill Tierney & Gwozdecky.
Best thing we can do as fans is let the coaches coach.
Ok, but I still maintain Gwoz does it better. The march was awesome.
Pep bands suck. It's the 21st century and if your school's pep band is not an institution in of itself, there is no need to try and start a tired tradition. Trail blaze...begin with something modern and work from there...
5:46, couldn't disagree more. Modern has no personality. Close your eyes and go to any NHL arena in the country. If no goals are scored, you'll have no idea if you are in Toronto, New York, Chicago, LA or Nashville.
If the DU band plays our fight song I'll know exactly where I am. Same with Wisco, Mich, MTU, etc. It makes college unique. Something people can feel connected to.
The answer is obvious. Tierny has a little man complex. It comes from 4th grade beat ups from bigger kids in his class.
DU is squarely on the bubble for the NCAAs.
Selection show is Sunday night on ESPN.
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