If You're Watching the Games...

In Faulkner's classic "As I Lay Dying," each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different narrator. TFBO2F will do something similiar with a couple games of the week--we will try to tell people of the different lacrosse strata what to keep an eye on. This week we focus on what casual fans, young players and ardent fans can watch in the Duke-Georgetown and Johns Hopkins-Virginia games, plus a quick word on Navy-Colgate.

DUKE at GEORGETOWN
When: 11 a.m., Multi-Sport Field
Tickets: $8. Parking: Free.
Records: Blue Devils 8-0, Hoyas 3-2.
What to watch: Casual Fan
What is happening this year with Duke is fairly unprecedented in college sports. Five players took advantage of an NCAA ruling granting them an extra year of eligibility after the 2006 season was ended after eight games following allegtions, later proven false, of the rape of an exotic dancer at a team party. The Blue Devils have played with an edge all season; they are flying around the field and playing up-tempo from start to finish.
What to watch: Young Player
Duke senior A Matt Danowski (#40). He is considered the best passer in college lacrosse; he had a bounce pass for an assist in a 6-4 victory over Georgetown last year. Passing has become a lost art in college lacrosse; Danowski is a throwback (no pun intended). He also is a hard rider and works hard off-ball. A complete player.
What to watch: Ardent Fan
Why is Georgetown sophomore MF Andrew Brancaccio (#8) playing so much defense? Brancaccio (8 goals) is one of the hardest shooters in lacrosse and is particularly dangerous on extra-man offense (four goals). Yet he has been caught on defense at least a half-dozen times in each of the games I have seen this year (Maryland, Syracuse, Delaware). The Hoyas have a strong shortstick defensive midfield--at least one opposing coach thinks junior SSDM Chris Taylor (20) is the team's best player. It is needless for Brancaccio to be caught on defense; if he gets stuck today, expect Duke to exploit it immediately.

JOHNS HOPKINS at VIRGINIA
When: 4 p.m., Klockner Stadium
Tickets: $9
Records: Blue Jays 3-2, Cavaliers 8-0.
What to watch: Casual Fan
Johns Hopkins's worst season in recent memory--a 9-5 finish in 2006--was clinched in part because of problems clearing the ball, i.e. getting the ball from defense to offense. The Blue Jays cleared 76 percent of the time, their lowest since 1996. Some of those problems are coming back. The longsticks are trying to clear the ball by themselves, but they are not particularly athletic. Senior D Eric Zerrlaut had two failed clears in the fourth quarter of a 14-13 overtime loss to Syracuse last week. Late in 2006, the Blue Jays used senior MF Garrett Stanwick (4) as the designated clearer, and he played in that role late against the Orange. The problem is if there is a failed clear, Hopkins has one less longstick on the field to play defense. The Cavaliers are a strong riding team (see below) and any they will focus on exploiting the clears today.
What to watch: Young Player
Virginia senior A Ben Rubeor (6) is an excellent riding attackman. He accounted for two goals in a 7-5 victory over Johns Hopkins last year with rides. Two years ago, he finished with more short-handed goals than all but a handful of teams. He also tends to make good decisions in the open field. In an 11-8 victory over Syracuse last year, Rubeor eschewed a fast-break opportunity midway through the fourth quarter and instead realized working the clock was more important.
What to watch: Ardent Fan
Virginia freshman GK Adam Ghitelman (35) isn't very tall (5-feet-6) and he tends to crouch in the cage. The Blue Jays, meantime, almost always shoot high. They try to pick corners because they are so confident in their touch, but also because if the ball goes high or wide, one of their players is always ready to back it up. Ghitelman had better be ready.
Also--the Blue Jays have gotten very little production from their third starting attackman. Freshman Kyle Wharton (42) scored an extra-man goal last week on a 12-yard shot; he has good size (6-2, 195) and might be the answer, though I still think junior Tom Duerr (27) can get the job done.

And a quick note on NAVY at COLGATE (Sunday, noon, CSTV). Navy's third midfield accounted for four goals in a 13-4 victory over Lehigh earlier this month. Yet that midfield--junior Sean Standen (2) and freshmen Brian Striffler (27) and Kevin Doyle (29)--did not play against Bucknell. Navy's best teams are those that use at least 30 players. Did the third midfield not play against Bucknell because the heavy rains made substitutions difficult? Or has Coach Richie Meade shortened his playing rotation?

By Christian Swezey |  March 22, 2008; 8:32 AM ET
Previous: Glading Questionable to face Johns Hopkins | Next: Georgetown's First Win Over No. 1

Posted by: george | March 22, 2008 08:54 AM

Posted by: george | March 22, 2008 08:54 AM

Posted by: absurdlaxer | March 22, 2008 09:22 AM

Posted by: COMMISH | March 22, 2008 11:06 AM

Name:

Comments: