If You're Watching...

Navy at Maryland
Tonight, 8 p.m., Byrd Stadium
Tickets: $8 adult, $5 student.
Parking: Free
Records: Midshipmen 8-2, Terrapins 7-2

What to watch if you're a casual fan
Both teams use three midfield lines, which is relatively rare in Division I lacrosse. Maryland's third midfield features senior Will Dalton (#31), junior Robert Morrison (#6) and sophomore Adam Sear (#12). The unit has combined for 14 goals, though some of those have come from Dalton off faceoffs. Navy's third midfield features junior Sean Standen (#2); he has six goals this year. In what is expected to be a close game, points from unlikely sources may sway the outcome. It's what former college football coach Bill Curry calls "hidden yards" in football.

What to watch: Young Player
There are several LSMs who excel in the open field tonight. Maryland sophomore Brian Farrell (#37) has the green light to shoot on most fast-break situations. Yet he does not force the issue: In his career, he has 10 goals on 19 shots.

Navy's longstick midfielders also are good in the open field, in particular sophomores Zack Schroeder (#51) and Jaren Woeppel (#45). They don't appear to have the same "green light" as Farrell but they tend to make good decisions about getting the ball to the correct attackman. Junior Geoff Leone (#34), a shortstick defensive midfielder, also makes very good decisions in the open field. And in particular, watch him on groundballs. He is the best TFBO2F has seen at Navy in that skill since Steve Looney.

What to watch: Ardent Fan
Navy sophomore Basil Daratsos (15) broke out of a season-long slump with two goals against Georgetown last week--even though he was benched early in the game after he was stripped by Barney Ehrmann on Navy's opening possession.

Daratsos (4 goals on 29 shots, 13.8 percent) had off-season surgery on his knee. As CBS College Sports analyst Paul Carcaterra noted in a broadcast earlier this year, Daratsos has had a hard time regaining his form and power on his shot because the knee injury has made both the planting of his feet and the follow-through with his hips a little dicey. Keep an eye on how he moves tonight--especially if it is wet--on his follow-through on his shooting motion and the accuracy of his shooting. TFBO2F was in attendance when Graham Gill entered a game against Maryland shooting around 13 percent and finished with the winning goal in the final seconds in 2005.

By Christian Swezey |  April 4, 2008; 3:41 PM ET
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