Lacrosse Falls to ND, now 4-1
Lacrosse hung around for a while against the 5th ranked Fighting Irish, but couldn't withstand a big run by ND to put it away. Early in the 2nd half Michigan was down 7-5 but couldn't keep it close. Michigan never scored after that and were shut out in the 4th. Our boys only managed 14 shots on goal which won't get it done against a team like ND. They also turned it over 18 times, including 6 botched clears which isn't good. Final score was 16-5.
Michigan was not supposed to win this game, so it isn't a terrible loss. But I would've liked to have seen them keep it closer - for most of the game it wasn't more than a 3 goal lead. They need to learn how to finish out games and learn how to hang with strong teams.
The good news is that Ian King became the program's all-time points leader by tallying 2 assists. In other good news- the schedule gets a little easier too - they go on spring break next weekend and take on Mercer and Furman who are struggling. It would be nice to come back from that trip with a 6-1 record. The bad news is that Penn and UMBC, who they play when they come back, look like much tougher outs now.
Here's hoping today was just a minor bump on the road to a good season. Go Blue!
February 26th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
I very much dislike ND for all of the reasons.
February 26th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^
Record wise they're on track to be have their best season since turing D1 but I don't follow the sport enough to know if that's more due to scheduling or if the program is actually getting better.
February 26th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
February 26th, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^
Is that they will still be looking for the big wins for a bit. JP is a good coach, but the overall talent level is still below the top tier of NCAA lax. They will get there eventually, but I don't think this is the year.
February 26th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
Down 3-0 mid-1st quarter
February 26th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^
I don't follow lacrosse all that closely but was wondering with the new facility coming when can we expect to field a team that can compete for the national title? It seems the current coach is in over his head. I mean it's Year 6 and the program has gone nowhere. I get its hard to start a program from scratch but Penn State hockey has shown it's far from impossible. I am encouraged about the start this year but from reading others comments it sounds like that was to be expected.
February 26th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^
Michigan won't be relevant or compete for titles until we get a real D1 coaching staff. JP is a good dude that cares a lot who is in way over his head, just like Hoke. Talent isn't the issue now, so new facilities won't change anything. Until JP goes we will have teams oozing with talent that lack the basic, fundamental skills that you need to beat good teams with good coaches.
February 26th, 2017 at 2:45 PM ^
I know a few guys who played lacrosse here when it was a club sport who have told me the exact same thing.
Any coaching candidates out there that you think might be a good fit? How much longer does the current staff get?
February 27th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
I played on the club team for a while. JP is a good guy, he's a decent coach, obviously he got the team to where it is now from being a typical club team back in the day. I would say that if he had the talent on the team he might be able to go somewhere, but generally think if they want to be a top tier program they need to take a step up in the coaching department.
February 26th, 2017 at 2:18 PM ^
3-1 nice dodge and goal 6:13 left
February 26th, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^
3-2! 4:02 left in 1st - not bad
February 26th, 2017 at 2:24 PM ^
via the ACCNetwork. Those unis look sharp. Never understood why the lacrosse team has dabbled with helmets that don't feature the wings
February 26th, 2017 at 10:12 PM ^
Yeah the uniforms are better than last year - don't look bad at all. We always had wings on the helmet back in the day - I hear ya - they should always feature the wings!
February 26th, 2017 at 2:28 PM ^
Seems like with a good faceoff guy (whatever their position is called) and the fact that you can get your own shot back (by being closest to the ball when it goes out the back?) and there being no real shot clock that you can possess the ball for an eternity. I saw one of Michigan's games live the 1st year we were D1 and it didn't feel like we possessed the ball for most of the game
February 26th, 2017 at 3:37 PM ^
February 26th, 2017 at 4:21 PM ^
February 26th, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^
February 26th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^
February 26th, 2017 at 3:11 PM ^
February 26th, 2017 at 3:23 PM ^
Seems like he's making a ton of saves. This could be far worse than 10-5
February 26th, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^
Watched the first half of the game on the free stream, and I had to stop watching as what I was seeing was an atrocity against exciting lacrosse.
Yes, ND is an established team that has been very good for quite some time. But from what I saw today their vaunted defense is not so vaunted this year. They will be fighting for an at large spot this year, and will likely have to thank a down year in the ACC for making the tourney. (We'll see if NC, UVa, and 'Cuse bounce back in March/April.)
This team has talent. Not deep or elite yet, but talent. King and Noseworthy are the real thing on attack. I saw MANY opportunities for M to score in the first half. King seemed to be able to get himself matched up on a shortie with impunity, which should have spelled trouble for ND. But off-ball movement was rare, so he usually had to dodge to the goal himself out of those situations. Even when he had his defender hung up. Early on he dodged toward the goal, got doubled, and skipped a pass up top, only to have it roll away from his team mate. That can't have inspired confidence.
Ball movement was slow and sloppy. No crispness, so no getting ND on a carousel. Those 18 turnovers? How many were passes thrown right at ND sticks?
Defensively, they held up OK in 6 on 6 in the first half, but any unsettled situation resulted in a goal for ND. No recognition of the urgent need to find their assignments, get back in the hole, and stop the ball.
This is not a well-coached team.
February 26th, 2017 at 10:44 PM ^
I'd say that if they could have kept the deficit to 5 this wouldn't be a bad loss. But its a bad loss. ND is down, so I don't see this result as being an improvement.
They will beat Mercer and Furman, which will take them to 6 wins. With the kind of play they had today they will lose to UMBC and Penn, and the only chance of a win in B1G play will be OSU. The other 4 teams will pound them. So maybe a chance at 7 wins?
February 27th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
Correction: They go to Mercer this week and they play on Thursday at 7PM. Looks like they'll be some live video too.
The rest of the schedule looks tough as hell now. Newest (Week 3) poll is out and Michigan has 4 out of the top 5 on the slate (including #4 ND).
http://www.insidelacrosse.com/league/di/polls/17
Terps are co-#1s right now. Hopkins is up to #3 after dismantling defending champs UNC, and Penn State has crept up to #5 (undeserved in my opinion - they'll drop).
Penn Quakers are up to #8 now and Michigan also faces #14 Rutgers and #17 Ohio State later in the season. Looks like B1G is the best conference in the country right now. Michigan is the only B1G not currently ranked.
This is simultaneously the easiest and hardest schedule in the country. Weird.