UMass dominates MLax, 14-10

[mat1992 2,235]

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/lacrosse/bs-sp-college-lacrosse-towson-men-fall-to-massachusetts-20190413-story.html

https://towsontigers.com/news/2019/4/13/strong-finish-falls-short-for-no-9-mens-lacrosse.aspx

Towson has played one of its worst halves of lacrosse in years at home. UMass taking advantage with a 10-2 halftime score. Defensively, UMass is just shredding us with crisp passing and beating every short stick middie on dodges. Offensively, horrible shot selection, nothing inside and just aimless scheme. Only four turnovers but this game looks over at the half. Towson a complete no-show for a huge game at home. 

[mat1992 2,235]

Just complete domination by the Minutemen. I don't know what else to say about this one but the at-large hopes are probably over. Now they have to win the tournament, most likely on the road, assuming they make it. Delaware on the road next week is a must-win. If they play anywhere close to this, they will get waxed.

[mat1992 2,235]

Made it a little closer but you can't play five minutes of good lacrosse and expect to beat anybody. Final UMass 14-10.

[RundaPower 153]

Puke.  Got exposed against Jacksonville and have been bad since.  

[mat1992 2,235]

I really think there's a lack of talent on offense, but there's no excuse to come out that flat on Senior Day. Everybody is up to play a team that was once No. 1 and was 2-0 in the CAA and you can't match that intensity? The shooting was horrific all day. You have a 5-11, 270 pound goalie who can't move that well but is saving everything at his stick or higher. Maloof went 0-for-11 and most shots were high. The kid couldn't save the low bounce shots and well neither could Canto today, although he made a few spectacular saves.

Defensively, I was in shock of how poorly we played. Give a lot of credit to UMass. Their passing and ball movement was crisp and their middies were super quick. That got buy our shorties too easily. Special teams were horrible. The man-down unit has been very good until this game. Man-up, we almost always end up taking a long shot for some reason. Signs of a poor passing team that lacks a legit feeder ala Ryan Drenner/John Blatchley/Spencer Ford/Ryan Obloj. I think Monahan is the best passer on the team but he was stifled today. Entire midfield was save for the third unit when they brought in Drew Laundry and Sovero and Tim Montgomery took over for Brody McLean late in the game. 

As Quint Kessenich said about a week ago, Towson is just another team without Woodall and Canto. Woodall was not great today and Canto needed to stand on his head to win. 

 

[mat1992 2,235]

 

[TUvet 19]

Not to be arrogant but I posted that after watching on-line UMass vs Yale,  a game in which Umass outplayed Yale I knew this was going to to be a tough one to win. What worried me was UMASS's Myers would give Woodall a tough time. We were also losing games when were were winning faceoffs like 24-5. Not a good sign. Woodall got the better of him but Myers was competitive.  Maloof's shot selection has always been poor. He is pretty athletic but they have to reign him in. Umass was more explosive and quicker in the midfield. Expect everyone to shoot low on Canto after today. 

I agree with Quint but you have to add Goodrich into that equation. We have arguably the two of the best if not the best  in the country at their positions (Woodall and Goodrich) and there is a chance we may not even make the CAA playoffs.   I also like Koby Smith but the rest of the team is pedestrian. The entire offense really has a difficult time getting separation. Delaware and Drexel are going to be tough games.

Edited April 14, 2019 by TUvet

[mat1992 2,235]

3 minutes ago, TUvet said:

Not to be arrogant but I posted that after watching on-line UMass vs Yale,  a game in which Umass outplayed Yale I knew this was going to to be a tough one to win. What worried me was UMASS's Myers would give Woodall a tough time. We were also losing games when were were winning faceoffs like 24-5. Not a good sign. Woodall got the better of him but Myers was competitive.  Maloof's shot selection has always been poor. He is pretty athletic but they have to reign him in. Umass was more explosive and quicker in the midfield. Expect everyone to shoot low on Canto after today. 

I agree with Quint but you have to add Goodrich into that equation. We have arguably the two of the best if not the best  in the country at their positions (Woodall and Goodrich) and there is a chance we may not even make the CAA playoffs.   I also like Koby Smith but the rest of the team is pedestrian. The entire offense really has a difficult time getting separation. Delaware and Drexel are going to be tough games.

Agree although the team was just not ready to play. There was no intensity and really hasn't been the past few weeks. That's on the coaching staff. The midfield was just plain awful today. Shot selection, lack of speed. Sovero should play more because he can at least shoot and has a very hard shot when it's on target. If we don't make the CAA playoffs, this will be one of the strangest seasons of any program in the history of the CAA. How the eff do you go from No. 1 in the nation, to smoking Hopkins, beating Loyola and then getting crushed at home on Senior Day. I'm starting to question Nads a bit. Last season was a bit of a fluke because of the suspension to Mazza and the losses of Drenner, Seider and Lynch. But at some point, you have to replace those guys. And now Sunday, Woodall, Monahan, and Maloof are all gone. They refused to add to the offense by adding a transfer, which was desperately needed on offense. Probably two. 

They still have a chance to run the table and host the tournament. If they don't make it, it will be one of the biggest downfalls in this program's history. But I think they take at least one. Woodall should be fine, Canto was pretty good today despite the score but sure, he struggled against the long worm burners.

As for Maloof, I don't it's just shot selection. It's shot placement. Go high to low or low to low. Not just try to hit the high corners. Sunday is a pretty darn good player. Monahan and Maloof have their moments. I was hoping that Greg Ey could be that Mike Lynch-type that could break defenses down with his speed. He's not there yet; maybe next season. The other guys are just marginal. We really need more dynamic offensive players and a guys that are more efficient passers.

[TUvet 19]

I like Monahan a lot. Not great speed but has excellent vision. Agree with you on Sunday as well. Sunday is not a good feeder, l but a good shooter and knows how to use his body. Ey has some speed and Sovero was their best middie last year. UMass's top 6 scorers return next year.  We lose 3 of our top 5 plus Woodall and Goodrich.

The transfer portal has me worried. I see Burke from Fairfield just transferred to Utah. He is a stud. Before this year high school or club coaches could call college coaches and tell them one of their former players is looking to transfer. Things could be in place for the transfer once the release was obtained.   Now the recruiting opens up again once they are in the portal. I don't think the portal works to Towson's advantage.

 

[mat1992 2,235]

I never liked Monahan at midfield. I think he should have played from behind the net on attack. Maybe move Fromert to midfield. I don't know if people noticed today when Brody McLean was somehow caught up on defense and got beaten badly for a goal.