BearLaxTraxFax 022024

goldenstateservicesj
Feb 21, 2024
6 min read

By John Nichols p’09

BLTF 022024

D-I

BEARS VS BEARS

#13 MICHIGAN (Hunter Taylor, Graham Hertzberg) 18

HOBART (Jackson Galiani) 8

Michigan never trailed in the game, but Hobart never let the Wolverines build much of a lead until the early in the third quarter when Michigan launched a big run—eleven straight goals—to put the game away. Graham scored the tenth goal in that run.

Hunter was again in goal to start the game and saved twelve of the eighteen shots Hobart put on goal.

OTHER GAMES

DARTMOUTH (Will Cohen, Cameron Brown, Zak Oehlerking) 13

Bucknell 15

Dartmouth’s troubles started early with Bucknell jumping out to a five-goal lead in the first five minutes of the game. Big Green came back with a pair of three-goal runs over the balance of the first half, but Bucknell answered each time with a pair of scores. Dartmouth pulled within two early in the third quarter the responded to a run of three from the Bison with their own run of three to stay close but were unable to overtake the Bison.

Cameron had two goals on three shots, and Will Cohen saw playing time in his first NCAA lacrosse game.

#8 DENVER (Ryan Giles) 16

Utah 8

The Pioneers levered advantages in faceoffs and shots on goal to get the win in this match of the westernmost D-I men’s lacrosse teams. Denver had a two-to-one advantage in faceoff wins and put two-thirds of their shots on goal while Utah challenged the Pioneer’s goalie with less than forty percent of their shots.

Denver used two four-goal runs, one in the middle of the first half and one over the last six minutes of the game to post the win. After that first run of four, Utah was twice able to rally with back-to-back scores, only to see Denver answer in kind.

Ryan played in this game.

HARVARD (Joey Graham) 23

Providence 7

The game lived up to its “Frosty Faceoff” moniker with an in-game snowstorm and the Crimson honored the occasion with a scoring avalanche, outscoring Providence 15-1 from the end of the first quarter into the early minutes of the fourth. Harvard had significant advantages in possessions with better than two-to-one advantages in faceoffs and ground balls, which yielded similar advantages in shots and shots on goal.

Joey played in this season opener.

HOBART (Jackson Galiani) 11

Colgate 16

Colgate wrapped a pair of three-goal runs around the Statesmen’s lone first quarter goal to build a five-goal lead. Hobart trimmed Colgate’s advantage to three on four occasions over the balance of the game, but each time Colgate managed to hold off the threats. Colgate iced the game with a four-goal run across the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth.

#13 MICHIGAN (Hunter Taylor, Graham Hertzberg) 21

Canisius 5

Michigan started the game with a seven-goal run, then after Canisius got their first goal of the day, Big Blue came back with eight more. The pace of scoring moderated in the second half. Canisius put just eleven shots on goal in the game while Michigan put eleven shots on goal in the first quarter.

Hunter started and played into the third quarter, facing just eight shots on goal from Hobart, and saved five. He also had two ground balls and a caused turnover. Graham assisted on the Wolverine’s twentieth goal of the game and put two shots on goal.

NAVY (JT Thomas III, Preston Lugar) 5

Towson 17

The Middies suffered their first loss of the season as Navy’s attack was off target in this game, putting just sixteen of thirty-eight shots on goal (42%). Towson’s shooters were far more accurate, placing two-thirds of their shots on goal. The Tigers also had a ground ball advantage.

OHIO STATE (Cullen Brown) 10

Bellarmine 6

Bellarmine scored first, but the Buckeyes recorded six straight before Bellarmine got their second goal of the day early in the third quarter. Ohio State struck back with four in a row which Bellarmine answered in kind to close of the game.

Cullen started on defense for Ohio State.

OHIO STATE (Cullen Brown) 12

Air Force 4

The Buckeyes pitched a 4-0 shutout in the first quarter and never surrendered back-to-back goals to the Falcons to take this non-conference tilt. Ohio State improved to 4-0 to start the season and made their first appearance in the USILA D-I poll in the twentieth slot.

Cullen was tied for the team’s lead with five ground balls and caused one turnover.

#18 PENN (Stephen Bou) 9

Georgetown 12

After a shaky start to the 2024 season, the Hoyas came out ready for the Quakers. Georgetown tallied five first quarter scores and allowed none to Penn. In the second quarter, Penn got the better of it early on with a three-goal run, but Georgetown stopped that run with a pair of scores and led by four at the break. Penn cut that lead in half to start the second half, but the Hoyas answered with three straight scores. Penn again trimmed that Georgetown advantage to two with a three-goal run early in the fourth quarter but could get no closer.

#9 YALE (Jake Cohen) 13

Villanova 11

Yale built a five-goal lead in small increments across the first three quarters of the game, but Villanova countered all that work with a run of five straight scores in the middle of the second half. Yale stopped that run with a single score the ‘Nova tied the game up again midway through the final period. The Wildcats could do no more damage as the Bulldogs closed out their season opener with a pair of goals to get the win.

D-I USILA POLL (2/19)

1. Notre Dame

2. Duke

3. Virginia

4. Maryland

5. Army

6. Cornell

7. Denver

8. Syracuse

9.Johns Hopkins

10. Yale

11. Princeton

12. Penn State

13. Michigan

14. Delaware

15. North Carolina

16. Richmond

17. Rutgers

18. Bryant

19. Georgetown

20. Ohio State

D-III

#14 DENISON (Will Savoy) 8

#3 RIT 22

Denison scored first, but RIT was not deterred and answered with ten straight goals. Big Red was largely undone by a strong Rochester goalie and far too many penalties and man-down goals.

#5 DICKINSON (Will Single) 10 OT

#18 Stevens 9

Dickinson pitched a 3-0 shutout in the first quarter, but Stevens finished off the first half with three straight scores, leaving the game tied at five all at the half. The Red Devils opened the second half scoring with three quick goals late in the third. As in the first half, Stevens came right back with three straight to tie the game again. Dickinson took the lead back with ten minutes left in the game and seemed to have the win locked up until Stevens tied the game at nine all with just thirteen seconds left on the clock.

The Red Devils won the overtime faceoff and had three good scoring opportunities, but couldn’t cash in. Stevens’ opportunity was short lived, turning the ball over without getting a shot off. Dickinson did not waste their second chance, scoring on their first shot of their second chance overtime possession.

Will had four ground balls and two caused turnovers. The first turnover he forced led to Dickinson’s first goal of the game (and season!).

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY (Owen Hegadorn) 24

Southern Virginia 8

The Tigers took an early 4-0 lead and kept piling on in the first half, not allowing successive scores to Southern while manufacturing their own mini-runs of two or three scores. Southern got the first, and as it turned out only, back-to-back scores of the day to start the second half. Hampden-Sydney suppressed that uprising with four straight scores.

Owen had a turn in goal, making one save while allowing one goal, which was statistically the best performance for all the goalies.

OHIO WESLEYAN (Quinn Laughlin) 8

Grove City 10

Grove City led 3-0 after the first quarter and the Battlin’ Bishops were playing catch up all day. Ohio Wesleyan rallied in the fourth quarter with three straight scores, but time ran out before they could fully close the gap. The teams’ offensive opportunities were nearly equal, but Grove City’s goalie was a wall, saving two-thirds of the Bishops’ shots.

#7 WASHINGTON & LEE (Will Bou, Will Abramson) 15

#15 York 16

This season opener for both teams was close throughout. Neither team could go ahead by more than two goals in the first half. The Generals worked their way to a three-goal lead in the middle of the third quarter then York answered with the only sizeable scoring run of the day—four goals in four minutes—to take the lead back. W&L tied the game up again early in the final period, but York scored a pair and had the lead once again. The Generals got their last score of the game seven seconds left in the game. They won the final faceoff but could not get to goal before the final horn sounded.

Will Bou took five faceoffs in the game, winning one and collecting one ground ball.

D-III USILA POLL (2/19)

1. Salisbury

2. RIT

3. Tufts

4.Christopher Newport

5. Dickinson

6. Gettysburg

7. Middlebury

8. RPI

9. Bowdoin

10. York