BEARS LAX TRAX FAX 02052023

BEARS LAX TRAX FAX 02052023

BY JOHN NICHOLS

LET THE GAMES BEGIN…

John Geppert of Maryland was the first Landon Bear to record a goal this season, scoring in transition after a saved Richmond shot!

Cullen Brown of Ohio State was the first first-year Landon Bear to see D-1 playing time in Ohio State’s win over The Air Force Academy.  He also had the honor of being the first Bear in the penalty box.

GAME RECAPS

Denver (Ryan Giles) 12

Utah 4

These two teams faced off to start the 2022 seasons and that game was close to the final horn, as the Pioneers held on the win 14-13.  This year’s contest was far more one sided.  Denver got the first three goals of the game but Utah managed to hang with them until midway through the third quarter when Denver took off with a run of six unanswered goals to finish off the game.

Ryan had one ground ball to help Denver gain possession off a second quarter face-off.

Maryland (John Geppert) 15

Richmond 4

John Geppert’s goal was not just the first for a Bear this season, but the first for the Terrapins as well.  That score unleashed a salvo of Maryland scores, thirteen in all over the first three quarters, interrupted by a single score for the Spiders.  Maryland overwhelmed the Richmond with frequent and precise shooting while Richmond took more shots, they were far less accurate and more likely to end up in the goalie’s crosse.

In addition to that first goal of the season, John added an assist, a pair of ground balls and a caused turnover.

Navy (JT Thomas III, Preston Luger) 13

Mount Saint Mary’s 7

The early season rust showed in this game as both teams had trouble finding the back of the cage in the first half.  For Navy, it was not due to a lack of chances, just a lack of accuracy but for the Mount, it was more of a lack of chances.  The pace of scoring picked up in the second half when Navy scored three times in the first five minutes of the second half.  The Mount pulled within two midway through the fourth quarter then Navy closed out the contest with four unanswered goals.

Navy (JT Thomas III, Preston Luger) 19

Queens University 5

Queens is new to D-I lacrosse having moved up from D-II last year.  Navy showed little of a hangover from the previous day’s win over Mount Saint Mary’s as the Midshipmen scored a dozen times in the first half while giving up none.             The Royals got their first goal as a D-I team in the third quarter then quickly followed it up with their second. 

JT saw playing time in the game.

Ohio State (Cullen Brown) 15

Air Force 7

The Buckeyes have moved out of the Shoe and into their new stadium for men’s and women’s lacrosse.  Ohio State dominated on face-offs and had a two-to-one edge in ground balls but seventeen turnovers blunted their advantage in possessions a bit. 

Cullen saw his first playing time in the game, ending up in the penalty box in his first outing as a Buckeye.  Fortunately, his mates did not allow a man-down goal over the penalty time.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES

More teams come online this weekend with Michigan (Graham Hertzberg and Hunter Taylor) traveling to Charlottesville to face Virginia and Hobart (Jackson Galiani) hosting Canisius.

the 3 Bears mentioned in a preseason scrimmage

Also:

Denver (Ryan Giles) Denver (Ryan Giles) visits the Air Force Academy

Maryland plays at Loyola

Navy (JT Thomas, Preston Luger) travels to Hofstra

Ohio State (Cullen Brown) hosts Cleveland State

POLLS–Preseason

Inside Lacrosse/Media

1.      Virginia

2.      Maryland

3.      Georgetown

4.      Cornell

5.      Notre Dame

6.      Princeton

7.      Yale

8.      Duke

9.      Rutgers

10.  Penn

11.  Ohio State

12.  Delaware

13.  Harvard

14.  Boston U.

15.  St. Joseph’s

16.  Brown

17.  Denver

18.  Jacksonville

19.  North Carolina

20.  Richmond

USLIA

1.      Maryland

2.      Virginia

3.      Georgetown

4.      Cornell

5.      Notre Dame

6.      Princeton

7.      Duke

8.      Yale

9.      Penn

10.  Rutgers

11.  Ohio State

12.  Delaware

13.  St. Joseph’s

14.  Boston U.

15.  Harvard

16.  Brown

17.  Jacksonville

18.  Denver

19.  Richmond

20.  North Carolina

Nike/USA Lacrosse

1.      Virginia

2.      Maryland

3.      Georgetown

4.      Cornell

5.      Princeton

6.      Notre Dame

7.      Duke

8.      Yale

9.      Penn

10.  Rutgers

11.  Ohio State

12.  Brown

13.  Denver

14.  Delaware

15.  Harvard

16.  Boston U.

17.  North Carolina

18.  Jacksonville

19.  Navy

20.  St. Joseph’s

Division III rosters are not set yet and that schedule kicks in in early March.  More on D-III in futures editions.