NCAA Lax Semis - Cornell 11 @ Duke 12 (FINAL)

Game on

1st
1-0, CU, Mitchell (Pittard), 11:57
1-1, DU, Crotty, 5:01
2-1, CU, Clayton, 4:45
2-2, DU, Danowski (Crotty), 2:28
3-2, CU, Bartlett (Pittard), 1:24
3-3, DU, Greer (Danowski), 1:04

2nd
3-4, DU, Ross (Lamade), 4:55
3-5, DU, Greer (Quinzani), 1:16
3-6, DU, McKee, 1:02
3-7, DU, O'Hara (Ross), 0:28

3rd
3-8, DU, Greer (Danowski), 9:04
3-9, DU, Crotty, 6:09
3-10, DU, Krom (Greer), 3:46
4-10, CU, Mitchell (Seibald), 2:23
5-10, CU, Corbolotti, Mike (Pittard), 1:11
6-10, CU, Mitchell (Finn), 0:35

4th
7-10, CU, Mitchell (Pittard), 13:08
7-11, DU, Ross, 11:21
8-11, CU, Clayton, 11:13
9-11, CU, Pastirik, 8:11, EMO
10-11, CU, Lewis, 6:20
11-11, CU, Clayton, 0:17
11-12, DU, Greer, 0:03

I was about to start this thread saying pretty much the same thing. The white-haired pudgy guy on the right is particularly annoying. Luckily, he won't be calling the game or doing color duties.

Ugh, blah, me too.

On the humorous side, during the "oh poor Duke, they've had to come from such adversity" 15 minutes, one commentator said something like "Well, even if Cornell loses some small part of them is going to be cheering Duke on"...implying that even Cornell players were rooting for Duke to overcome their problems. The other commentator gave him a "what are you smoking look" and said something like "I think when Cornell takes the field the only thing they are going to thinking about is beating Duke".

I mean geez, in 15 minutes of pre-game, that was the first mention of Cornell...all the rest was a recap of Dukes problems and all they've been through...and how the whole country is rooting for them to bounce back, blah, blah, blah.

Let's Go Red!

CK

Can't expect anything else. Duke is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ESPN.

Only one way to shut everybody up...

So has ESPN basically forgotten Boiardi as an inspirational story for Cornell? This would have been his senior year, right?

yes, they have.

and max is down.

And Duke starts the game by cheap-shotting Siebald. Nice work from the emotional favorites.

Mitchell!! LGR!

jtwcornell91
So has ESPN basically forgotten Boiardi as an inspirational story for Cornell? This would have been his senior year, right?

No, he was a senior when he passed away. This year's seniors were freshmen then though.

[beaten to the punch]

DeltaOne81
No, he was a senior when he passed away. This year's seniors were freshmen then though.

That must be what I was thinking of.

There's the reference, over 9 minutes in.

Not forgotten, apparently. 21 gets the mention.

Still seems like we're never the inspirational story, but always the opponent. Going back to Erich Segal.

Goal! 2-1! Go miscellaneous other team playing valiant Duke!

is Seibald back?

Fred is confusing me by counting backwards.

underskill
is Seibald back?

Yep, he came back pretty quickly.

Is it me or is the team committing just too many turnovers?

Let's go red!

jtwcornell91
Fred is confusing me by counting backwards.

Goal times? Im just taking whatevers on the screen. Its the weekend, no math for me

Whoa, their players had rape charges against them? How come no one ever mentioned this before?

min
Is it me or is the team committing just too many turnovers?

Let's go red!

Thusfar, yes. Duke gets credit too, but we cant keep doing that. On the other hand, amazingly, two face off procedures have gone against Duke, not us.

jtwcornell91

underskill
is Seibald back?

Yep, he came back pretty quickly.

Apparently just had the wind knocked out of him.

Bartlett!

I like our sustained pressure and lots of shots. Wish there were a few more on goal or in goal shots though

Liz '05
I like our sustained pressure and lots of shots. Wish there were a few more on goal or in goal shots though

Well said. We're trying to slow it down which is understandable, but can't make many opportunities at the moment.

Liz '05
I like our sustained pressure and lots of shots. Wish there were a few more on goal or in goal shots though

hear, hear!

this is going downhill...

Gotta give a lot of credit to Duke, but we've also made some defensive mistakes, and taken a lot of low percentage shots

DeltaOne81
Gotta give a lot of credit to Duke, but we've also made some defensive mistakes, and taken a lot of low percentage shots

And when we get it alone in close, we've got to put it in. Missed at least three shots right on the crease.

I'm a Lacrosse neophyte, so take my observations with a grain of salt, but this just doesn't look like the team that we've been watching all year. And I don't meen that in a talent sense, because until the last minute, they didn't look overmatched. But they're not pushing the pace and the ride isn't there. It's as if Cornell is more concerned with keeping the ball out of Duke's sticks then they are of playing to the strengths that lead them to 15 and 0.

A lot of low percentage shots and some very sloppy passing. It is one thing to have the other side get their sticks in the passing lane, but we keep flicking the ball casually and having it land right in the web of their longsticks. That 2d Q was awful.

Worst moment of the half, though, was ESPN being so desperate to show highlights of Quessinich that they missed a Duke rush up the field and only turned the cameras on in time for Greer to throw his arms in the air. Bleh.

Al DeFlorio

DeltaOne81
Gotta give a lot of credit to Duke, but we've also made some defensive mistakes, and taken a lot of low percentage shots

And when we get it alone in close, we've got to put it in. Missed at least three shots right on the crease.

That too. Loftus is amazing but not that amazing. Some of it is on us to hit the corners.

Oh well. Our offense is sucking today. We haven't scored in 30 minutes. Loftus made some great saves, the Duke D is very impressive, and we try to make one-man plays from 80-degree angles.

Alright, let's keep playing like that. Show some life, the game is far from over, we can beat them.

We can win this game. Stay calm and play clean.

DeltaOne81
Oh well. Our offense is sucking today. We haven't scored in 30 minutes. Loftus made some great saves, the Duke D is very impressive, and we try to make one-man plays from 80-degree angles.

I like the new theory of trying to shoot more straight on. It seems to be working.

Actually, I think what we mostly need to do is make Loftus make the saves. Kind of like what ugarte said, but not necessarily avoid him, just throw more balls at him. He won't save everything, and we need everything we can get.

Wow

I so thought that was going to overtime. Such a comeback, and so close! dammit

DeltaOne81
Wow

Yeah.

3 seconds...hard to believe

"Cornell..they could have stepped back and they didn't"

It was tied you dumbfuck.

French Rage
"Cornell..they could have stepped back and they didn't"

It was tied you dumbfuck.

He meant that when we were way down we could've given up, but we didn't. At least that's how I heard it. I'm not sure what you took offense to.

Oh man. How disappointing. A great, great, great 4th quarter and it all comes undone on one play. The team wasn't prepared to play defense and gave Duke space on a play when they just needed to create havoc for a short time.

Enough negativity. That team showed more guts and talent in that quarter than I could possibly have imagined. I was thisclose to checking to make sure I wasn't watching Friday Night Lights: Lacrosse. Incredible comeback and I'm not going to let the final score ruin it for me.

ugarte
That team showed more guts and talent in that quarter than I could possibly have imagined. I was thisclose to checking to make sure I wasn't watching Friday Night Lights: Lacrosse. Incredible comeback and I'm not going to let the final score ruin it for me.

Remarkable effort.

I don't think I can take another last second Cornell loss in a playoff game...between what just happened and the recent OT losses in hockey I think I'm going to stop rooting for Cornell. Wait a minute, what the hell am I saying? I still love this school with a passion, I know that my children will never be allowed to go to Harvard (at least for undergrad), and I wish I could have been there to witness this game. Until next season... Let's go Red!!!!

ugarte
Oh man. How disappointing. A great, great, great 4th quarter and it all comes undone on one play. The team wasn't prepared to play defense and gave Duke space on a play when they just needed to create havoc for a short time.

Enough negativity. That team showed more guts and talent in that quarter than I could possibly have imagined. I was thisclose to checking to make sure I wasn't watching Friday Night Lights: Lacrosse. Incredible comeback and I'm not going to let the final score ruin it for me.

Agreed. Can't wait for next season.

I feel like Charlie Brown right now... UUUGGGGGGGHHHH!

What is it with us and letting Duke get major leads? Two years ago and this year. If we hadn't forgotten how to dish a pass in the 2nd & 3rd quarters... alright, alright... but an incredible effort to come back. Its a shame our D wasn't set on the semi-transition play and had a short-stick covering Greer. But they should be very very proud of themselves, lets just play the whole game next year

And thank you Seniors

DeltaOne81
Its a shame our D wasn't set on the semi-transition play and had a short-stick covering Greer.

I think Nathan was covering Greer the entire game.

Just in from watching with some friends. What a game. What a comeback. Duke's heartbreaking goal was only so heartbreaking because of Cornell staying focused and staying in the game and rallying so well. I hope some media portray this as a comeback that fell just short and not the destiny of 'America's team'. What a truly great season to be proud of.

tough loss after an amazing comeback. two entire different 3rds of the game. cornell and duke looked good with cornell looking better in the first part of the game then a dismal duke domination during the middle 30 minutes then cornell dominated at the end. duke has a bunch of people who can score and doubling up greer to give someone else an uncontested shot would have been a mistake. i had expected them to collapse inside to allow the low percentage distance shot so as not to give greer a good look but he made the play to allow the shot.
excellent season, had hoped for the story book ending to a great come back.

USILA All-America teams announced:

1st team: Seibald, Belisle, McMonagle

2nd team: Pittard, Mitchell, Glynn

HM: Moyer

Hewit made second team over Loftus, which would not be how I'd have voted.

Complete list here: [www.laxpower.com]

Sun writer's game blog: [cornellsun.com]

Well, when people ask why we are called the "Big Red" we can tell them it refers to the blood from our hearts being broken on sudden defeats in major athletic contests.

What a game! I watched this while rowing a marathon and almost fell off the rowing machine when Cornell tied it up. I admit, I did get worried when it reached 10-3.. I have learned that goals come quickly in this sport, but I thought that was an almost insurmountable lead that Duke built up. What a great effort by the team. The sequence in the last minute where they had the ball but lost it, then got it back really showed this team's heart and tenacity.

I was worried about this match up, it is very hard to beat an opponent three times in a row over a relatively short period of time.

BTW, has anyone heard from Hillel? He seems to be the one of the biggest fans of the team and he must be crushed.

I was at the game today and have so many emotions; but perhaps most of all I am so proud of this team's effort today facing daunting odds. I have every belief that had we gotten to OT we would have pulled this off, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Al DeFlorio
Sun writer's game blog: [cornellsun.com]

Excellent job. I too was intrigued by Tambroni's use of Finn, Pastrick and Corbolloti in the second half. It surely worked to get us back into the game.

scoop85
I too was intrigued by Tambroni's use of Finn, Pastrick and Corbolloti in the second half. It surely worked to get us back into the game.

Good experience for them, too. Lot of holes to fill next year.

I just got back from Baltimore (it's a long round trip from CT in one day!). What an emotional roller coaster, especially in the last 17 seconds. The effort we gave to come back in the second half was incredible. I was even more impressed with the team after the game, as they deliberately went to three different sections of Cornell fans, and then the pep band, saluting each group. How many big-time college sports teams would take the time the do that after such a heartbreaking defeat? I am so proud of this wonderful group of players.

As for the game itself, we committed too many turnovers during Duke's mid-game run, and each one seemed to come back to haunt us. Our transition defense was also poor for much of the game, including the last 17 seconds. But we also let two Duke players with long sticks score transition goals. It was a bad omen we failed to score on a 3-on-1 breakaway in the opening seconds. But given all that, we staged a remarkable comeback, and Mitchell kept us in the game on a day when Seibald was nowhere to be found for much of the game (perhaps due to injury from two weeks ago, or from the cheap shot hit he took from a Duke player in the opening minute of Saturday's game?). We also did an excellent job on faceoffs, although we desperately needed one more with 17 seconds left. Danowski and Greer are an amazing offensive duo for Duke, and we couldn't shut them down when we had to.

Even so, it turned out to be a great game and I'm glad I was there, sweating it out in more ways than one. The best part of our comeback was watching the stricken looks on the faces of the Duke fans in the section near me. It left them speechless for once!

Hillel was at the game with a young son in tow so he may be torn between being a good father & today showing the lad aroud Baltimore vs. trying to get on line and provide a postmortem for us.

Now that I have had a night to mull it over I realize this was a half and half game. Half the game Cornell controlled (the bookend quarters for the most part) and the middle was controlled by Duke. I am also half depressed Cornell lost by a goal on what was effectively the last play of the game, but also half tremendously impressed that they rallied from 7 goals down to even force it to come down to the last play.

At least this is what I'm telling myself.

Rita
BTW, has anyone heard from Hillel? He seems to be the one of the biggest fans of the team and he must be crushed.

I'm alive and well and enjoying Baltimore, lacrosse, and life in general.

That comeback was one of the greatest moments in Cornell sports history; I feel privileged to have witnessed it in person.

My son cried and cried when Duke took a 7-3 lead. He spent most of the third and fourth quarters slumped in my lap, inconsolable. He said that he just knew Duke was going to win when it was 10-3. We told him that they wouldn't give up. And they didn't. Sure, he started crying again a few minutes after Greer scored the game-winning goal and he realized that Cornell had lost, but it a learning moment on a near-biblical scale. Too bad Mastercard has ruined the word "priceless." There are times when no other word will do.

Hillel Hoffmann

Rita
BTW, has anyone heard from Hillel? He seems to be the one of the biggest fans of the team and he must be crushed.

I'm alive and well and enjoying Baltimore, lacrosse, and life in general.

That comeback was one of the greatest moments in Cornell sports history; I feel privileged to have witnessed it in person.

My son cried and cried when Duke took a 7-3 lead. He spent most of the third and fourth quarters slumped in my lap, inconsolable. He said that he just knew Duke was going to win when it was 10-3. We told him that they wouldn't give up. And they didn't. Sure, he started crying again a few minutes after Greer scored the game-winning goal and he realized that Cornell had lost, but it a learning moment on a near-biblical scale. Too bad Mastercard has ruined the word "priceless." There are times when no other word will do.

Glad to hear you are okay and I hope your son recovers from his broken heart soon (and does not have plans to be a Cubs fan!). It took me a good week after the 3OT loss to Wisconsin.

Some observations:

I was sitting near some Duke fans in the corner behind one of the Cornell sections. At one point, after Duke scored #11 in response to our first streak of comeback goals, one of them said that the good teams have a way of taking things into their own hands. We scored again within seconds of that that. I think his comment covers both teams.

We all knew that this was one for the ages. We also both agreed that it would be really unfortunate if whoever won the game let down on Monday. Hmmmm?

Lastly, they commented that the Cornell fans were impressive in volume and number. I agree. There was a lot of red in that stadium. It was impressive to see.

I am so proud of the guys on the team. In Tambroni we trust.

Rita
...It took me a good week after the 3OT loss to Wisconsin.

You got over that in a week? I am still working on the UNH game from 2003. that first goal of ours was so not a high stick.

Roy 82

Rita
...It took me a good week after the 3OT loss to Wisconsin.

You got over that in a week? I am still working on the UNH game from 2003. that first goal of ours was so not a high stick.

Well, a week to get out of the "funk of disbelief" and to get my voice back. I still think about the "what ifs".

I just experienced one of the most disappointing things ever. I hadn't seen the game (somehow my parents thought that a little thing like a degree ceremony was more important than me watching the game) so I had a friend of mine record it for me. I finally settled down to watch the game tonight. Long story short... the video ended at the 1:24 mark of the 4th (I believe it was a commercial break for a timeout) so now I have roughly 8gigs of video that managed to leave out the most important part: the amazing (if crappy) finish. Are there any copies of the last few minutes floating around or will I be forced to wait for a rebroadcast that may or may not ever happen?