Cornell lacrosse 2024

CU77

BearLover
So, if margin of victory/loss isn’t part of the selection committee’s criteria, what *is* their criteria? And why in the world would it be preferable to going purely based off of RPI?

Official criteria are pretty goofy (see below), and IMO they are not preferable to straight RPI. Also the committee usually seems to start with straight RPI anyway and then muck around from there, since the official criteria are essentially incomprehensible. But it used to be much worse: prior to 2009, "strength of schedule" was officially the most important criterion, and Cornell was often screwed by that (2007 being particularly egregious, and in fact the impetus for the later change).

DIVISION I SELECTION CRITERIA:
The committee will utilize the following criteria to select and seed teams:
• Strength of schedule index.
• Results of the RPI.
- Record against ranked teams 1-5; 6-10; 11-15; 16-20; 21+
- Average RPI win (average RPI of all wins)
- Average RPI loss (average RPI of all losses)
• Head-to-head competition:
- Results versus common opponents.
- Significant wins and losses (wins against teams ranked higher in the RPI and losses against teams ranked lower in the RPI).
- Locations of contests.
• Input from the regional advisory committee (comprised of lacrosse coaches from all AQ conferences).

[www.ncaa.com]

These criteria are extremely goofy and frankly unfair. RPI already factors in nearly all of these things. It is a function of SOS and winning percentage. Therefore, for the committee to double-count these criteria (SOS, record against teams of a certain rank, etc.) is totally nonsensical.

Also, let’s say Cornell and Penn both play the #1, #30, #31, and #60 teams. Penn beats #1 and #60 and loses to #30 and #31. Cornell’s outcomes are the exact opposite. RPI weights these results as equal, as it should. But from the above criteria, the committee would say Penn’s record is more impressive, because they had a “significant win” and Cornell had a “significant loss.” This is absurd! They played the exact same schedule and both went 2-2.

Balancing these various criteria is
impossible and, as you say, how to weight each criteria is incomprehensible.

I guess I shouldn’t take for granted the fact that making the NCAA hockey tournament is totally objective.

Everything I read Cornell wins and they are in
Lose and We are better off with Yale winning game 1 to have a chance to get in.

Swampy

Trotsky

billhoward
And the non-stars will support Cornell lax as alumni.

I wonder if we have ever had a guy on the lax team, or really any person on any Cornell team, only because they were rich AF and being groomed as a future money hose.

Look at recent years to see which guys majored in business and went on to work on Wall Street. Then go back and eliminate the ones who started during their last year as a player. And you'll have a pretty good answer to your question.

I don't know as it's that's cold and transactional: You admit my barely competitive kid, we'll be generous. Athletes are competitive and that can extend to their business careers. A lot go to Wall Street, some wind up doing well, some of the some are generous to their alma mater. Others may also provide college internship opportunities that give them a leg up going into the business world. It's not just athletics. The band I believe has out of its way to help band undergrads find internships and jobs. The Daily Sun has tried to help undergrad journalists but there are few riches to be had in that field.

Interesting article about Chayse Ierlan ‘22 and his itinerant brother.

Five finalists for the men's and women's Tewaaraton Trophy. A couple weeks ago there was discussion that Notre Dame's Pat Kavanagh and Cornell's seemed the front-runners. The list of finalists out May 9 has Kavanagh but not Kirst.

Kirst had 45G, 22A, 67Pts in 14 games, or 4.8 ppg. He had a reasonable 4-3–7 in the season ending game at Dartmouth but only 0-1-1 in the Ivy tournament loss to Penn. Kirst is listed as a senior but with his 2021 (freshman) season cancelled to Covid, he's only played 3 years for Cornell.


Men’s Tewaaraton Finalists
Matt Brandau, Yale
Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame
Pat Kavanagh, Notre Dame
Brennan O’Neill, Duke
Connor Shellenberger, Virginia

Women’s Tewaaraton Finalists
Chase Boyle, Loyola
Ellie Masera, Stony Brook
Izzy Scane, Northwestern
Madison Taylor, Northwestern
Jackie Wolak, Notre Dame

NCAA first round weekend of 5/11/24

[edit add:] Notes on the weekend: All 8 top seeds won. Closest were two Sunday games by margins of 3, Hopkins over Lehigh but game in doubt most of the way, Georgetown over Penn State, Towson led Syracuse 9-8 at the half and it wasn't until the third quarter there was more than a one-goal lead; in the last 20 minutes Towson imploded and/or Syracuse got lucky on every ground ball / loose ball / errant pass. I thought Princeton was on a roll after the ILT weekend but fell apart against the Terps.

Only one Northeast team survives to the quarterfinals, plus midwest Notre Dame and Rocky Mountain Denver. For sure there'll be The South Has Risen stories from secessionist-state newspapers.

---

All four top seeds won Saturday. The Ivies' only hope, Princeton, got doubled by Maryland, 16-8. Princeton's Coulter Mackesey held to a goal and 2 assists; goalie Michael Gianforcaro was 36% on saves.

Saturday
St. Joseph's at Virginia  Virginia 17-11
Utah at Duke              Duke 19-7 
Michigan at Denver        Denver 16-11
Princeton at Maryland     Maryland 16-8

Sunday 
Lehigh at Hopkins         Hopkins 13-10 close most of the way
Penn State at Georgetown  Georgetown 12-9
Albany at Notre Dame      ND 14-9
Towson at Syracuse        Syracuse 20, Towson 15 (Towson 9-8, Orange by 8 or 9 in 4th)

[Friday comments:] If Princeton gets past Maryland (Go Tigers), it likely plays Duke. Like Cornell and its 2022 improbable run to the title game against Maryland, Princeton is in the opposite bracket against favorite Notre Dame. The NCAA official bracket may be a little confusing. The upper bracket with 1-seed ND is on the left, not across the top, and the lower bracket with #2 Duke is the right side. On the printable version, it's clearer, with Princeton and Duke et al across the bottom.

billhoward
Five finalists for the men's and women's Tewaaraton Trophy. A couple weeks ago there was discussion that Notre Dame's Pat Kavanagh and Cornell's seemed the front-runners. The list of finalists out May 9 has Kavanagh but not Kirst.

Have to think, almost getting shutout against Penn, really hurt. He’ll be back next year, and that a hopefully healthy Mike Long and a more mature Ryan Goldstein will put him over the top.

Princeton looked awful yesterday vs Maryland

At least in BB in the top leagues a bad final game doesnt knock you out of the playoffs like Lax does

Had the IVY had no tourney Cornell gets in

Much like Mich some how got hot for 2 games won the B10 and got in without being that good most of the year.

Nice to see Princeton get destroyed in the NCAA tournament.

But it will be nice when COVID eligibility goes away and the Ivies can compete with the Marylands of the world again.

BearLover
Nice to see Princeton get destroyed in the NCAA tournament.

But it will be nice when COVID eligibility goes away and the Ivies can compete with the Marylands of the world again.

Did you not see any of the 2022 championship game? Nevermind the fact that Cornell was very competitive this season against some of the teams (including the #1 overall) in the NCAA's this weekend. Despite the two bad losses to Penn, I think it's safe to say that Cornell was the best of an underwhelming Ivy League this year and that the gap with some of the better conferences isn't as large as the Grand Canyon.

Iceberg

BearLover
Nice to see Princeton get destroyed in the NCAA tournament.

But it will be nice when COVID eligibility goes away and the Ivies can compete with the Marylands of the world again.

Did you not see any of the 2022 championship game? Nevermind the fact that Cornell was very competitive this season against some of the teams (including the #1 overall) in the NCAA's this weekend. Despite the two bad losses to Penn, I think it's safe to say that Cornell was the best of an underwhelming Ivy League this year and that the gap with some of the better conferences isn't as large as the Grand Canyon.

One thing to note about the 2022 national championship game is that Cornell probably would have won if Donville hadn’t been forced to transfer (to Maryland).

Nervous fan on fanlax.com, worried about their well-being attending the Lehigh at Hopkins lax game Sunday. Protesters and all on campus.

fanlax.com
[fanlax.com]
Post by laxfanatic » Fri May 10, 2024 1:40 pm
Re: #3 Hopkins vs Lehigh Sunday @ noon
I am going to the game on Sunday and according to news reports there are protesters on the JHU campus.
Is there any concern as to where they are or will the prevent or delay me from getting into the stadium?

hopfan16:
No, they are (peacefully) camped out and contained on the Beach, which is nowhere near Homewood Field. You're fine.

Phew. Close one.

Kirst, Long Named Inside Lacrosse All-Americans.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Senior attackmen CJ Kirst and Michael Long each found a spot on the 2024 Inside Lacrosse Media All-American list. Kirst repeated on the first team, matching his 2023 recognition, and Long earned his first Inside Lacrosse All-American nod as an honorable mention.

Kirst and fellow attackman Long are the only two players in the nation to rank in the top 13 in Division I in points per game and play at the same school. Long finished the season ranked fifth nationally, averaging 5.00 points per game. Long's shot percentage ranked 20th nationally, scoring on .441 percent of his rockets. No. 1 ranks eighth in the Cornell record books in career assists, posting 84 to date.

BearLover

Iceberg

BearLover
Nice to see Princeton get destroyed in the NCAA tournament.

But it will be nice when COVID eligibility goes away and the Ivies can compete with the Marylands of the world again.

Did you not see any of the 2022 championship game? Nevermind the fact that Cornell was very competitive this season against some of the teams (including the #1 overall) in the NCAA's this weekend. Despite the two bad losses to Penn, I think it's safe to say that Cornell was the best of an underwhelming Ivy League this year and that the gap with some of the better conferences isn't as large as the Grand Canyon.

One thing to note about the 2022 national championship game is that Cornell probably would have won if Donville hadn’t been forced to transfer (to Maryland).

Bearlover only has one drum, and he's going to bang it. Over and over and over again.


Can't wait for the COVID eligibility issue to be in the past, just to see what his new gripe will be for the decade that follows. Smh.

abmarks

BearLover

Iceberg

BearLover
Nice to see Princeton get destroyed in the NCAA tournament.

But it will be nice when COVID eligibility goes away and the Ivies can compete with the Marylands of the world again.

Did you not see any of the 2022 championship game? Nevermind the fact that Cornell was very competitive this season against some of the teams (including the #1 overall) in the NCAA's this weekend. Despite the two bad losses to Penn, I think it's safe to say that Cornell was the best of an underwhelming Ivy League this year and that the gap with some of the better conferences isn't as large as the Grand Canyon.

One thing to note about the 2022 national championship game is that Cornell probably would have won if Donville hadn’t been forced to transfer (to Maryland).

Bearlover only has one drum, and he's going to bang it. Over and over and over again.


Can't wait for the COVID eligibility issue to be in the past, just to see what his new gripe will be for the decade that follows. Smh.

That’s easy—he’ll be all over NIL

Details on the 2024 Inside Lacrosse All-America team. CJ Kirst first team, Michael Long HM. Ivies first team AA: A Matt Brandau, Yale; D Brendan Lavelle, Penn. Penn goalie Emmet Carroll second-team. Former Cornell goalie Chayse Ierlan is HM at Johns Hopkins.

Of interest: Two of the five Tewaaraton finalists (bolded below) are second-team AA.


First Team
A Brennan O'Neill Duke
A Matt Brandau Yale
A CJ Kirst Cornell
M Evan Plunkett Army
M Mikey Weisshaar Towson
M Shane Knobloch Rutgers
FO Will Coletti Army
SSDM Beau Pederson Michigan
SSDM Ben Ramsey Notre Dame
LSM Jake Piseno UAlbany
D Ajax Zappitello Maryland
D Scott Smith Johns Hopkins
D Brendan Lavelle Penn
G Liam Entenmann Notre Dame

Second Team
A Connor Shellenberger Virginia
A Pat Kavanagh Notre Dame
A TJ Malone Penn State
M Jake Stevens Syracuse
M Andrew McAdorey Duke
M Devon McLane Notre Dame
FO Justin WietfeldtMichigan
SSDM Grant Haus Penn State
SSDM Chase Yager Virginia
LSM Stephen Zupicich Villanova
D Kenny Brower Duke
D Cole Kastner Virginia
D Billy Dwan Syracuse
G Emmet Carroll Penn

Third Team
A Joey Spallina Syracuse
A Sam King Harvard
A Chris Kavanagh Notre Dame
M Alexander Vardaro Georgetown
M Griffin Schutz Virginia
M Eric Dobson Notre Dame
FO Alec Stathakis Denver
SSDM Dylan Hess Georgetown
SSDM Brett Martin Johns Hopkins
LSM Will Donovan Notre Dame
D Colby Barsz Towson
D Shawn Lyght Notre Dame
D AJ Pilate Army
D Mason Woodward Marquette
G Jack Fracyon Penn State

Honorable Mention
A Michael Boehm Michigan
A Payton Cormier Virginia
A Louis Perfetto Boston U
A Coulter Mackesy Princeton
A Jacob Angelus Johns Hopkins
A Nick DeMaio Towson
A Garrett Degnon Johns Hopkins
A Michael Long Cornell
A Dalton Young Richmond
A Brayden Mayea High Point
M Matt Collison Johns Hopkins
M Max Krevsky Yale
M Jordan Faison Notre Dame
M Jacob Morin Army
M Michael Leo Syracuse
M Hunter Drouin Colgate
M Chad Palumbo Princeton
M Jake Cates Boston U
M Ryan Donnery Quinnipiac
FO Nathan Laliberte Bryant
FO Mason Kohn Syracuse
FO Will Lynch Notre Dame
FO Luke Wierman Maryland
FO Machado Rodriguez Yale
FO Brady Wambach North Carolina
FO Jake Naso Duke
SSDM Tucker Garrity Jacksonville
SSDM Jackson Peters Navy
SSDM Jack Pilling Richmond
SSDM Reece Potter Towson
SSDM Carter Rice Syracuse
SSDM Aidan Maguire Duke
SSDM Casey Wilson Denver
SSDM Patrick Hackler Yale
LSM Roy Meyer Boston U
LSM Tyler Carpenter Duke
LSM Max Yates Colgate
D Richard Checo Lehigh
D Colin Mulshine Princeton
D Marcus Hudgins Ohio State
D Alex Ross Penn State
D Chris Conlin Notre Dame
D Jackson Bonitz Navy
D Jimmy Freehill Denver
D Ty Banks Georgetown
D Levi Verch Saint Joseph's
D Michael Bath Princeton
D Nikko DiPonio Utah
G Will Mark Syracuse
G Mike Gianforcaro Princeton
G Zach Vigue Richmond
G Chayse Ierlan Johns Hopkins

BearLover
One thing to note about the 2022 national championship game is that Cornell probably would have won if Donville hadn’t been forced to transfer (to Maryland).

One thing to ponder about the 2024 Ivy League Tournament is if we hadn't lost Chayse Ierlan (HM All-America this year) as a grad transfer to Hopkins, we might have won the ILT and been in the NCAAs this year. And if last year we hadn't lost, who was it? must have been someone, to play elsewhere in 2023, we might not have had that embarrassing first round NCAA OT loss to Michigan.

And then in hockey we lost the services of Jack Malone to BC and he winds up playing against Denver in the 2024 NCAA title game, the same Denver we narrowly lost to in the NCAA regionals.

It's always going to be something. We have enough coulda-woulda-shoulda hindsight observations about why Cornell teams were screwed. Covid / fifth-year / grad transfer rules just give us more to complain about.

Here's the thing: everyone here KNOWS about the grad transfer/scholly/NIL/academic index issues that we will face. Complaining about them is like whining about the rain in Seattle. The entire point of rooting for an Ivy is that you do it in the face of these obstacles. We are not going to win very often as a result! What we do in spite of the obstacles is pretty damn impressive.

I don't have any particular attachment to not letting players finish their NCAA eligibility as grad students but I do have an attachment to not being a squad of mercenaries. I know what it costs. I know that there's an element of elite smugness about it. I'm fine with the price.

scoop85

abmarks

BearLover

Iceberg

BearLover
Nice to see Princeton get destroyed in the NCAA tournament.

But it will be nice when COVID eligibility goes away and the Ivies can compete with the Marylands of the world again.

Did you not see any of the 2022 championship game? Nevermind the fact that Cornell was very competitive this season against some of the teams (including the #1 overall) in the NCAA's this weekend. Despite the two bad losses to Penn, I think it's safe to say that Cornell was the best of an underwhelming Ivy League this year and that the gap with some of the better conferences isn't as large as the Grand Canyon.

One thing to note about the 2022 national championship game is that Cornell probably would have won if Donville hadn’t been forced to transfer (to Maryland).

Bearlover only has one drum, and he's going to bang it. Over and over and over again.


Can't wait for the COVID eligibility issue to be in the past, just to see what his new gripe will be for the decade that follows. Smh.

That’s easy—he’ll be all over NIL

That'd be perfect. For those scoring at home, it's now

scoop85 1 - bearlover....NIL

He'll get shutout every time

billhoward

BearLover
One thing to note about the 2022 national championship game is that Cornell probably would have won if Donville hadn’t been forced to transfer (to Maryland).

One thing to ponder about the 2024 Ivy League Tournament is if we hadn't lost Chayse Ierlan (HM All-America this year) as a grad transfer to Hopkins, we might have won the ILT and been in the NCAAs this year. And if last year we hadn't lost, who was it? must have been someone, to play elsewhere in 2023, we might not have had that embarrassing first round NCAA OT loss to Michigan.

And then in hockey we lost the services of Jack Malone to BC and he winds up playing against Denver in the 2024 NCAA title game, the same Denver we narrowly lost to in the NCAA regionals.

It's always going to be something. We have enough coulda-woulda-shoulda hindsight observations about why Cornell teams were screwed. Covid / fifth-year / grad transfer rules just give us more to complain about.

If anyone's going to root for an ivy and get emotionally invested in competing for NCAA titles, they need to accept the limitations or be forever miserable.

There is literally zero unfairness at play here whatsoever. That's whiny snowflake cucky beta brat speak for "I didn't get my new toy I wanted" (stomp foot) "but the rich kid down the street always gets the newest PlayStation"

No one is forcing us to be Cornell fans. We all have made that choice. If you want to cheer on a team that's on a "level playing field" there are literally hundreds of other schools to get behind.

Just enjoy the ride. I guarantee that if/when we win another major NCAA title (Lax, or even moreso MIH) it will be so much more impactful and memorable than if you grew up a BC or Denver fan.

Just ask a Cubs or Red Sox fan what the ride was like the year they finally won the world series, and compare to the reaction of a Patriots fan after Super Bowl Trophy # 6, or a Yankee fan from one of those ridiculous runs they went on.

And before you reject that thesis, science will out. Turns out that the pleasure we get from wins or long awaited milestones isn't from the finally achieving the mark. The dopamine rush comes from the *anticipation* of the event, not the event itself.

Nah. The difference between fifth year COVID eligibility and other limitations that have burdened Ivy sports in the past is that this one is new, and it’s going away after next year. Cornell has managed to compete with the blue bloods of hockey and lacrosse despite the lack of scholarships and other historical limitations, but this is yet a new significant limitation placed on top of the existing ones. These burdens are cumulative: each additional one hurts us more than the prior baseline.

So yes, the Ivies have been limited in many ways historically, but it’s reasonable to infer cause and effect from a *new* restriction that directly benefits our opponents. By the way, I do NOT blame our loss to Penn on this, since they are subject to the same rules. I DO think the COVID fifth year cost us the NCAAs this season, though. Just because there are a bunch of pre-existing rules hurting the Ivies doesn’t mean that each additional such rule doesn’t hurt us even more.

Also, I just want Cornell to win. I would much prefer they take “mercenaries” for a grad year than see them miss the frozen four for the 21st year in a row. When the Cubs won the World Series, that was obviously more meaningful to their fans than the Yankees winning. But this comparison is premised on the Cubs ever winning the World Series in the first place. We have no idea if Cornell is ever again going to win a championship in lacrosse or hockey.

upprdeck
Had the IVY had no tourney Cornell gets in

Had we beaten Penn -- a team we should have beaten -- we would have been in the tournament.

BearLover
I would much prefer they take “mercenaries” for a grad year...

i also would take a grad year mercenary if the ivies allowed it! it's the one restriction i can't justify even within the ivy's stated mission/intentions. i was suggesting more that i didn't want the ivies to join in the cutthroat undergrad transfer market (while 100% wanting the students to have the right to move around the rest of the NCAA searching for the best deal).

ugarte

BearLover
I would much prefer they take “mercenaries” for a grad year...

i also would take a grad year mercenary if the ivies allowed it! it's the one restriction i can't justify even within the ivy's stated mission/intentions. i was suggesting more that i didn't want the ivies to join in the cutthroat undergrad transfer market (while 100% wanting the students to have the right to move around the rest of the NCAA searching for the best deal).

I have always been mystified by this rule: what Ivy graduate admissions committee is going to let someone in who is academically unqualified? Graduate students are professors' serfs or, well-nigh, vampirademic blood meals. The faculty would be hurting itself.

Scersk '97
Graduate students are professors' serfs or, well-nigh, vampirademic blood meals.

Not true.

Scersk '97

ugarte

BearLover
I would much prefer they take “mercenaries” for a grad year...

i also would take a grad year mercenary if the ivies allowed it! it's the one restriction i can't justify even within the ivy's stated mission/intentions. i was suggesting more that i didn't want the ivies to join in the cutthroat undergrad transfer market (while 100% wanting the students to have the right to move around the rest of the NCAA searching for the best deal).

I have always been mystified by this rule: what Ivy graduate admissions committee is going to let someone in who is academically unqualified? Graduate students are professors' serfs or, well-nigh, vampirademic blood meals. The faculty would be hurting itself.

There's a huge difference between a 1- or 2-year masters degree program and a multi-year, research-oriented PhD program.

mike1960

Scersk '97
Graduate students are professors' serfs or, well-nigh, vampirademic blood meals.

Not true.

To which I would say, perhaps hyperbole but sometimes very true.

David Harding
There's a huge difference between a 1- or 2-year masters degree program and a multi-year, research-oriented PhD program.

Sure. I could see a b-school playing ball. I still find it unlikely, because it requires heading toward collusion and the professors I know have a difficult time agreeing on which pizza place to order from.

[www.mcsweeneys.net]

Scersk '97

mike1960

Scersk '97
Graduate students are professors' serfs or, well-nigh, vampirademic blood meals.

Not true.

To which I would say, perhaps hyperbole but sometimes very true.

There are other words that will work as well as "hyperbole."

I think one player for Cornell who deserves mention is freshman Luke Gilmartin #77. I think he was forced into the short-stick defensive midfield position early due to injuries or lack of depth at that position. Regardless "Gilly" really stepped up this season. He's tough, fast, and has a big motor. His father Robert played for Cornell back in the mid-80's. Defensive mid-fielders don't get a lot of press, but Luke Gilmartin has been a great addition to this program. Go Big Red!!!

Local Motion
I think one player for Cornell who deserves mention is freshman Luke Gilmartin #77. I think he was forced into the short-stick defensive midfield position early due to injuries or lack of depth at that position. Regardless "Gilly" really stepped up this season. He's tough, fast, and has a big motor. His father Robert played for Cornell back in the mid-80's. Defensive mid-fielders don't get a lot of press, but Luke Gilmartin has been a great addition to this program. Go Big Red!!!

Yes, he was terrific. If he stays at ssdm I think he'll eventually get All American recognition.

Luke Gilmartin scored two goals vs. Penn in the Ivy Tournament. In high school last year he scored 58 goals and 23 assists which are more like attack numbers. I am thinking Cornell may promote Gilly to first team midfield next year rather than SSDM given his ability to play offense too. He is also a very good golfer according to his bio.

On the defensive side Cornell needs to recruit some tough and physical defensemen to shore up that side of the field. That's one of the reasons we lost to Penn twice as they were just more physical than Cornell. Even though we beat Syracuse this season, they are looking good in the NCAA's. One of the traits I have always admired about the Orange is they have great skill players especially on attack, but they field a physical defense as well. The Syracuse head coach Gary Gait had a great career for the Orange and he also played professional box lacrosse, thus bringing physicality back to that program.

BearLover
Nah. The difference between fifth year COVID eligibility and other limitations that have burdened Ivy sports in the past is that this one is new, and it’s going away after next year. Cornell has managed to compete with the blue bloods of hockey and lacrosse despite the lack of scholarships and other historical limitations, but this is yet a new significant limitation placed on top of the existing ones. These burdens are cumulative: each additional one hurts us more than the prior baseline.

So yes, the Ivies have been limited in many ways historically, but it’s reasonable to infer cause and effect from a *new* restriction that directly benefits our opponents. By the way, I do NOT blame our loss to Penn on this, since they are subject to the same rules. I DO think the COVID fifth year cost us the NCAAs this season, though. Just because there are a bunch of pre-existing rules hurting the Ivies doesn’t mean that each additional such rule doesn’t hurt us even more.

Also, I just want Cornell to win. I would much prefer they take “mercenaries” for a grad year than see them miss the frozen four for the 21st year in a row. When the Cubs won the World Series, that was obviously more meaningful to their fans than the Yankees winning. But this comparison is premised on the Cubs ever winning the World Series in the first place. We have no idea if Cornell is ever again going to win a championship in lacrosse or hockey.

Our biggest limitation is that the alums don't consistently wear their lucky shirts. (Also, we would have done better if Pissed Off Touchdown hadn't been axed.)

Local Motion
Luke Gilmartin scored two goals vs. Penn in the Ivy Tournament. In high school last year he scored 58 goals and 23 assists which are more like attack numbers. I am thinking Cornell may promote Gilly to first team midfield next year rather than SSDM given his ability to play offense too. He is also a very good golfer according to his bio.

On the defensive side Cornell needs to recruit some tough and physical defensemen to shore up that side of the field. That's one of the reasons we lost to Penn twice as they were just more physical than Cornell. Even though we beat Syracuse this season, they are looking good in the NCAA's. One of the traits I have always admired about the Orange is they have great skill players especially on attack, but they field a physical defense as well. The Syracuse head coach Gary Gait had a great career for the Orange and he also played professional box lacrosse, thus bringing physicality back to that program.

Lacrosse is a physical game, and the defense has to play tough, but physicality doesn't win lacrosse games. I was curious to see how Princeton scores so well on the great Penn defense. The answer is that they did a lot of things; Princeton is not one dimensional. As we know, the most physical player on the Penn defense is Lavelle, but he was a non-factor in the championship game. Lavelle guarded Mackesy, but Mackesy didn't sit on the wing and try to beat him one-on-one. That is Lavelle's strength. Instead, Mackesy moved around quite a bit, taking Lavelle away from the action. Mackesy was often more of a distributor and facilitator. Princeton also set some nice ball picks on Lavelle that freed up Mackesy for some shots. When Penn doubled Mackesy, and passed the ball and got it right back to shoot against a single defender. On another double team on the top, he found a cutter to an open area in front of the crease.

As with Cornell, Penn packed in the defense against Princeton. When they did that to us, we spun it around, looking for the perfect shot. Princeton did some of that, but they also attacked the short sticks a lot from the back and wings. They tried skips passes. They hit some great shots on the wings down the alleys with small angles. They tried some ISO on the wings. They dodged well.

Penalties also hurt Penn. Penn coach Mike Murphy was hit with a 2 minute non-releasable. He must have said the magic words. In some cases, Penn was too physical. Lavelle had a major. There was a tripping call. There was a two-minute non-releasable for a cross check to the neck. I counted four Princeton goals from the EMO. The last two or three Princeton goals were open netters.

Princeton had good advantage on faceoffs, but it wasn't dominant. I'm sure they had a GB advantage. They definitely had a massive advantage in shots taken.

There are clearly ways to beat that packed in Penn defense. Princeton has the instructional manual.

Check out Very Rusty explanation on the Laxpower as per Princeton against Penn. Was surprised at the way Princeton looked against Maryland-Tillman and Company really has their number. A couple of shoutouts:

Totally agree with the comments about Gilmartin-the young man is a beast
Also I credit the coaching for their discipline when Kirst was getting roughed up by Penn-no retaliatory hits by the Red. Compare that to the 2023 football which got at least 1personal foul a game.

Actually Gilmartin against Penn leveled a guy that knocked the ball out and set up a quick score by Cornell. Cornell has some exciting rising sophomores going into next season. Cornell has the fire power, but all I am saying is our defense needs to be more physical. Even though Cornell had a great season, we lost the overall season turnover battle 202 to 215. In comparison, Penn dominated the season turnover battle 241 to 213. Again I think our Cornell team was much better than Penn, but their physicality was the prime reason we lost those two games. If Cornell had lost only once to Penn I think we would have been in the NCAA's.

Regardless, the future is bright for Cornell lacrosse and Go Big Red!!!

Local Motion
Actually Gilmartin against Penn leveled a guy that knocked the ball out and set up a quick score by Cornell. Cornell has some exciting rising sophomores going into next season. Cornell has the fire power, but all I am saying is our defense needs to be more physical. Even though Cornell had a great season, we lost the overall season turnover battle 202 to 215. In comparison, Penn dominated the season turnover battle 241 to 213. Again I think our Cornell team was much better than Penn, but their physicality was the prime reason we lost those two games. If Cornell had lost only once to Penn I think we would have been in the NCAA's.

Regardless, the future is bright for Cornell lacrosse and Go Big Red!!!

Again, Penn didn't beat us because they were physical. They beat us because they play great team defense and Cornell (which has better offensive players than Princeton) didn't figure it out. Princeton did and scored +15 in both games against Penn.

If being physical was the key, then any club team would play great defense. They are often composed of ex-football players who like to hit people. (I know this.) Lots of NCAA defensive men are physical, but the reason people like Gavin Adler stand far above them all is stick skills and great technique.