If it's close down the stretch, Hopkins could have edge
Duke was able to hold off Cornell barely in Saturday's Division I men's lacrosse tournament semifinals, after the Blue Devils built what appeared to be an insurmountable, 10-3 lead. You take a win any way you can get it, but allowing Cornell to go on an 8-1 run and tie the score with 17 seconds left, before pulling out a victory with three seconds left on a goal by Zack Greer, was not the most ideal script for Duke.
It also exposed some chinks in the Duke armor that had Johns Hopkins feeling quietly confident as the two schools prepared to square off at M&T Bank Stadium for the NCAA title today.
All season long, Duke has rolled through its schedule with a dynamic starting unit led by attackmen Matt Danowski and Greer. What the Blue Devils have covered up to this point is their lack of depth and a defense that sometimes gives up too many quality shots.
Mostly, it was the sight of Duke staggering throughout the fourth quarter in the heat and humidity -- letting Cornell simply run by its defenders as it made the Big Red's comeback look easy -- that made the Blue Devils look beatable. Of course, beating the Blue Devils in the faceoff circle fueled the Cornell rally. Duke has not been that great facing off all spring.
This late in the season, any team still standing has lots of strengths. But it's the weaknesses (or lack of them) that separate the champions from the also-rans.
Danowski and Greer have carried the offense and taken pressure off the defense all season, and they very well could do it again today. But Hopkins is built perfectly to spring the upset. The Blue Jays nearly emptied their bench in Saturday's win over Delaware, and finished off the Blue Hens with a strong, late run. Their defense has allowed nine goals in the past two tournament wins, goalie Jesse Schwartzman is playing at his typical, postseason level, and the offense has enough shooters and balance to get it done.
If the Blue Devils are going to finish the job, they might need a three- or four-goal cushion by the middle of the second half. If Hopkins is on Duke's tail early in the fourth quarter, don't be surprised to see the local team slip away with its ninth NCAA title.
It also exposed some chinks in the Duke armor that had Johns Hopkins feeling quietly confident as the two schools prepared to square off at M&T Bank Stadium for the NCAA title today.
All season long, Duke has rolled through its schedule with a dynamic starting unit led by attackmen Matt Danowski and Greer. What the Blue Devils have covered up to this point is their lack of depth and a defense that sometimes gives up too many quality shots.
Mostly, it was the sight of Duke staggering throughout the fourth quarter in the heat and humidity -- letting Cornell simply run by its defenders as it made the Big Red's comeback look easy -- that made the Blue Devils look beatable. Of course, beating the Blue Devils in the faceoff circle fueled the Cornell rally. Duke has not been that great facing off all spring.
This late in the season, any team still standing has lots of strengths. But it's the weaknesses (or lack of them) that separate the champions from the also-rans.
Danowski and Greer have carried the offense and taken pressure off the defense all season, and they very well could do it again today. But Hopkins is built perfectly to spring the upset. The Blue Jays nearly emptied their bench in Saturday's win over Delaware, and finished off the Blue Hens with a strong, late run. Their defense has allowed nine goals in the past two tournament wins, goalie Jesse Schwartzman is playing at his typical, postseason level, and the offense has enough shooters and balance to get it done.
If the Blue Devils are going to finish the job, they might need a three- or four-goal cushion by the middle of the second half. If Hopkins is on Duke's tail early in the fourth quarter, don't be surprised to see the local team slip away with its ninth NCAA title.
