Defense is taking the point for Loyola
Loyola (7-2) has climbed to No. 7 in The Sun’s poll and first in the Eastern College Athletic Conference with an unblemished 5-0 record courtesy of a stifling defense.
The Greyhounds currently rank second in Division I with a defense that has surrendered just 6.8 goals per game this season. Only No. 3 North Carolina, which has allowed and average of 6.4 goals in 11 contests, has been better.
Coach Charley Toomey credited the starting close defense of seniors Steve Layne and Kyle Cottrell and junior Steve Dircks, a rotation of junior Kevin Hinton, sophomore Kevin Moriarty and freshman Scott Ratliffe at long-stick midfielder and junior goalkeeper Jake Hagelin with anchoring Loyola on that side of the field.
“I just think they’re protecting the paint,” Toomey said. “I think they really understand about off-ball responsibilities, dropping down to help each other. They’re playing with a tenacity and physicality right now. They’re trying their best to win their match-ups and if something breaks down, they’re organized enough to make a quick slide. We’re forcing teams to make two or three extra passes to get a good shot.”
The defense is beginning to elbow aisde the team’s vaunted attack for some attention, but Toomey laughed at the notion that the defense felt overlooked in the preseason.
“We take great pride in the way we play defense, but nobody’s pointing fingers in the locker room,” he said. “We feel like if the defense can hold a team to eight [goals], then we should win because we know that our offense is capable of getting to nine or above. And it’s vice versa. If the offense can only get it to seven, then we need to have an extra special day to hold somebody to five. That’s kind of the way the guys have approached it.”
Toomey was quick to cut off a question about the Greyhounds assuming control of the conference. While the team is undefeated, Denver is also unbeaten at 3-0 in the league.
“I beg to differ,” Toomey said in response to Loyola being in the proverbial driver’s seat. “I think Denver – which has three ECAC wins and is also undefeated – is setting up very similarly to a UMass situation where unless Denver has two losses, the conference championship could be at Invesco Field on May 1.”
