tie the game heading into halftime, reestablishing the players’ conviction. “Just keep doing what we’re doing,” Uppgren said. “We took their punch and we were able to battle back. Now it’s our time. Now we impose our will on them and go on our run.” The Jumbos did not change anything. They kept the faith. “Our offense started clicking; connecting with passes, connecting the dots and finishing the shots,” said senior goalie Patton Watkins, who finished with 17 saves. “We win by never looking back, and knowing that playing at our pace, another team is going to have a hard time keeping up with us.” Salisbury couldn’t. Tufts scored
seven of the first eight goals of the second half to take a 12-6 lead that seemed insurmountable. The Sea Gulls didn’t go away, however, as they blanked the Jumbos in the fourth quarter and cut the lead to 12-9. During the Salisbury run, Bailey
took a flat-angled shot early in a possession that turned over to the Sea Gulls. That would be a bad choice in almost any other scheme that typically values possessions late in the game while nursing a lead. “That’s some of that lacrosse that
John Uppgren (above), one of three 100-point scorers for Tufts, thrives in the Jumbos’ risk-taking offense devised by coach Mike Daly (left), who feels the love from fans following the 12-9 win over Salisbury.
Going into
the May 25 championship game against a Salisbury team predicated on defense, Tufts’ faith could have withered when junior
Chris Schoenhut, who
led the nation with 80 goals, didn’t dress due to an injury sustained during its 21- 11 semifinal dismantling of previously undefeated RIT, the pre-tournament favorite. When the Jumbos amassed just one
goal over the first 23 minutes of the title game — easily the longest stretch of such inefficiency this season — they appeared headed toward another grisly championship ending. And then Bailey streaked from behind the cage and flipped a diving shot over the head of Sea Gulls goalie Alex Taylor. By any traditional lacrosse metric, it
was low-percentage shot, but it’s what Tufts does. It sparked a run that helped
A Publication of US Lacrosse
we see and some of the lacrosse that’s out there,” Daly said. “When it’s all structured and managed and now you’ve got to go, that’s a switch that is not easy to turn on. And for us, it’s not an easy switch to turn off. It’s a constant balance between having that courage that the guys seemingly play with and maintaining some control over it.” Daly still considers himself a lacrosse outsider, but he also believes that distinction has allowed him to take this non-traditional approach to a sport that has become more specialized and choreographed. Not that it has always been easy to watch, but Daly has built this system and maintains the discipline to let it work. “You want to control things, but you
need the courage not to,” he said. “Down 4-1, what are you going to do? You have to believe in it. If you get too involved or you micromanage, it becomes a challenge and a mixed message for the guys.” The Jumbos stayed on message all
spring and their faith was rewarded. Now they must start believing in yet a more difficult change — that they can do it again. LM
Jamar Peete
FINISHING
TOUCH Limestone ends D-II
championship drought In the corner of a practice field in Gaffney, S.C.,
sits a sign, faded by the years. It reads “Division II National Champions,” a memorial of sorts for the 2000 and 2002 Limestone teams that won NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse championships. It’s also a constant reminder of 12 years of frustration, when the Saints routinely made the NCAA tournament as standard-bearer in the South, but fell in the championship game four times, most recently in 2012. That placard will get a fresh coat of paint
and some new digits after Limestone powered to a third championship, outscoring its three opponents 43-22, including a convincing 12-6 victory over LIU Post in the May 25 title game. Sophomore Vinny Ricci scored four goals to
earn most outstanding player honors a week after getting blanked in the semifinals. His performance reflects the Saints’ willingness to share the load, as well as the spotlight. “I was just lucky enough to be there to finish it
off,” Ricci said.
D-II TOP 5 FOR 2015
1. Limestone Led by Mike Messenger, the midfield will be loaded. Limestone won with the title with a surprisingly young squad.
2. LIU Post
The Pioneers are a goalie and faceoff man away from running away with the North. The offense returns five of the top six scores, paced by Matt Beccaris.
3. Tampa
Rory Whipple will finally have four full classes next year, and if the first three are any judge, the Spartans will get even
better. The coach’s son, Conor Whipple, anchors a potent frontline.
4. Adelphi
There are several sizeable losses — most notably faceoff extraordinaire Greg Puskuldjian — but fortunately stud attackman Sal Tuttle will be just a junior.
5. Le Moyne With player of the
year candidate Kevin Kelly sparking the offense, the Dolphins will be a handful in the Northeast-10 again, but rebuilding the defense will be project. — J.C.
July 2014 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 39 — J.C.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84