PNCLL Week #2 (2/9-2/15) -- Predictions, Scores & Discus

[Dan Wishengrad]

Saturday, February 12th
Washington 13 #6B Pacific Lutheran 12
Linfield 16 Southern Oregon 3
Gonzaga 12 Montana 10

Sunday, February 13th
#6B Pacific Lutheran 8 #9B Western Washington 6

There are some nice Saturday games, but the intrigue is in Tacoma on Sunday to see whether WWU or PLU emerges as the early leader in the formidable Division B North.

Western has a new coaching staff under first-year Head Coach Adam Greene, and a potential star in Attackman Jesse Savage to complement returning talent like Andy Young, Dylan Larivee and Peter Bonoff. The Vikings struggled early before putting Central away 12-7 to open 2005 with a win last week.

Montana of the B east opens at Gonzaga of the A's in an early inter-conference affair east of the mountains on Saturday. Scheduling a February game in Spokane is dicey, so all eyes will be on Mother Nature to bless us with mild weather. Montana's roster is not yet posted so no report on the Grizzlies yet.

Senior Attackman Rick Kladis has taken over as Head Coach of the Zags, which has taken most of the league by surprise. But "Coach K" has Jimmy Twining and Ben Stein back with him on Attack, with a host of good-looking Middies and Lachlan Maclean and Evan Castiglia to head a good group of Defensive poles.

Linfield is at Southern Oregon for SOU's first game ever in Ashland, home of one the world's great summer theater companies. When we learn about these teams we'll give a better report later in the season.

PLU and Washington Saturday renew a spirited rivalry which has seen the teams swap recent one-goal victories. UW won a hard-fought game 11-10 in overtime last season. Second-year Head Coach Dejon Hush has Seniors Eric Weitz and Eli Sonkin and Sophomore Ross Maloney, who each averaged nearly three points a game last season, to lead the Husky offense against a very talented Lute defense.

The PLU-UW game will be played immediately follwing a youth lacrosse clinic at Curtis High School Stadium in Tacoma at 4pm.

[primetime21]

Sunday's game will be a big one. however we do have UW on saturday and we can't overlook them. just because we went down a division does not mean that the our game with UW isn't as important. if we can beat some quality A division teams ( and UW is one of them) that would help is in the rankings. im excited for a full weekend of lacrosse. see you on the turf!!

[ben012685]

Don't forget both of those games for PLU last year were decided in OT. Should make for some excitement.

[Another Dumb Jock]

What's up with PLU being in the B div?

You guys alays bring it in the A Div, why didnt you petition to get bumped up?

[primetime21]

i think in order for us to go varsity quicker it was easier to drop to the B division where there are other schools that have football teams in the same league as ours. we are still going to play all of the top A teams this year. similar to st. mary's in the wcll. they were a division B team school for years, they are now moved into the A division where all of the schools there play in the wcl? gonzaga stayed in the A division for similar reasons. it is easier to go varsity here if schools who have football teams in the same conference do the same with there lacrosse team...again im pretty sure about this but not 100% hopefully dan can answer this better if i am wrong.

[Kyle Berggren]

Dave, I'll tlry for you. With 3,500 kids, and the vast majority of the kids coming from the Washington, it is very tough to put together a competetive team in the A division year in and year out. Having played for PLU, the X factor that won them games was never stellar talent coming from HighSchool, it was great coaching and hardworking players.

I would believe that the most important reason to go B, was the fact that the AD wants PLU to compete against its traditional opponent, small schools. UPS, Linfield, Lewis & Clark, and Willamette are all playing B.

[primetime21]

with us playing our more traditional opponent...does that give us an oppurtunity to go varsity quicker? i heard GU stayed in the A division to go varsityin the next few years? any possibilities of B teams going varsity?

[Kyle Berggren]

Leaving the USLMDIA to go D3 is going to be problematic, not that there isn't a chance... Title IX causes one big problem, but lack of competition causes another. If all of your traditional opponents decided to go D3, they would most likely form their own league for a little while, independent of D3 status. Then they'd find the budget to go D3, and try to start getting the oonsistent level of talent that can withstand D3 competition. There is soooo much more to it, hence the USLMDIA exists.

Title IX doesn't apply to our club status in schools, which is one big hurdle knocked out of the way. Funding is another, and we're not in the athletic department, and typically student funded, taking a lot of burden off the school. The way the USLMDIA can get around all of the problems you can have in starting an NCAA program, makes it too convenient to easily play lacrosse. I would think any schools best bet would be to try to start a 'virtual varsity' status at their school. If you can stay a club sport, but be considered for things such as facilities and financial support as a varsity program, you're about as good as you get.

I would talk to Jason or Bubba about the future of your team with the school, they will actually be in the know, but don't hold your breath before you graduate, or get a masters....

[Kyle Berggren]

UW takes PLU by 1... It was 13-12 I believe, might have been 12-11, but one goal regardless. Both teams looked diciplined and very well coached. PLU started the game with a 3 minute penalty, and started the 2nd quarter with another. I'm not sure if they ever took the lead from UW, but they were always battling back as usual. Good job to both teams.

[culax]

why did plu have to start the game and 2nd quarter with three minute penalties?

[Kyle Berggren]

Illegal stick, not sure what it was on the stick, but they put it out of play...

[Dan Wishengrad]

The first three-minute penalty was for field not meeting specs. The offensive boxes were not forty yards wide as prescribed by the rules (they were lined incorrectly) and no special substitution area (penalty box) had been lined. PLU did a great job holding us to one goal for that first one, but we got two and then a third goal right as the second (stick) non-releasable penalty expired to start of the second period. These four goals are obviously huge in a one-goal victory, but the refs called most of the other penalties on us tonight and PLU got some man-up goals of their own.

It was a great game, a fun atmosphere with the big crowd, and our hats are off to PLU for yet another fiercely competitive performance on the field. Go get 'em in the B Division, Lutes, and glad we don't have to play you for another year!

PS Kyle PLU led 12-10 with 5:37 left when we scored to pull within one.

[Dan Wishengrad]

Anybody in Spokane around to report on the Montana at Gonzaga game? How about the first PNCLL game in Ashland -- Linfield at Southern Oregon.... anyone have the score?

[Dan Wishengrad]

Gonzaga comes from behind to beat Montana, 12-10. The grizzlies reportedly led 6-4 at halftime.

[muchachojones]

Linfield won either 15-3 or 16-3.