PNCLL Week #5 (3/1-3/7) -- Predict, Scores & Discuss

[Sonny]

Central 11
WSU 3

The Cougs started off the game, by getting to the field 30 minutes late due to a Detour on Highway 26. With little time to warm-up it was obvious to see that we came out extremely flat. This was a First game for many of the cougar players, because half the team has never had any prior experience. The Wildcats came out strong and dominated in the first quarter, I believe taking a 6-0 lead. The Cougs and the Wildcats tied in the second quarter with 2 goals a piece to put the score to 8-2. The two first half goals were unassisted by Kevin Weitz and Jake Randolph. Both teams were shut out in the 3rd quarter. The Cougs made some defensive adjustments and were able to hold the Cats to 0 points. A Strong effort by WSU's goalie, Dustin Gelderman kept the Cougs in much of the game. Nick Lyon assisted Jake Randolph in a early 4th qtr Man-Up goal. Experience and conditioning showed to be the deciding factors in the game, as the Cats were able to possess the ball and out hustled the cougs in the groundball battle. The Wild Cats were able to score some goals in the later part of the 4th qtr to put the game away.

Overall it was a great opportunity for the Cougs to gain some much needed experience. It hopefully will set the stage for some improvements before their next game against Idaho on March 4th.

The Cougs thank the Wildcats for hosting them and appreciate the generosity they have shown through out the entire process of putting this game together. We were all very impressed by the caliber of players on your team and we wish you the best of luck in the future.

[Dan Wishengrad]

The Cougs started off the game, by getting to the field 30 minutes late. It hopefully will set the stage for some improvements before their next game against Idaho on March 4th.

Jake if your next game is on March 4th I'm afraid you will be a little late to that one, too.

Seriously, we're glad to hear Wazzou is "back in the house" and are all pulling for Cougar Lax to return to the PNCLL

[Hi-Line Lax]

Montana scores for the weekend...Saturday, 20-2 over UPS. Beautiful day in Tacoma and great hosts in UPS. Sunday, 15-7 over Gonzaga. This was a tough game that started out rough for the Zags, with a 3 minute non-releasable mostly due to a field conflict. It was a tough, physical game and a big win for the Griz. Really great weekend for Dave Crosby in goal, Travis McCarthy on the face, that attack, those longpoles, and many others...a real team effort.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

After seeing Montana in action this weekend. . .I can definitely say that this team is as good as advertised.

They are better than last year. . .much better. Last year they were great at defense and goalie, and Townsend carried the load on offense. McCarthy is a very good midfielder between the lines, but they lacked depth at midfield. . .

That has totally changed. Their defense is better (nobody graduated), they've added a couple more attackmen that are very dangerous (#2 is really good). . .but the most improved area on this team is the midfield.

They are very deep at the midfield. They dominate the ground, and they have a couple young midfielders in Bagley & Pyke that can dodge and score and take the load off of McCarthy.

They are well-coached and play well together. . .and they travelled to Tacoma with about 35 guys in uniform.

This team is going to make some serious noise in the B division this year. I'm looking forward to their matchup in 3 weeks with UVSC. . .my money is on the Grizz.

[Chris Gaffney]

To say that Oregon is overrated based on the SFU is not giving either teams enough credit. It is just a hard fought rivalry game by two quality teams. Also, if recent history repeats itself, Oregon will be much improved by the end of the season. It's still early and anything can happen, but I'm still predicting my alma mater to go undefeated in league.

2004- Regular season 9-8 Oregon
Finals 19-9 Oregon
2005 - Regular season 7-5 SFU
Finals 19-6 Oregon
Just my 2 cents.....

[Ballaholic]

Oregon should not move down in the polls, if anything they may move up because of BYU's loss to arizona. Also, after UCSB's losses to michigan, CSU and their very tough schedule in the next 2 weeks, I think Oregon could end up in the top 5 by April.

[Sonny]

SFU beat an ASU team at ASU and they aren't slouches. They also lost two games to quality teams in Utah and UofA on the road.

You are over estimating here. I saw ASU play last weekend and I have to say that I was not impressed. They struggled mightily against a winless and very young Santa Clara team, pulling the game out in the final minutes. ASU is not going to be ranked any time this year, and if they are, they will not have gotten those votes from anyone who has actually seen them play. Utah was heavily over rated at the beginning of the season and could easily finish this season with 10 losses. Arizona is a quality team and looks better than their #15 ranking, but SFU lost to them by 7.

You can spin this any way you want, but this narrow win by Oregon is going to hurt them a little.

Utah 6, Arizona 5 final--- Still think this way CatLax? You seem to give the benefit of the doubt to the top rated WCLL Teams, but not anyone else.

[CATLAX MAN]

SFU beat an ASU team at ASU and they aren't slouches. They also lost two games to quality teams in Utah and UofA on the road.

You are over estimating here. I saw ASU play last weekend and I have to say that I was not impressed. They struggled mightily against a winless and very young Santa Clara team, pulling the game out in the final minutes. ASU is not going to be ranked any time this year, and if they are, they will not have gotten those votes from anyone who has actually seen them play. Utah was heavily over rated at the beginning of the season and could easily finish this season with 10 losses. Arizona is a quality team and looks better than their #15 ranking, but SFU lost to them by 7.

You can spin this any way you want, but this narrow win by Oregon is going to hurt them a little.

Utah 6, Arizona 5 final--- Still think this way CatLax? You seem to give the benefit of the doubt to the top rated WCLL Teams, but not anyone else.

I still think they were over rated in the pre-season poll. They won a game that I suspected they'd lose. Good for them. They are currently 3-2 with those 2 losses coming to Chapman & Chico State, teams that have already proven that they were not as good as their early rankings. I think that they will lose at least 6 more games (Poly, Colorado, CSU, SSU, BYU, and 1 RMLC playoff game). So that's only 8 losses if there are no losses to teams that they should beat. I also wrote that about AZ before this result came in and after watching them against BYU. I don't know what happened against Utah, but this result has to qualify as a surprise. The one thing I do have to reconsider is the relative strength of the AZ team. Can't figure them out. They looked good against BYU, but this result . . . . . .??

[Band]

Overall it was a great opportunity for the Cougs to gain some much needed experience. It hopefully will set the stage for some improvements before their next game against Idaho on March 4th.

That game is on March 25, bud.

[laxfan25]

The one thing I do have to reconsider is the relative strength of the AZ team. Can't figure them out. They looked good against BYU, but this result . . . . . .??

I watched the AZ/BYU game this weekend (that BYUtv thing is great, by the way), and BYU did manage to come back and knot up the game toward the end. They also lost their starting goalie, and truth be told, were really bad catching clearing passes. I think their poor ball-handling cost them that game. However, AZ deserved to win the game, I'm just not sure BYU played anywhere close to what they are capable of. Then again, AZ has a history of beating BYU, so maybe it wasn't such an anomoly.... we'll see how the coming weeks shake out - I'm sure we haven't seen the end of "surprising" results!

[TheBearcatHimself]

SFU beat an ASU team at ASU and they aren't slouches. They also lost two games to quality teams in Utah and UofA on the road.

You are over estimating here. I saw ASU play last weekend and I have to say that I was not impressed. They struggled mightily against a winless and very young Santa Clara team, pulling the game out in the final minutes. ASU is not going to be ranked any time this year, and if they are, they will not have gotten those votes from anyone who has actually seen them play. Utah was heavily over rated at the beginning of the season and could easily finish this season with 10 losses. Arizona is a quality team and looks better than their #15 ranking, but SFU lost to them by 7.

You can spin this any way you want, but this narrow win by Oregon is going to hurt them a little.

Utah 6, Arizona 5 final--- Still think this way CatLax? You seem to give the benefit of the doubt to the top rated WCLL Teams, but not anyone else.

I still think they were over rated in the pre-season poll. They won a game that I suspected they'd lose. Good for them. They are currently 3-2 with those 2 losses coming to Chapman & Chico State, teams that have already proven that they were not as good as their early rankings. I think that they will lose at least 6 more games (Poly, Colorado, CSU, SSU, BYU, and 1 RMLC playoff game). So that's only 8 losses if there are no losses to teams that they should beat. I also wrote that about AZ before this result came in and after watching them against BYU. I don't know what happened against Utah, but this result has to qualify as a surprise. The one thing I do have to reconsider is the relative strength of the AZ team. Can't figure them out. They looked good against BYU, but this result . . . . . .??

Can we at least all agree on one thing: all of the above proves that there is some really good lacrosse being played out West!! YAY! YAY! Lacrosse is fun!

[Dan Wishengrad]

All scores from the week are now final and posted at the beginning of the thread.