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It's Duke day in lacrosse. The men's team hosts and the women's team travels. The men start at noon and the women face off at one. This is some space for those of you who wish you were at one or the other to find out what's happening, to sound off about what's happening, or to dope slap yourselves for not being there in person.
The men's team passed their first big test up at Syracuse last Saturday in large part due to a best performance in a leading role from Charlie Raffa at the ‘X' and a best supporting award to Niko Amato in goal. The rest of the ensemble cast also provided solid performances and Maryland coach John Tillman looks to be an early frontrunner for best director. But since this is sports and the performances are live, perhaps a better analogy than the Oscars would be the Tonys. So the question is, can the Terps offer the fans a repeat performance.
On the women's side of the draw, the question is more one of can the juggernaut keep rolling. The Terps have opened the 2014 campaign with five consecutive wins including a 14-7 thrashing of then seventh ranked Penn State on the road. Since 2009, Coach Cathy Reese's squads have amassed 110 wins against 9 losses. That's a winning percentage of .924 folks. Want more juggernauting? The nine losses are by a total of 14 goals. Fourteen goals. That's how close Maryland is to being undefeated for five years. So the lesson for Terrapins' foes is: stay close or lose. Of course, teams can stay close and still lose. Last season the Terps had two one goal wins. So if Maryland gets on top early, I expect a Terrapin win.
How to witness men's:
Date, time, and location: Saturday, March 1, 12 pm, at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium, College Park, MD
Get your butts in the seats at Byrd.
If you can't, you can find a clue in Patrick1's how to watch.
How to witness women's:
Date, time, and location: Saturday, March 1, 1 pm at Koskinen Stadium, Durham, NC
It looks to be the same deal for the women's game. If you subscribe to Terps TV, you can watch a live stream of the women's game. You can also follow it on Live Stats which you can link to from the womens lacrosse schedule page on umterps.com
You can read a bit more about about what to expect in the men's game in Jake's excellent preview.
And, within my limited understanding, I've tried to do the same for the women's game here.
Okay. Let's Do IIIIIIIIIT! Predictions? (Make 'em if you dare.) In game descriptions. (Make 'em so your fellow TTers know what's happening.) In game reactions. (Make 'em so your fellow TTers know how you feel about what's happening.) And of course that old standby, spewing Duke invective. (Spew it just because.)
Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time: