Michigan Lax 4-0
With all the excitment about basketball today i figured i would let those that are interested in M-Lax know that Michigan beat Chapman 11-8 today to finish up the Spring Break trip. This puts Michigan 4-0 on the year with most of the remaining games in the confines of Oosterbaan.
Just a quick look at the stats and Michigan took the lead 3-2 and never looked back after that. Chapman did outshot and controled more faceoffs that Michigan, but the important part is that Michigan got the W.
On to Ohio.
I forgot the team was on a west coast road trip. Great results, and now back to Ann Arbor for about 8 home games in a row. Which is nice.
How good is Chapman? Do the number of close games portend a more difficult road to another title?
The past three years Chapman has really came to power. Michigan beat them in 2009 and 2008 for the MCLA national championship and in the semis in 2010. They have a 59-7 record since the 2008 season through today and currently hold the #5 ranking in MCLA.
In terms of the close games so far this season. Oregon was a game played in shitty conditions, yes both teams had to deal with them but Michigan has been practicing and playing indoors all season so this may have had an effect on their play that day. In addition, Oregon is a good team they are currently ranked 24 in the MCLA.
I would also say that Michigan's tough schedule is nothing new. Michigan always sets the bar high and therefore the team is tested well before the MCLA playoffs. The team's SOS is only 47, but that is due to playing in the CCLA which honestly is a horrible conference outside of Michigan and MSU every few seasons.
In case you were wondering where all of these numbers came from laxpower.com is where i got them.
Chapman is very good. They are the west coast version of U-M in MCLA lacrosse.
By the way (insert proud uncle here), my niece had three goal, two assists, four ground balls and four draw controls for Duke in victory against Princeton in women's lax today.