M Lax Wins

Submitted by WoodleyIsBeast on

Just returned from the Michigan-Msu lacrosse game to determine who advances to the club nationals in Denver at the end of the month.   Slowed down at the end of the game and let Sparty back in it, but held on to a 11-10 victory.  Here's hoping we take nationals again while preparing for D-I!

mlax27

May 8th, 2011 at 5:07 PM ^

I followed Tims liveblog and it sounded like a heck of a comeback from sparty and JP just got his guys to buckle down in the 4th.

Did you see what started the scuffle in the third quarter? Was it a sparty cheapshot to greiners head as he was subbing?

WoodleyIsBeast

May 8th, 2011 at 5:12 PM ^

So I just saw them coming off and then spilling into the Sparty bench, didn't see what started it all, the tent obstructed my view. 

I will say there was a huge drop off when Stone came out of the game, rough second half for Fowler.  Either way, glad to be advancing.

Tim

May 8th, 2011 at 10:04 PM ^

I got a little clarification from another fan in the stands. It sounds like the stick from the State player was pretty non-confrontational (i.e. the little chippy things you do in a game that refs won't catch you doing). 

It seems, if that's true, that Greiner's reaction - going into State's bench area from the sub box - was pretty inappropriate.

laxalum

May 8th, 2011 at 7:14 PM ^

Yeah boys.  Nice job.  What is that, something like 25-1 against Sparty?

And unless the two teams meet in the national tournament week after next this was State's last chance to steal one.

laxalum

May 8th, 2011 at 9:02 PM ^

State has only beaten UM once in lacrosse since Sparty cut their D1 program in 1997.  That was April 29, 2006.  So 1,835 days.

For basketball it has been 427 days.  (March 7, 2010)

Tim

May 9th, 2011 at 5:16 PM ^

They reportedly will join the ECAC, which means games against Denver (a top-8 team this year), Air Force, Ohio State, Bellarmine, Hobart, Loyola, and Fairfield. However, there's also a report that Penn State and High Point (another new program) would possibly be looking to join the ECAC, which would result in a 10-team, 2-division conference. I would guess that wouldn't be for another year down the road.

Anyway, in addition to the ECAC slate, Detroit, Notre Dame, Hopkins and Penn State (if they're not in the ECAC) would be good bets. On top of those, some of the younger/worse programs, such as Mercer, High Point, and VMI, would be included to soften up an otherwise-tough schedule.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

May 9th, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^

I've read, in what should probably be classified as 110% speculation, that Fairfield and Loyola might look to get back into the MAAC (since they're MAAC schools in everything else) now that the conference has lifted its scholarship limits.  Probably not as soon as next year, but maybe eventually.  If they were to do that who knows what the shuffling would end up doing, since that would put six actual MAAC schools in the conference.

Curious, why would Penn State try to join the ECAC and leave the CAA?  That's a difficult conference but better for one's RPI than the ECAC and PSU is on the cusp of being a real contender there.  I could see them leaving if invited to GWLL part deux, but the ECAC wouldn't make any sense to me unless they just really love playing Big Ten teams.

Tim

May 9th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^

All the reasoning I've seen is the GWLL/Big Ten Bros thing. Reportedly, Tambroni isn't so keen on leaving the CAA though.

I would love to see the Eastern schools get out of the ECAC, or just see a Western-only lacrosse conference (GWLL redux) formed. 

Maaaaaaaan, I wish they would just make an official announcement so all my speculative posts will be appropriate.

mgolax

May 9th, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^

Any more rumblings Tim?  I was getting concerned that they hadn't announced we would go varsity in 2013...it's kind of a pleasant surprise to hear that they're waiting to announce 2012 instead.  It be pleasanter if it was official though.

Tim

May 9th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^

I actually haven't heard anything recently, aside from the semi-cryptic tweet that is the first time an official source has said anything about it on the record.