2023 Season

Can Lehigh get back to the NCAA postseason?
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ngineer
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2023 Season

Post by ngineer » Sun Apr 02, 2023 7:42 pm

Men improved to 6-3 (3-1 in PL) with a steamrolling of the Leotards, 15-9. 3rd string game up a few in garbage time. Team looking solid looking to crack the national top 10.


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Hawkineer
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Re: 2023 Season

Post by Hawkineer » Mon Apr 03, 2023 1:10 pm

ngineer wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 7:42 pm Men improved to 6-3 (3-1 in PL) with a steamrolling of the Leotards, 15-9. 3rd string game up a few in garbage time. Team looking solid looking to crack the national top 10.
Since they are not currently ranked and lost to all three ranked teams that they have played, the top ten seems overly optimistic. Let’s see if they can first crack the top 25.
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Re: 2023 Season

Post by grad81 » Tue Apr 04, 2023 11:48 am

Top 10 unlikely. Top 20 maybe if they win out the rest of the regular season beating nationally ranked Loyola and pre-season Patriot League #1 BU. At 6-3 this team has beaten everyone they were supposed to (possible exception of Navy), and lost to the three ranked teams they have played. The Army and Georgetown losses could have gone the other way if the offense hadn't gone to sleep early in the second half that turned a lead or tie into a 5-6 goal deficit which could not be overcome. Against Cornell, they were tied at five midway through the 2Q and then were shut out the rest of the game, losing 12-5. The only game they were never really in. And although they won the game against Binghamton, they barely survived 14-13 after leading 13-6 at half. The offense can be very good but also can struggle for large stretches of games, especially against zone defenses. The two main weaknesses that have hurt LU in their losses were turnovers and clearing. They are not in the top 50 in D1 in either category. Teams that ride aggressively give them fits and have for the past several seasons. You can't beat good teams if you can't get the ball out of your own end. Bucknell uses a ten man ride so watch out this weekend. The Hawks have to clean up the turnovers and clearing game if they are to win the Patriot League. That said, they were much better in both areas last Saturday against the Pards.

Defensively, the team has done pretty well considering they had to replace several key players, especially in goal. Pecora has played well in his first year and the defense in front of him is improving although they still have a tendency to give up soft goals now and then. The freshman LSM, Richard Checo, is a special player, currently leading the nation in caused turnovers. He along with Mike Sisselberger were just named mid-season honorable mention All Americans by Inside Lacrosse. Sisselberger is again having an outstanding season albeit not as dominant as his last two although he is currently second in the nation in ground balls per game. He gives the team a lot of extra possessions which unfortunately at times, gets negated by the high number of turnovers.

The team has the talent to win the Patriot League. I think the league is wide open. Lehigh went toe to toe with Army, BU just lost to Navy which Lehigh beat, and Loyola is not playing as well as they were earlier in the season. Getting the #2 seed and first round bye in the PL Tournament is going to be key (Army probably has locked up the #1 seed). Given the tournament format, not getting a bye requires the team to win three games in six days which is tough to do. That said, this team can't afford to look past anyone. Bucknell is always a tough game and so is Colgate, who beat Navy and who we lost to last year. Go Hawks!
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Re: 2023 Season

Post by grad81 » Sat Apr 08, 2023 7:41 am

Navy beats Loyola. Patriot League is wide open!
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Re: 2023 Season

Post by ngineer » Sat Apr 08, 2023 1:39 pm

Hawkineer wrote: Mon Apr 03, 2023 1:10 pm
ngineer wrote: Sun Apr 02, 2023 7:42 pm Men improved to 6-3 (3-1 in PL) with a steamrolling of the Leotards, 15-9. 3rd string game up a few in garbage time. Team looking solid looking to crack the national top 10.
Since they are not currently ranked and lost to all three ranked teams that they have played, the top ten seems overly optimistic. Let’s see if they can first crack the top 25.
I appreciate the insight from several of the posters. I was reacting to a comment one of the announcers made during the Laughyette game last week, when he said that Lehigh was 'just outside the top 10'. They certainly dominated the 'pards, but then, LC is not that strong. The close losses to Georgetown and Army, to me, were indicative of how good they can be and hopefully they get on a roll. I think anyone of four/five teams could win the PL. Go Lehigh!
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Bucknell

Post by grad81 » Sun Apr 09, 2023 4:51 pm

Good win although they let Bucknell back into the game in the 3Q. Pecora was excellent in goal and Sisselberger was ridiculous, winning 20 of 21 face offs. Given that, the winning margin should have been much more comfortable but 20 turnovers kept the game close. They are going to have to find a way to limit those going forward if they are going to make a run at the league championship. Colgate almost pulled the upset on Army, losing 10-9 on a late goal.
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Re: 2023 Season

Post by ngineer » Tue Apr 11, 2023 9:02 pm

I've been impressed with Lehigh's goalie. Appears to have very quick reaction time. Turnovers made the Bucknell game closer than it should have been. Looking forward to a wild sprint for home for the regular season title.
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