The Case For Villanova
Froccaro and Curran combined to take 266 shots, nearly 40 percent of the Wildcats total output. That’s a lot of ammo to replace. But Villanova might be better off with a faceless approach and letting Cuccinello play the role of surgeon. “Christian Cuccinello is as dynamic as an attackman as there is out there,” Corrado said. “Two hands, big, fast, can beat you with quickness and can also beat you with strength and power. His ability to go both ways with both hands makes him a really tough cover.”
The Case Against Villanova
Joey Froccaro tore his ACL in the fall, further challenging the Wildcats’ depth in the midfield. He was poised for a breakout season. Villanova also remains very young on defense. Opponents exploited these weaknesses early last season, as the Wildcats started 0-3. They would find it more difficult to dig themselves out of such a hole this season, and the schedule again is frontloaded.
Path to the Playoffs
The Wildcats have won 18 games over the last two seasons. Their non-conference schedule includes five foes — Penn State, Yale and Hofstra out of the gate, plus Maryland and Penn — ranked in the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Top 20. In addition to Big East play, there will be plenty of opportunities to build a postseason resume.
Players To Watch
Christian Cuccinello, A, Sr.
33 G, 31 A
The first-team All-Big East attackman is Villanova’s primary initiator and distributor, but certainly he is capable of putting the ball in the back of the net himself.
Danny Seibel, A, Sr.
26 G, 57.0 SH%
An off-ball finisher, Seibel took advantage when Maryland tried to blanket him with a short stick, scoring four goals, including the game-winner in overtime to punctuate one of the biggest upsets of the 2017 season.
Connor Kirst, So. M
11 G, 36 GB
The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder played mostly d-middie as a freshman, but his booming outside shot earned him a spot on the extra-man unit. Kirst will join Kluh and McNamara on the first midfield line with the potential to break out offensively. He can also face off.
National Rankings
Category
|
Rank
|
Value
|
Offense |
7th |
13.13 GPG |
Defense |
54th |
11.47 GAA |
Faceoffs |
45th |
47.7% |
Ground Balls |
33rd |
27.53/game |
Caused TO |
39th |
6.40/game |
Shooting |
30th |
29.1% |
Man-Up |
28th |
35.8% |
Man-Down |
31st |
66.7% |
Assists |
6th |
8.13/game |
Turnovers |
1st |
10.53/game |
Clearing |
4th |
90.5% |
Power Ratings (Scale of 1-5)
Offense
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Defense
⭐⭐
Goalkeeping
⭐⭐⭐
Faceoff
⭐⭐⭐
.772
Villanova’s assist-to-turnover ratio, a rather favorable mark considering the frequency of exchanges in lacrosse. The Wildcats ranked in the top 10 in both categories in 2017, committing the fewest turnovers per game (10.53) of any team in Division I. Factor in their sound clearing game (90.5 percent) and you get the picture of a team that prides itself on playing mostly error-free lacrosse.
5-Year Trend
Conference Record
Year
|
W-L
|
Pct.
|
2013 |
5-1 |
.833 |
2014 |
3-3 |
.500 |
2015 |
1-4 |
.200 |
2016 |
3-2 |
.600 |
2017 |
4-1 |
.800 |
Coach Confidential
Mike Corrado
“Philosophically, you look at our schedule and everybody you talk to asks, ‘What are you, stupid?’ I sit on the RAC (regional advisory committee). I hear the discussions. Everyone’s goal is to make the NCAA tournament. You make the NCAA tournament and win two games, you’re in the final four. But it’s really hard to get in there. You can put all your chips into the conference championship, or the other way is to get some strong non-conference wins to get in position at large.”
Enemy Lines
Rival Coaches
“The uzi-shooters are gone. Jake Froccaro and Jack Curran combined for over 250 shots. But sometimes there can a better offensive flow and reliability on teammates when the alpha males depart. ... We will learn a great deal about this group’s offensive chemistry right away in February, as the Wildcats face two Top 10 opponents with stingy defenses: Penn State followed by Yale. ... Goalie Nick Testa returns between the pipes, but look who landed at Villanova: Matt Barrett and his one more year of eligibility. ... A few goals short last year, talented returners, and better in goal. ... Watch out for this team. They finally have a goalie. If they can play together on offense, they can compete with anyone.”