Taylor's 10: How Can NCAA Tournament Scheduling Be Improved?

Taylor Cummings is a three-time Tewaaraton Award winner, a two-time gold medalist with the U.S. women’s national team, the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse champion and the head coach at McDonogh (Md.). “Taylor’s 10” is presented by Gait Lacrosse. Be legendary.

May Madness is here, and the first weekend of play certainly did not disappoint. With 13 games on Friday and another eight on Sunday, the first weekend of the NCAA tournament is always the lacrosse fan’s dream.

Whether games are viewed on split computer screens or multiple televisions, there are so many games to watch at a time and so many opportunities for young fans to watch today’s stars. With that said, I do think there are areas for improvement with regards to the scheduling for this first weekend of NCAA play.

The larger size of the women’s tournament makes it difficult to have staggered start times, especially with the Friday contests. But I hope that the powers that be — the NCAA, host sites and ESPN — can figure out a way to better adjust the Friday and Sunday schedules in the future. While they cannot replicate the men’s schedule of four games on each of the two weekend days because of our multiple rounds of play, there are ways to make the experience better for both teams and fans.

If there were staggered start times on both Friday and Sunday with two or three games per 2.5-hour block, fans wouldn’t have to piecemeal together games or miss out on other contests altogether. Viewership would go up and be much more focused and enjoyable while teams would be able to scout in real time. Here’s hoping that next year’s tournament brings the same amount of energy and excitement on field with much more cohesion schedule-wise off the field.

Even through the split screens and postgame playbacks, there were some truly incredible matches in the first and second rounds. This week’s Taylor’s 10 looks at each of the three best contests from Friday and Saturday and will also preview the upcoming quarterfinal matchups!

FRIDAY’S BEST

Albany 16, Virginia 14

This was by far the biggest upset on day one. The Great Danes were down 10-3 in the third quarter before going on one of the most impressive comebacks I’ve ever witnessed. Albany recieved contributions from so many of top players and was fueled by pure belief and momentum in the second half. Sarah Falk was a scoring machine, Katie Pascale was outrageously impactful all over, Grace McCauley was clutch and freshman goalkeeper Grace Cincebox made saves when she needed to most. I thought Virginia was going to win handedly and give Denver a run for its money on Sunday, but instead, UVA’s season ended Friday evening.

Stony Brook 12, Penn State 8

Statistically speaking, this game was about as close as they come and ended up being the defensive battle we all anticipated. Both Penn State and Stony Brook struggled at times throughout Friday’s contest to dissect their opponent’s defense, but the Seawolves ultimately were able to do so more consistently. CAA Midfielder of the Year Ellie Masera used her rocket of a first step to split apart the Nittany Lions’ zone, often before they were even set up, and lefty Stony Brook attacker Kailyn Hart was able to create a few stunning shooting opportunities for herself on the backside of the zone. The Seawolves played methodically, simply and quickly more often than the Nittany Lions, and that was the difference maker.

Denver 10, USC 7

With Denver up 6-1 at the half, I felt certain they were moving on. But the Women of Troy stormed back to tie it with the help of a huge 5-0 run in the third quarter and a stifling defensive effort that held the Pios scoreless for almost two full periods. Yellow card trouble ended up being USC’s Achilles’ heel in the fourth quarter, as they gave up multiple player-down goals to none other than Denver’s star player Julia Gilbert. Denver’s poise and consistency have kept them undefeated all season long and Friday’s contest was a masterclass in both.

SATURDAY’S BEST

James Madison 15, Maryland 14

I anticipated this game being all about defense. I couldn’t have been more wrong, as it was dictated by two red-hot offenses. Maryland consistently dissected a steady JMU zone to go up 14-10 with under 9 minutes left, but then the Dukes were the team to light a fire. Swift ball movement, accurate shooting and poise from Tewaaraton finalist Isabella Peterson were the ingredients for success for the Dukes. JMU’s momentum grew with every goal late in the fourth until it was too much for the Terps to reverse.

Notre Dame 16, Florida 15

This game eerily mirrored the Maryland-JMU game, but it had the opposite result, as the leading Irish were able to hold on after a fiery late game run from the Gators. I was impressed with the Gators’ ball movement and heads up plays during their comeback to tie it and thought they’d be able to corral one more draw for a final opportunity to win. In the end, it was Notre Dame that won the draw and midfielder Kasey Choma who put the team on her back with an absolute bullet from the center of the 8-meter with 10 seconds left. This Notre Dame-Boston College rematch in quarterfinals is about to be electric.

Northwestern 8, Michigan 7

Their third meeting with the Wildcats this season proved to be the best meeting for the Wolverines, but they were still one goal short. I was really impressed with the way the Michigan defense limited Tewaaraton finalists Izzy Scane and Erin Coykendall and the way that their offense attacked Northwestern’s various defensive schemes. They embraced the close matchup and thrived with the back-and-forth play. The Wildcats have a “championship or bust” mindset, and it’s tough to beat a team that knows how to win in so many different ways. In the end, Northwestern was able to make one more good play than the Wolverines, and that’s all it takes in May.

QUARTERFINAL PREVIEWS

(1) Northwestern vs. (8) Loyola

This is the matchup I’m most excited about. I cannot wait to see how All-American Katie Detwiler does against Tewaaraton favorite Izzy Scane and how the balanced and deep Greyhound offense fairs against the disciplined Wildcat defense. Loyola’s Jen Adams and Northwestern’s Kelly Amonte-Hiller are two of the best planners in all of NCAA lacrosse, so this will be a chess match. Prediction: Northwestern, 14-12

(2) Syracuse vs. (7) James Madison

I anticipate this game being an all-out battle between each team’s strongest side — Syracuse’s red-hot offense and JMU’s stingy zone defense. Syracuse has so many weapons on the offensive end and excels at ball movement, balance and finesse. The Dukes will have to play as a complete unit and over-communicate on every possession if they are to find success. I think whoever wins on this specific half of the field will win the game, and I anticipate the Orange’s depth being too much to handle. Prediction: Syracuse, 15-9

(3) Boston College vs. Notre Dame

This game will be exciting, as it’s a rematch of the ACC semifinals that found Boston College on top 9-4. The Irish offense was on fire against Florida and will have to continue that pace against the Eagles if they have any hope of making the Final Four. Unlike Notre Dame, the ACC champion Eagles looked solid on Sunday against Penn but struggled to find the back of the net against Penn’s zone. I believe this game will come down to which of these two offenses can play more consistently and can get (and then stay) hot. Prediction: Boston College, 12-11

(4) North Carolina vs. (5) Denver

As a fan, I’m really intrigued by this matchup, as these teams mirror one another in so many ways but also play so differently. Both UNC and Denver are known for solid defensive play, young but steady offenses and excellence in goal. That’s where the similarities end. UNC plays a traditional man defense, while Denver plays a chaotic rover zone. Denver’s Emelia Bohi plays an aggressive, untraditional style in cage, while UNC’s Alecia Nichols plays much more traditionally. UNC is known for its crease work offensively, while the Pioneers get more production coming from above goal line extended. I have a feeling this will be a defensive battle with low scoring and a lot of goalie saves. Prediction: Denver, 8-7