Taylor's Takes: Draw Aces, Teams on the Rise and When to Take a Charge

It feels like last week saw more tight matches and upset victories than I have ever seen before within a seven-day period.

We saw Elon secure a nailbiter over VCU and unranked Lehigh beat ranked UConn only to then watch the Huskies go on to play within one goal of No. 4 James Madison just days later. Brown’s newest head coach, Katrina Dowd, watched her squad secure their first win of the season (and her first at the helm) against ranked UMass, while Colorado downed Penn State on their home turf in a Friday Night Lights battle.

Perhaps the biggest statement win of them all was Siena’s impressive performance against the highly touted Army Black Knights, which resulted in a one-goal win for the home team.

What all these close calls and upset victories tell me is that there is little that stands between many teams this season. Small plays — draws, ground balls and clears — are making the biggest differences, and we can tell which programs have put emphasis on those key, often overlooked, areas of the game. We didn’t get the saying “ground balls win games” from nothing, and it’s showing!

From a plethora of draw queens to program-best upsets, this week of Division I women’s lacrosse had everything a fan could hope for and more. Let’s dive in to games and plays both past and future!

DRAW ALL-STARS

• The draw is an area of emphasis for every team no matter the level of play and can often be the “make or break” stat line for games. Even though we are so early in the season, I can tell that certain players and teams have been honing in on this area throughout fall ball and their January preseasons.
• North Carolina is currently dominating the draw, both inside and outside of the circle, in large part due to the work of midfielder Alyssa Long. She reminds me so much of my U.S. teammate (and former Tar Heel assistant) Emily Garrity Parros with her gritty play and lightning-quick first step and is a difference maker out there for the Heels.
• Notre Dame’s Kelly Denes has already collected 29 draws in her first four games and was the catalyst in the Irish’s upset victory over Northwestern last week. Her quick wrist turns give her the ability to place the ball both to herself and teammates, thus creating a versatility in the center circle that Northwestern struggled to keep up with.
• Penn State has been known for the steadiness of their draw teams. With Kayla Abernathy in the center circle, this trend remains true. Abernathy not only places the ball incredibly well (often from a pushing stance) but has the wrist strength to secure possession for her team in the air consistently. As a former McDonogh (Md.) player of mine, it’s been great to watch her continue to grow in such a technical area of the game.

TAKING A CHARGE

• Attempting to take a midfield charge is a high-risk, low-reward move — especially this year.
• With the new green card rule in effect between the restraining lines, riding players must be much more careful when deciding whether or not to go for the big check or midfield charge. It was rare before the rule change to have a referee call for a legitimate charge between the 30s, but now it’s nearly impossible. Add on the potential for a 60-second woman-down opportunity for the opposing team, and this risk becomes even higher. I’ve seen a few players attempt a charge between the 30s and have maybe seen one actually called. If I was a coach or still playing, I would be looking for turnover opportunities elsewhere.

TEAMS ON THE RISE

• Yale: I was super impressed with Yale’s competitive spirit and composure in its comeback victory over Stanford. Their scoring was balanced, with five players tallying more than three points, but what stood out to me was the play in the cage by goaltender Cami Donadio. She only saw four shots total, but she saved three of them, and in a one-goal game, that stat is huge. Yale was a team I considered to be “on the rise” last season, and I’m happy to see the Bulldogs continue their upward trajectory.
• Brown: As mentioned previously, the Bears are looking hot to start with wins over Albany and UMass on their resume. Katrina Dowd was best known for her creativity and impeccable stickwork as a player at Northwestern and is imparting that same flair and innovation in her own players. I’m loving the swagger that Dowd’s team plays with, and I’m intrigued to see how they grow.

GAMES TO WATCH

• Johns Hopkins vs. Penn: This will be a good test for two ranked teams looking to jump to the top of their respective conferences and make a splash late in May. The Blue Jays have taken down Albany, Siena and Duke, while the Quakers have conquered Drexel. This matchup will be a great early season test for both squads.
• Louisville vs. Virginia Tech: The ACC is a powerhouse of a conference — everyone knows that — with both of these programs continually fighting for recognition. Louisville’s Kokoro Nakazawa against Virginia Tech’s Jocelyn Torres will be a fascinating matchup. Whoever has the better day will most likely be the one leading their team to a much-needed conference victory.
• Rutgers vs. Army: Army is no longer ranked after being upset by Siena, while Rutgers continues to hover in mid-20s of the polls, so this game may be closer than people originally thought. I’m excited to see how Army bounces back and if Rutgers can get back to where it was playing a few years ago.