Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. In recent years, Duke has been known for its slow starts. That certainly doesn't appear to be the case in 2018. The Blue Devils have posted easy wins over Air Force and High Point to open the season and senior Justin Guterding looks ready to put a monster season together.
Guterding, who had 97 points last season, had eight points (5g, 3a) in the Blue Devils 18-6 win over High Point on Thursday night and has 18 points after just two games. No. 1 Duke hosts Jacksonville on Saturday before next Friday's big showdown on ESPNU against No. 3 Denver.
Another big game for Justin Guterding @guterball14 as #1 @DukeMLAX beats @HPUMensLax 18-6. Guterding has 18 points in two games this season. Full highlights upcoming on Lacrosse Now on the LSN app and https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw (video courtesy ACC Network Extra) pic.twitter.com/5jgRFSkBmx
— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) February 9, 2018
2. The NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse season begins today with Johns Hopkins hosting Marquette at 2 p.m. in the opener. Also on tap today, Scott Teeter makes his debut at Louisville as the Cardinals head to Cincinnati, Hannah Nielsen makes her debut with Michigan as the Wolverines play Colorado in Jacksonville, Fla., and Arizona State, under Courtney Connor, takes the field for the first time ever, playing at Kennesaw State.
3. Denver's Trevor Baptiste is already one of the most accomplished faceoff men in the history of college lacrosse. The Warrior / US Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Player of the Year would love to cap off his last year with the Tewaaraton.
4. Good isn't good enough for Stony Brook's Kylie Ohlmiller, the Brine / US Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Player of the Year. “I love learning new ways to play the game because there’s so much creativity in the game,” Ohlmiller said. “I think that’s ultimately a tribute to it being the Creator’s Game."
PHOTO BY JOHN STROHSACKER
Kylie Ohlmiller was in the stands as a youth player the last time Stony Brook hosted the NCAA championship. She hopes to lead the Seawolves to a national title on their own field in 2018.
5. Kelly Amonte Hiller had carried a burden for more than a decade. “I feel like we let the U.S. down,” she said of the 2005 World Cup final, her last experience wearing a Team USA uniform. Now she gets a chance to help erase that feeling as the new U.S. U19 coach.
6. US Lacrosse issued updated guidelines to the stick stringing requirements for 2018.
7. The shot clock made its debut in NCAA Division I women's lacrosse last year. Now that it's filtered down to Division III, how will it affect that level of the game.