NCAA lacrosse season is fully underway as of this weekend. Both teams are matched well for the first time in two or three seasons and each squad has its advantages. Game time is set for noon EST in Durham, N.C.
DUKE
They’re a powerhouse that just repeated National Championship victories. Deemer Class and Myles Jones return following great 2014 performances.
Deemer Class (midfield, junior) posted 65 points in 2014 behind 38 goals and 27 assists. Myles Jones has grabbed the spotlight of numerous magazines and media outlets with his size and abilities. Also a junior at midfield this year, Jones comes into 2015 following last season’s 63 points from 37 goals and 26 assists.
Luckily for the Blue Devils, they return the majority of their goaltending unit this year with Kyle Turri (Senior), Luke Aaron (Junior), and two sophomores Danny Fowler and Ben Krebs.
Last season Duke had quality performances out of Turri and Aaron in goal. Turri finished the season with 33 saves and a percentage of .478. Aaron stole his spotlight, making 159 saves and posting a saves percentage at .503 and a rating of over 80 percent.
Unfortunately for Duke they’ll have a young unit this year. They’ve lost a few other point scorers from last season in Jordan Wolf, Josh Dionne and Christian Walsh, as well as eight other seniors.
Fortunately, they do still return Kyle Keenan, Case Matheis, Chad Cohen, Will Haus and Jack Bruckner.
Duke’s advantages are their stature. They come from lacrosse hotbed areas, are consistently performers, and are hosting the game at home. They are coming off of a tight 16-13 win over High Point, and this game will be tougher.
AIR FORCE
The Falcons come into this game with some high hopes. For one, they’re flying down to coastline elevations from Colorado elevations, and will have lung-power on their side. Additionally, Duke has their season opener today, meaning they’ll be a bit fatigued, have had to focus on two opponents in the week leading up, and the fact Air Force will have the ‘first-game’ energy.
Air Force is a young team, as well. Of their top six scorers in 2014, four were lost to graduation. The two returning are now senior Keith Dreyer and now junior Christopher Allen.
Dreyer finished last year with 47 points behind 17 goals and 30 assists; second on the team. He’ll be an ideal senior player for 2015 because he’s a team player and can help the younger guys develop into the Air Force systems.
Allen accumulated 25 points behind 21 goals and four assists.
The Falcons return all three goalies, two now juniors and one a sophomore. Brett Dadiego finished 2014 with 47 saves and a saves percentage .456, rating him at close to 21.5 percent. Doug Gouache, also a junior, accumulated 100 saves in 2014 for a percentage of .495 and a rate of 49.5 percent.
OVER-UNDER
Both squads are younger this year. Air Force has the altitude advantage over a team playing two games in a weekend. Duke has the experience behind them but Air Force has the hunger and appetite.
I see Air Force upsetting Duke in this game bound to be a close match.
