Where: @ Air Force
When: Wednesday May 7, 9:05 pm
The second of the two play-in games features two teams who weren’t expected to make the NCAA Tournament. Air Force was supposed to fall to Ohio State or Fairfield in the ECAC but instead clinched its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988! Meanwhile, Richmond was entering its first season of Division 1 lacrosse and won the Atlantic Sun Conference despite a 6-10 record. Therefore, it seems fitting that both teams will be matched against each other with a trip to Durham, NC to face top seeded Duke on the line.
When the two take the field Wednesday night, whose magical run will end, Air Force or Richmond?
Richmond offense vs Air Force defense
Edge: Air Force
In the last two games, Air Force held Fairfield’s 17th ranked offense to eight goals. They also held Ohio State’s offense to seven. Ohio State ranks 40th in the nation and guess who ranks 44th? If you guessed Richmond, you are correct. Richmond struggles to score goals and will do so against the nation’s 20th ranked defense. Air Force allows only nine goals a game. Richmond is led by freshman attackman Mitchell Goldberg who has 40 points on the season.
Air Force, while not the takeaway machines that Richmond is, have three experienced defenders who play sound defense. Alex Warden, Matt Puleo and Kyle O’Brien are the leading takeaway guys on this defense and will try to handle an attack unit that boasts the Spiders’ Top 3 point leaders.
Regardless, goalie Doug Gouchoe should have a pretty good day as he has played well in his previous two games against Ohio State and Fairfield.
Richmond defense vs Air Force offense
Edge: Air Force
Air Force is led by the attack unit of Mike Crampton, Keith Dreyer and Tomy McKee. All three rank as the Top 3 point scorers on the team as they have combined for 144 points. Cramptom leads the attack with 56 points on the season, including six goals in the ECAC tournament. Meanwhile, Dreyer had 10 points in both games.
Those two will have an interesting match up as they face two defensemen that are caused turnover machines. Brendan Hynes and Ryan Dennis have 35 and 31 caused turnovers respectively and will look to apply pressure early and often.
Richmond’s defense should have its hardest test since it faced Rutgers and Bryant in late March. Air Force has too many guys at the midfield positions to go along with their attack unit and should cause problems for this Richmond defense.
Faceoffs
Edge: Air Force
Air Force boasts two guys who have taken a considerable amount of faceoffs in Erik Smith and Bryan Price. Smith is the far superior faceoff man as he has won 69-of-118 faceoffs, good for 58 percent. On the other hand, Richmond’s Peter Moran won 102-of-247 faceoffs, good for 41 percent.
Air Force has the clear advantage here and should dominate possession throughout the game.
Prediction
Richmond was lucky to get into the tournament, especially with a below .500 record. Their Cinderella run ends here as Air Force is better in all three phases of the game. Give me Air Force to move on to play Duke in the next round.
Air Force 12, Richmond 8
