EXT. LACROSSE FIELD. DAY.
STEVEN PONTRELLO makes the Ohio State defense look goofy with a deft shot fake dodge that results in a tidy instance of goalie embarrassment.
North Carolina and Ohio State met over the weekend, taking part in a scrimmage to benefit the Michael R. Breschi Scholarship Fund. The fund is in honor of current Heels head coach Joe Breschi's son, who died in 2004 at the age of three in a car accident. Carolina walked away from Calvert Hall High School with a 15-9 victory, although the outcome matters as much as the kind of underwear that I prefer. (If you're curious, the answer is "None." Process that!)
The video above will walk you through captivating images. Some brief notes:
- They're only highlights, so of course the best stuff is included, but Ohio State looked to have some sharp passing and finishing. For a team that finished 2012 toward the bottom of the country in raw offensive shooting rate -- only 10 teams had a worse percentage despite sharing the ball at a rate within the top-third of the country -- this is a nice development consdiering the team ranked only 40th in adjusted offensive efficiency just a year ago. As all of the Buckeyes young offensive talent comes along, this could really become a dangerous team in 2013 with Logan Schuss anchoring the team's offensive efforts.
- I'm not a gear guy -- down with aesthetes! -- but I kind of what a pair of Ohio State's shorts.
- STOCK MILDLY-HARDCORE GUITAR SOUNDTRACK! YEAH, BUDDY! LACROSSE ROCKS! \m/
Inside Lacrosse had Sean Burns on the scene on Sunday. Here are two cribs for each club:
OSU's midfield had a big contest, with Planning's five points, King's pair of goals and Evans' goal and assist accounting for more than half the team's output. Leading scorer from 2012 Logan Schuss only managed a pair of assists after scoring 39 goals a year ago, but credit for that can go largely to UNC's defense. It appeared that sophomore Jake Bailey drew Schuss as his assignment, and did a good job of keeping him from finishing the way he has made a habit of since his arrival in Columbus.
* * * * *
The close defense, particularly in the first half, did a very good job for Carolina. Jake Bailey kept reigning ECAC Offensive Player of the Year Logan Schuss out of the goals column, while Kieran McDonald checked Turner Evans and Evan Connell marked Adam Trombley. Matchups shifted around during the game, but much of the Buckeye offense was generated out of the midfield, which always bodes well for a close defensive unit.