You spent the better part of four months meticulously dissecting the 2012 college lacrosse season. You shouldn't stop now because cold turkey is a bad way to go through life, man. College Crosse is providing decompression snapshots of all 61 teams and their 2012 campaigns, mostly because everything needs a proper burial.
I. VITAL SIGNS
Team: Towson Tigers
2012 Record: 7-8 (2-4, THUNDERDOME!)
2012 Strength of Schedule (Efficiency Margin): 1.66 (15)
2011 Strength of Schedule (Efficiency Margin): 0.72 (24)
Winning Percentage Change from 2011: +23.59%
2012 Efficiency Margin: -3.65 (42)
Efficiency Margin Change from 2011: -3.90
II. "ATTA BOY!" FACT
- Easiest answer of the entire series: March 31, 2012, at Hempstead, Long Island. I'll let Towson fill in the rest of the answer:
Looking to extend its three-game win streak, Towson traveled to No. 20 Hofstra that March night. The Tigers found themselves trailing 9-3 with 11:27 to play in the fourth quarter against the Pride.
Three Tiger goals in 3:09 made it a 9-6 game with 8:28 to play. The Tiger offense continued to find success as Matt Lamon pulled the visitors to within one, 9-8, with 2:03 showing on the clock.
With just two seconds remaining in regulation, Thomas DeNapoli scored his third goal of the game, which tied the contest at 9-9. DeNapoli’s goal sent the game into overtime.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the first overtime session. In the second overtime, the Tigers were given a big opportunity as Hofstra was called for two penalties, an illegal cross-check and an unsportsmanlike conduct. That gave the Tigers a man-advantage for two minutes. After the Tigers missed their first two shots, Justin Mabus connected on an eight-yard blast from the right side with 38 seconds left in the extra session. Mabus’ goal, which was assisted by Lamon, gave the Tigers a win in a game in which they trailed by six goals.
III. "YOU'RE GROUNDED UNTIL YOU QUALIFY FOR THE AARP!" FACT
- Andrew Wascavage was a really nice story for the Tigers last year, backstopping to a 56.4 save percentage and hoisting up some huge save numbers week after week. He's improving into a top-tier kind of goalie, but there's only so much he can do: The guy saw as many shots per defensive possession as any keeper in the country and he was asked to end defensive possessions all over the place with a save. (Towson ranked in the bottom ten nationally in shots per defensive possession and in the top ten nationally in saves per defensive possession.) The guy can't do everything for the Tigers defensively, especially limit assisted goal opportunities (which Towson was pretty miserable at in 2012). Shots coming from preferential locations are difficult even for the best goalies to turn away, and if the Tigers want to improve their defensive efficiency, they need to get a handled on assisted hitters.
IV. MR. FIX-IT HAS A ONE-FIX ENGAGEMENT, AND IT'S . . .
- Get the hell out of Shawn Nadelen's way. The neophyte head coach, in only a season, significantly improved Towson's overall play (even if the efficiency margin differences between 2011 and 2012 don't show it). Imagine what this guy is going to be able to accomplish with a little time and room. THUNDERDOME! is a war, but if Nadelen continues the program's growth, the Tigers can certainly compete in the league.