For those with a better eye on the technicalities of lacrosse- I noticed and the commentators kept bringing it up.about the 3 sec and shooting calls and how Duke was complaining about it. Seems like officials called it very different from last week to this week. Was it a case of reviewing film and releasing that should have called more last week or just human nature?
UNC Women’s Lacrosse 2025-2026
- Thread starter airball
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Not sure but I was surprised by the lack of 3 sec and shooting space class last week in Durham. Most of the times we play zone defenses, our dynamic offense draws a lot of those calls.
Yeah, I noticed how the announcers praised Stanford yesterday. They were quick to point out that Stanford had 3 players to return from injury. It is kind of funny that in 2024, when we had over eleven players out and injured, nobody stated this fact. People were celebrating when we were losing, coaches were talking junk, and some of the opposing players were talking smack like Florida, but that is okay, we know what we have to do. Go Heels!
Cuse was face guarding Chloe so she just hung out wide and allowed our talent to play 6v6 which opened things up for more scoring.
I enjoyed listening to Coach Levy more than the game, and I really enjoyed the game!
Boy that male announcer is something. He just will not give our defense credit. He kept saying if UNC would not have made that 3-minute run in first half when we scored 6 goals, this game would be 4 to 3. This is so disrespectful. It almost sounds like he was hoping that Syracuse would have beaten us. This is what separates great teams. They will make runs to separate themselves. The announcers kept saying Syracuse defense this and Syracuse defense that. I got tired of hearing that as well. They stated that the first time when we played them, they held us to 13 goals. Luckly, I watched that game and truth be told. That was our very first game and we played them at Syracuse. We beat them 13 to 9 at their place. Syracuse is a tough team to play at their place. Did they point this fact out? No, they made it seem like Syracuse defense was so good and tough to score on. UNC took 41 shots that game but keep in mind that was our first game and we missed a lot of them. Our team was still working out the kinks. As I said, that was our first game. Chloe was playing without Ashley for the first time. Some of our starters were bench players last year. There were a lot of adjustments that had and needed to be made, and our starters were working on their timing, rhythm, etc. Those announcers did not mention these facts. I glad our ladies took care of business today. Keep doing what you are doing. Go Heels!
"These guys have no idea what they're doing."
She was interviewed by Taylor Tannenbaum and Rachael DeCecco after the game. If they replay the semifinal games, you should see it. All of her observations are so well thought out and on point. She's just a very smart person. There are no throwaway or canned responses from Coach Levy.
@SherrellMcMillan Coach Levy declaring lacrosse as a zone free zone. Cowardice will be defeated.
Some people have accused Coach Levy‘s insistence on the game converting to 10-on-10 currently 12-on-12) as being self-serving. The criticism goes something like this “of course she wants fewer players on the field; it would being very advantageous to UNC with its speed and talent.”
I have no doubt that her lobbying for fewer players is her a genuine interest in making the game more exciting and easier to referee. But there is little doubt that a smaller-sided game would benefit better athletes. I agree that the game would be more exciting. Use of zone defense is becoming more and more common and more innovative; with seven defenders and a goalie vs. seven offensive players, it is crowded.
I suspect that opposition to her proposal might be directed, in part, toward UNC and its roster, which would be unfortunate as it comes at the expense of the game’s appeal to spectators. (FWIW, I have heard Northwestern's coach KAH express her opposition to 10 vs. 10.)
I have no doubt that her lobbying for fewer players is her a genuine interest in making the game more exciting and easier to referee. But there is little doubt that a smaller-sided game would benefit better athletes. I agree that the game would be more exciting. Use of zone defense is becoming more and more common and more innovative; with seven defenders and a goalie vs. seven offensive players, it is crowded.
I suspect that opposition to her proposal might be directed, in part, toward UNC and its roster, which would be unfortunate as it comes at the expense of the game’s appeal to spectators. (FWIW, I have heard Northwestern's coach KAH express her opposition to 10 vs. 10.)
Great reflections, Air. I’ve heard that as well, and it is true that 10 v 10 suits her preferred playing style also. “Self-serving” though is too much though IMO, and I think others say that without actually thinking that is why Coach L is promoting that move.
Her preference goes deeper, linked first to truly old-school lacrosse like that played by her dad (I had the pleasure of sitting next to her parents at the 2016 semi-), second, to her UVA experience that also valued up-tempo lacrosse, third, that style was always preferred by a guy I suspect had something to do with hiring her (Coach Scroggs), who always had great defenses (led by the original Coach K) but pushed fast-breaks, great spacing, and fast offensive tempo, and finally her husband Dan, also an offensive-minded guy and product of Willie’s successful philosophy of its time (and a time when other teams like MD were painfully SSSLLlllowww!!). IOW, it’s isn’t just her preference cause she can win with it. It’s her lacrosse DNA.
As an aside, with the 40th anniversary of the 1986 men’s championship at hand, there’s no better example of a team that won with defensive strength but the margin of victory came from efficiency on fast breaks. Settled offense was not the strength that put the team over the top. It was practicing fast breaks and pushing the ball to the cage in scramble situations EVERY DAY. Kudos to Coach Scroggs. And how cool that such success continues today in the better game of women’s lacrosse, where the stick tech hasn’t nearly eliminated changes of possession, scrambles, and true fast breaks!
Finally, as you note, Coach L believes that her preferred style will help grow the game more. And I believe she’s dead right. It’s far more fun to watch up-tempo lacrosse than grinding possessions against zone defense supported by physical violence and intimidation and swallowed whistles. And that’s NOT to say great defense, including zones cannot work. They can. And Carolina’s men’s teams used them well back in the day too.
Having said all that, while I think the other coaches are more self-serving with their fear of the change to 6v6 Off vs Def, I actually like the 7v7 currently as it stands for college. I hope pro and International might continue to experiment with 10v10 more before moving colleges there.
Levy playing fearless today, drawing fouls and cards every time she goes to goal.