I have a theory.
I’ve only been watching lacrosse seriously since 2013, so I’m still working out ideas of how all of this works. Forgive me if I’m stepping over some lines of unwritten rules or something.
This is my theory: I think it’s hard to win a lacrosse game when you go nearly 32 minutes between goals.
I don’t think it’s impossible, I’m not willing to step out on that branch. But on Wednesday afternoon in the Valley, when Marquette didn’t score any goals in between Easton McCafferty’s strike with
11:47 left in the second quarter that tied MU up with Utah and Brady Nicholas’ goal with 9:55 left in regulation? I think that doomed Marquette.
If a 31:51 goalless streak didn’t actually officially doom the Golden Eagles, then the nine goals that Utah scored did. That includes the last two goals of the first half to make it 7-5 at intermission, all six goals of the third quarter since MU didn’t contribute any of their own, and then the first goal of the fourth quarter. 14-5 Utes with 11:48 to go, and that’s pretty much all she wrote.
I don’t even know if Marquette really played that poorly, as they were only outshot 10-8 in the third quarter. The goals were lopsided, but the Golden Eagles had their fair share of cracks at the Utes’ net.
Final ended up being 16-7, and this feels like the first time this season that Marquette really ended up uncompetitive against a team. Maybe the Harvard game also qualifies.
Anyway.
Highlights, such as they are, courtesy of GoMarquette.com and ESPN+:
Up Next: Marquette will have the rest of Spring Break to mull over their fourth loss of the season, and all of next week, too. They will not return to action until they head out on the road to face Bellarmine on Saturday, March 21. First draw there is set for 11am Central, and ESPN+ will have the broadcast. The Knights are 4-5 after a 14-11 loss at Robert Morris back on March 7th, and they’ll visit Rutgers this coming Saturday before hosting the Golden Eagles.
