Bulldogs facing a Penn squad looking for payback
NEW HAVEN — Penn may have already beaten Yale twice this season, in the process claiming Ivy League men’s lacrosse regular season and tournament championships.
But the Quakers are still searching for the ultimate payback at today’s NCAA men’s lacrosse quarterfinals at Rentschler Field (2:30 p.m. ESPNU).
For Penn, victory isn’t just a chance to reach the national semifinals in its home city of Philadelphia. It will also send Yale, the defending national champs, home for the summer, something the Bulldogs accomplished the previous three seasons by beating Penn in the Ivy tournament.
“There is zero thought in my mind that we will lose this game,” Penn captain Tyler Dunn told Philly.com earlier this week. “Yale has ended our season the last few years, so this is personal for us.”
Yale is well aware that Penn has a personal vendetta to settle.
“They don’t like us,” Yale coach Andy Shay said. “We’ve got to play with a little extra spice.”
Yale (13-3) has never lost to the same opponent three times in a single season. In fact, it marks the first time two Ivy League teams have played a third time in one season. Penn got the upper hand with a triple-overtime victory on March 30 — a game that slipped away from the Bulldogs because of Dunn’s goal with one second remaining in regulation. Penn took another one-goal win on May 5 in the Ivy finals at Columbia.
The teams are about as evenly matched as it gets. Both feature high-powered offenses, efficient cover defenders, strong goalies and elite faceoff specialists. Penn (12-3) has been just a little better the previous two meetings.
“We weren’t super-efficient the last two times we played them,” Yale coach Andy Shay said. “Their defense is exceptional. It’s a little different style than most of the teams we play. They match up with certain guys a certain way, and it makes it sticky. We’re going to have to be clean and smart with the ball, and hit our shots.”
Penn’s defensive strategy has been to clog the area in front of the net to take
away shots from the center of the field. It’s forced Yale, the nation’s second-best offense, to work a bit harder for its goals.
In both meetings the Bulldogs have played from behind in the second half, putting pressure on every offensive possession. Adding to the frustration was the play of Penn goalie Reed Junkin, who is at his best in the closing minutes. His three point-blank saves against Yale’s Matt Brandau secured the Ivy championship earlier this month and helped earned him tournament MVP honors.
Offense has come relatively easy all season for Yale, with playmaker Jackson Morrill (39 goals, 42 assists, 81 points) running the show. Brandau (39-1857) set the program record for goals and points in a season. Matt Gaudet (44-246) excels around the net while midfielders Jack Tigh (25-16-41), Joey Sessa (12-1931), Brian Tevlin (13-17-30) and captain John Daniggelis (16-7-23) are all capable offensive threats.
Faceoff specialist T.D. Ierlan, one of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s best player, is winning 78 percent of draws this season, allowing Yale to limit time of possession to opponents.
But Penn’s Kyle Gallagher is the one player that’s challenged Ierlan all season. He won 14-of-29 during the regular season and in the Ivy finals became the only player to win more than 50 percent against Ierlan. Gallagher, a Hofstra transfer, is quick and strong. Penn’s wings also play a large factor.
Shay has preached to his team all season long that it can’t use Ierlan as a crutch. Adjustments must be made on rare days an opponent is fighting him tooth and nail.
“Gallagher is excellent,” Shay said. “We knew about him in high school and when he was interested in transferring. T.D. will have to adjust to what he’s doing. And we need to do better off the wings. We get spoiled sometimes. I say it all the time, but (anyone) could be on the wings and T.D. would still be third in country. Our wings need to engage more. It’s a three man battle, something we have to sign up for before the first whistle.”
Penn has found its groove after dropping its first three games of the season against a brutal opening schedule of Maryland, Duke and Penn State. It breezed through the Ivy schedule undefeated and is making its first NCAA appearance in five years.
Yale is battle-tested. The defending national champs held off Georgetown last weekend to win its fifth straight NCAA game. The senior class is playing in its fourth straight tournament. Nearly all of the current regulars had significant roles during last year’s title run.
Experience on the big stage helps. But Penn knows Yale and its personnel better than any other team in the country. The Bulldogs need to limit mistakes and capitalize on offensive possessions.
“More than anything else, these guys just want to keep playing,” Shay said. “They want to spend more time together. It’s a special group. What trumps it all is they really want to be out here for another week.”