Upset on the Bayou: LSU Tiger Lacrosse storms the field after 12-11 victory vs. visiting Texas Longhorns Lax.

So here it goes per TX Lax Alumni Temple Causey:

Texas loses to LSU 11-12 at URec Fields on River Road in Baton Rouge.  Texas has only lost twice to the Tigers: the last time being an LSA Championship disaster in 2019 in Dallas at Crumm Field.

There are some positives:

• The URec Fields are a relatively nice play to play
• The LSU lacrosse fans are not nearly as obnoxious as their football fans
• Curran Rose can play lacrosse.  His team needs to let him become who he needs to be
• Breck Theilen is back after missing half the season due to injury

Except for the final minutes, this game was a very controlled six on six affair.  All offense was started only after the substitutions occurred.  Beyond pushing the ball up field to achieve the clear , no effort was made by either team to take the ball to the rack in transition.  Texas would score first at 11:17, but LSU would answer with three before Texas came up even by the end of the first quarter.  3-3.  Scorers in order were Deane, Eigen and Rose.

The second period was more of the same with Texas falling behind again before achieving a tie as the half came to an end. 6-6.  Scorers were Skanga (2) and Eigen.

Texas continued to play the third quarter as if they felt they would win the game regardless.  They would see themselves on the short end 7-9 as the quarter closed and the sun went down below the levee.  LSU cutters were finding openings and would have been up by more if their shooting had been more accurate and not for Levine in the cage for the Longhorns ( of course).  The Texas offense which seems to be completely focused on their midfielders, were losing the ball to a more aggressive LSU.  LSU physicality had been a factor all game and was particularly so in shutting down the UT shooters.  Only Jack Eigen found the net during this time period.

So as the fourth quarter started, the sun was down and the lights were on.  Texas finally realized there is a problem.  Curran Rose starts to show who he is.  He and his running partner Breck Theilen score three goals.  Corbin Cartwright supplies a fourth point.  This kind of play looked like how lacrosse is supposed to look. Texas has a lead.  Then things fall apart.  UT fails to control some of the faceoffs.  Efforts to slow the game down fail as the offense loses the ball via a live ball turnover.  LSU cutters find the net three times within a two-minute period.  The Longhorns do not put them away.  The result is an LSU dog pile celebrating a victory on the River Road.

Generally, I thought the Texas Men's Lacrosse team looked lethargic, this specific game. I am not sure I like that the offense is always just six on six.  I am not sure I like that the attack is not pressuring the goal and relying on the midfield to generate points.   I am not sure I like the speed at which people pass the ball around.  I am not sure that I like the amount of isolation lacrosse that is started without a finish.  It'll be a long reflectice 10 hours bus ridge back to Austin, Texas from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

George:

You can be nicer in your write-up if you wish.  Texas needs to understand that they cannot lose to LSU.

--Temple Causey.