(Photo: Jodi Vosika/ASU Lacrosse)
Notes From Saturday’s Scrimmage:
-Arizona State struggled mightily on offense in the first quarter, before pulling it together for a 7-5 win over Whittier. There were no official statistics for the game. The Sun Devils have never lost to the Poets in their annual preseason scrimmage.
-ASU head coach Chris Malone said the face-off play was the highlight of the game. “It was something we hadn’t worked too much on, and it really was the best part of our game today. Zack Handy looked outstanding.”
-Senior midfielder Logan Quinn played at attack for the majority of the game, raising the question of what position he’ll be at this year. The midfield is deep and talent-filled, while the attack is missing star Dan Davis to a herniated disc. Quinn was a preseason candidate for MCLA Player of the Year and has scored 20 goals in all three years as a starter at ASU.
-Dan Davis warmed up but did not take the field for the game, indicating that he’s making progress but still isn’t ready to return. Expect updates throughout the week in regards to his playing status for Saturday’s season opener versus Stanford.
-Goalie Chris DeLuca, who is looking like the starter for Saturday, played great and was able to track balls all day – he faced 14 shots and saved nine – good for a solid .642 save percentage. “[DeLuca] looked great,” Malone said of the senior. “He did exactly what we needed him to do all game long.”
-DeLuca was sent to the box after a delay of game penalty in the final minutes of the game, giving freshman goalie Chris Roufanis a bit of playing time. Roufanis didn’t allow any goals in relief.
-Malone chalked most of the early offensive struggles up to the sluggishness resulting from a six-hour bus ride, but also acknowledged the absence of Dan Davis as a factor. “Missing Dan certainly hurts us,” Malone said. “Guys have got to step up on the offensive side.”
-There was nothing but praise for the defensive side of things. Long-stick midfielders Brian Braasch and Jensen Cruse commanded the center of the field, and the overall defensive effort from the unit stood out. “This team is going to be defense first,” Malone said. “Expect to see a lot of great defensive efforts this season, (like) 10-4, 11-5 victories.”
You can reach Trey Lanthier on Twitter @TreyLanthier or by email at treylanthier@gmail.com
