Taking a Look: PCLL 2015 conference preview

(Photo: Victoria Harris/Utah Lacrosse News)

Last year was a thriller season for the Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse League, as Northeastern and Boston College battled it out until both ended up in the national tournament. Here’s a look at how the chips might fall in 2015, with an extensive look at the conference as part of our Taking a Look series focusing on each conference in the MCLA.

~WCSN lacrosse editor Trey Lanthier

Looking Back at 2014

In 2014, the PCLL quietly sent two teams to the MCLA Tournament. This year looks to be an intriguing season as Boston College and Northeastern intend on keeping their national tournament bids, while the rest of the conference tries to take the next step by advancing to the tournament.

Last year was quite chaotic, with two teams sent to the national tournament and several exciting games featured in conference play. As for out-of-conference play, the PCLL was well-represented, with fifth-place Buffalo starting out 6-2 before ending 7-7 after conference play, along with sixth place Rhode Island, who started 5-1 before ending 5-7; even the teams at or below .500 took care of business outside of conference.

During PCLL play BC and Northeastern emerged as the two front-runners to win the conference title. When the two Boston schools met at Parsons Field on Mar. 28, Northeastern won a nail-biter 10-9, featuring three goals and five points overall by midfielder Josiah Baker-Connick. With that game in the books, the two teams became the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the conference tournament.

The 2014 PCLL Tournament was nothing short of spectacular, with four of the five games decided by just one goal. In the semifinals, the Huskies advanced past Connecticut with an 8-7 win. The Eagles were not as fortunate, as attacker Tom Auger scored three goals to help New Hampshire pick up the win 9-8.

Northeastern would dismantle New Hampshire in the championship, propelling the Huskies into the national tournament and effectively popping the tournament bubble of a team sitting on the fence.

In the MCLA Tournament, No. 13 Northeastern lost to 4-seed Chapman by five goals. Boston College, on the other hand, won its way into a second-round contest against Arizona State, the tournament’s top seed, and held the Sun Devils to a one-goal finish before eventually falling, 8-7.

Looking Ahead to 2015 (2014 results in parentheses)

Boston College (11-4, 4-1 PCLL)

Last year’s season was full of missed opportunities for the Eagles, featuring a disappointing loss to New Hampshire in the PCLL tournament and a one point loss to then-undefeated ASU in the national tournament. Although the Eagles lost powerful offensive pieces from last year, the presence of All-PCLL midfielder Joe Volk and the return of goalie Mike Shepard will be enough to hold down the fort until the abundance of young talent develops during the season.

Northeastern University (10-3, 4-1 PCLL)

The Huskies really took a step up last year, finishing the year 8-2 with a PCLL Conference Championship. This year they will no longer be able to catch anyone by surprise, but they did lose a significant amount of key players this offseason, including All-PCLL midfielder Christopher Tecca, who led the conference with 24 assists; All-PCLL defenseman Justin Miller, and four other midfielders as well. The return of goalie Matthew Mohr and the development of attackers Joey Pasquale and David Rapp will bode well for the Huskies with so many seniors leaving.

University of Connecticut (7-6, 3-2 PCLL)

In 2014, the UConn Huskies had a disappointing season considering their success in 2013. A contributing factor was a slew of injuries that kept the team from ever hitting its stride. That being said, the Huskies still posted a 7-6 record and did defeat Northeastern in regular season play. Much like New Hampshire, UConn had a young team last year, which was the a factor in its league-low 91 goals. The defense, led by defenseman Pierce Bushby, was the strong point of the season, allowing only 94 goals on the year. If the defense can continue support the team and the young offensive players develop as the season progresses, the Huskies could present a threat to every team they play.

University of New Hampshire (6-6, 3-2 PCLL)

Even though the Wildcats performed poorly in out-of-conference play (3-4 record), they really hit their stride at the end of the season by upsetting top-seeded Boston College in the conference tournament. This could be the surprise team of the PCLL in 2015, after graduating only six seniors from its 43-man team last year. Furthermore, senior goalie Marty Gorman will be a key cog for the Wildcats, boasting a .669 save percentage and 5.46 goals-against average in eight games last year.

State of New York University-Buffalo (7-7, 1-4 PCLL)

Despite going 6-2 in out-of-conference play, the Bulls only defeated last-place Rhode Island in PCLL action. Unfortunately for the Bulls, things won’t get any easier with goalie Bryan Bergstol and his league-leading .688 save percentage gone. With a very young team, Buffalo could be up and down in 2015.

University of Rhode Island (5-7, 0-5 PCLL)

In 2014, Rhode Island was the only team to go winless in conference play. Their league-worst defense that allowed 122 points over a span of twelve games. What makes matters worse for the Rams is that All-PCLL midfielder Jay Clarke has graduated, a year after leading the PCLL in goals (32), points (45), and points per game (3.75). Unless Rhode Island fixes its porous defense from last year, the Rams will once again be facing an uphill battle once conference play comes around.

All-Conference Watch

Attack: Joey Pasquale, Northeastern

Although the Northeastern attackers were headlined by Christopher Tecca last year, Joey Pasquale was very impressive in his first year with the Huskies. He was tied for the team lead in goals (18) and also was a PCLL Honorable Mention All Conference-Attack. “He has a fantastic shot,” said Ben Severance, head coach of the Huskies. With another year under experience under his belt, look for Pasquale to earn PCLL First Team honors with a chance to carry the bulk of the load for a retooled offense.

Midfield: Joe Volk, Boston College

Don’t let Joe Volk’s smaller frame fool you, as the 5-foot-9 midfielder racked up 28 points last year to earn him First Team honors in the conference. Although Boston College lost numerous effective seniors last year, look for Volk to lead the Eagles back to the national tournament. With many challenges for new head coach Peter Sessa, Joe Volk will be an anchor for the team. “Joe Volk is definitely going to be an outstanding player for us,” Sessa said.

Defenseman: Pierce Bushby, UConn

Pierce Bushby had a strong season last year for the Huskies, and hopes to add a third First Team All-Conference Defense to his impressive resume in 2015. If his team’s offense can improve just enough, Bushby and the defense might be able to lead UConn further in the PCLL tournament.

Goalie: Matthew Mohr, Northeastern

The First Team All-Conference Goalie was one of the main reasons why Northeastern allowed just 73 goals during the entire season. Mohr’s .665 save percentage and 5.46 goals-against average made him an amazing asset for the team last year. “He’s been a standout for us,” Severance said. Mohr will be very helpful in the Huskies’ quest to return to the national tournament.

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