Taylor's Takes: TV and Streaming Making Huge Strides

We’re about a month into the 2024 season, and I have to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the quality of video streaming, television production levels and overall knowledge of announcers for a majority of games I’ve seen.

It wasn’t too long ago that women’s lacrosse games weren’t even available on the internet (free or for pay), and now we’re seeing over 500 matches available. When I was in college, it was rare to find games outside of Final Four weekend on ESPN, and now we can turn on the TV and see games throughout the entire season. For that, I am so grateful and proud of how far we’ve come.

The streaming capabilities and television opportunities have been growing substantially with each passing season, but the area that has always lagged behind having knowledgeable announcers in the booth. For the past few years, we fans had to continuously listen to commentators with little idea of the rules and strategies. With a game as complex and intricate as women’s lacrosse, it was frustrating for viewers new and old. 

This season I’ve been impressed with the overall insight and excitement many of the commentators are bringing. We are lucky enough to hear from legends like Charlotte North and Sheehan Stanwick Burch on a regular basis and are fortunate enough to have others with similar insights and playing experience gracing our screens. Having knowledgeable and passionate commentators creates an opportunity to draw even more new fans into the lacrosse universe, thus fueling the growth our sport needs.

As always, I’d love to see even more — more games on television, more high-quality streaming opportunities and more post-college players in the booth with actual game experience.

It is because of the access to streams and televised games that I was able to see some pretty incredible performances from players and teams around Division I. I’m continually amazed with the talent that’s on display and know that feeling is the same for many fans around the country. 

IMPRESSIVE PLAYERS

Lisa Ross, A, Saint Joseph’s

Ross has been stellar for the Hawks. Her performance against UConn on Friday afternoon displayed her innate ability to create havoc on the offensive end, as she finished with four goals and three assists. Ross utilizes a wide variety of release points that help her find the back of the net, and she has a knack for finding open cutters while under pressure.

Ava Angello, M, Johns Hopkins

Hopkins has found a stud in sophomore midfielder Ava Angello. The six-foot-tall middie is a very effective dodger who uses her height and strength to her advantage, but what’s most impressive to me about Angello is her soft hands and craftiness. She is lethal inside as a cutter and finisher and has a bag full of trick shots that she displays in perfect moments. Johns Hopkins is looking better than ever in large part due to Angello.

Devon Whitaker, D, Virginia

Whitaker was a beast in Virginia’s overtime loss against North Carolina and has been playing consistently well so far this season. She’s a player who seems to be everywhere at once and is a key cog in the Cavaliers’ high-pressure zone. She caused two turnovers and had one ground ball against UNC, but it was her ability to get her stick into passing lanes and make herself as stretched as possible that was most impressive. Whitaker forced the Tar Heels to second guess feeds and passes, which allowed the zone to shift on the backside more effectively. 

Jenika Cuocco, G, Drexel

Cuocco was the most impactful player on the field in Drexel’s game against Maryland last week, stopping 55 percent of shots against the No. 5 team in the country. Cuocco’s ability to challenge opposing shooters by playing her angles correctly and stepping to ball effectively frustrated the Terps’ offense, limiting them to 14-for-41 in the shooting department. If Drexel is to make another NCAA tournament appearance, Cuocco will need to continue to play at this high of a caliber.

Liz Harrison, DS, Florida

Harrison is a matchup nightmare in the center circle and has proven herself against some of the best centers in the country. She utilizes a push stance and can place the ball both to herself and her teammates, which makes it so tough to scout Florida. She was the difference maker for the Gators against Maryland and earned her team crucial possessions in the second half that led to their huge comeback victory.

GAMES OF THE WEEKEND

Stony Brook vs. Arizona State

The big question going into this one was whether or not Arizona State could handle the pressure from Stony Brook’s active zone. At certain moments, the Sun Devils were able to find holes in Stony Brook’s defense with hard drives that engaged the defenders and quick ball movement to the backside to expose openings. However, in typical Stony Brook fashion, the Seawolves defense was still suffocating and created havoc for the Sun Devils by getting on hands on ball and clogging passing lanes to cutters on the inside. The communication and understanding of the defensive scheme between was impressive.

UConn vs. Saint Joseph’s

This game was a battle of wills between Saint Joseph’s man defense and UConn’s zone. Both units had moments of brilliance that frustrated their opponents, which made for a very exciting game to watch, particularly if you are a big fan of defense. The Hawks’ woman-to-woman play was more effective in limiting quality scoring opportunities and forced UConn to shoot the shots Hawks’ goalie Jorden Concordia wanted to see. The pressure they put on UConn’s feeders’ hands made a huge difference.

Harvard vs. Georgetown

There’s a misconception that the only way to beat a zone is by quick ball movement. While ball movement is essential in exposing weaknesses in a zone, it’s also important to remember that dodging is just as important. That combination of ball movement and hard dodges that initiate defensive slides is exactly what Harvard’s offense did against the Hoyas. The speed and intensity at which their offensive weapons dodged was what led to such a wide margin of victory.

North Carolina vs. Virginia

Going into this game, I thought fans were in store for an offensive shootout, but I couldn’t have been more wrong, as the defenses starred. Led by Emily Nalls, UNC’s man defensive scheme was on point with its slides and communication, making it incredibly difficult for Virginia’s weapons to penetrate. Similarly, UVA’s high-pressure rover zone was equally as impenetrable thanks to swarming on-ball pressure and active backside slides and communication. In the end, UVA’s zone broke down one too many times, with North Carolina securing a win in OT. I’m already itching for a rematch.