Veteran lax squad set for postseason run

For second year head coach Charley Toomey, 2006 was all about building the Loyola lacrosse program back in to a postseason contender. But it's 2007, and the time is now for Loyola to establish itself among the elite powers.

Lacrosse Magazine tabbed the Hounds as the 12th best team in the country. Inside Lacrosse has Loyola finishing third in the rough Eastern College Athletic Conference. And with four preseason All-Americas, there is no reason to believe that this team can't make a deep postseason run.

The Hounds boast 11 seniors, including nine starters, who will see significant field time, giving Loyola one of the most experienced teams in the nation. With key players returning to every position from last year's squad, which finished 6-6, the seniors must respond and take advantage of their final year at the Evergreen campus.

The 2007 recruiting class may have brought in seven All-Americas, but for this veteran squad, the future is now.

"Our success hinges on the play of our seniors," Toomey said. "They need to make plays, and they should be confident in doing so."

It will not be an easy road to the top, and no one knows that more than this year's crop. The upperclassmen saw their team fight through adversity last season, highlighted by an upset against Georgetown and a 19-4 annihilation of Wagner. But they also saw a team that lost three games by one goal -- including a heart-breaker in the finale against Johns Hopkins -- and a team that lost to Fairfield right after beating the Hoyas.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the team will be the road games, in which they were just 2-4 last season, compared with 4-1 at home. Right away, the Hounds will be tested against Notre Dame in South Bend. If they return victorious, the confidence from such a game could carry them through the early part of their schedule. With the next three games against rival Towson, Penn State, and Duke, it is essential that the team start out well.

"We're going to develop week to week, and we want to be playing best at end of year, but we have to play well at the beginning because we have some tough games," Toomey said. "The ECAC is the most competitive conference in the country… it's going to come down to who can keep their guys on the field, how well you come back from a loss, and how well you respond to a big win.

"We've got leadership at every position… if we can stay healthy, and if our seniors can keep taking it one game at a time, then there's a great opportunity for them to compete in the ECAC and to take our program back to the postseason where it belongs."

Attack

The Greyhound attack will look very similar to the 2006 model, and that's because every starter is returning, including junior Shane Koppens, who may have been the team's most complete offensive player until a broken thumb effectively ended his season.

Koppens will be part of a rotation this season, sharing time with senior Ryan Rabidou and two sophomores, Michael Crimmins and Jake Wilcox. Rabidou is noted for his composure and calmness, something that did not go unappreciated by his teammates, who elected him a team captain.

While Koppens and Rabidou will see the majority of the playing time, both of the underclassmen were forced into action last season and proved that they could handle the speed of Division I lacrosse.

If the team can stay healthy, then the attack has already improved in terms of proven commodities who can come in off the bench and spell a starter. Not to mention that Loyola will have two freshmen All-Americas, Cooper MacDonnell and Daniel Mortell, who will be itching to show off their skills and compete for playing time at attack.

While Toomey loves the depth, he knows that the Greyhound attack starts with his two intense playmakers: Dan Bauers and Pat Kennedy. Bauers, a senior All-America and a Loyola captain, is a physical presence who exudes a contagious mean streak when he gets into a rhythm. He led the team with 22 goals last season and must continue that trend in 2007.

The key is going to be Kennedy who was on his way to a terrific 2006 before a knee injury against Massachusetts ended his campaign. If Kennedy can rebound from the injury, then the Greyhounds should improve upon last season's 9.8 goals per game average.

"We're going to ask [Bauers and Kennedy] to be the leaders," Toomey said. "They're going to have to control the tempo of the offense."

Midfield

The midfield led the Greyhounds last season, and more of the same is expected this year, especially with every starter from the first and second line returning.

The fact that Toomey can send out eight players who have big game experience and complement them with two more All-America recruits makes this midfield one of the best in the ECAC.

The most versatile group on the field, the middies will be asked to use their athleticism to create opportunities on offense and help with coverage when the oppositions press. Although the Greyhounds are known throughout the conference -- and even the nation -- for this group of middies, there is one name in particular that opponents fear when playing Loyola: Spack.

The only thing lacking on senior All-America Andy Spack's resume is dominance in the postseason. If he plays to his potential, that drought should end this year. He led the team in 2006 with 15 assists, was second with 26 points, played on offense, dropped down in coverage, and even handled faceoffs. Needless to say, Loyola has gotten the most out of Spack.

"He's a fireplug," Toomey said of his emotional leader. "He does everything for us. First midfield, extra man, wings, and faceoffs… everything."

Playing opposite Spack is another senior, Corey Coffman, who developed a scoring touch last year and was praised by Toomey for taking his game to the next level.

Known as a distributor, Coffman does a lot of little things that don't show up in the box score.