Defense can make or break a team, especially in close games.
This season, the men's lacrosse team finished with an overall record of 11-6 and a league record of 5-4, the best marks since 2004. With eight of the team's wins decided by three goals or less, much of the Jumbos' success can be attributed to the team's defensive consistency in late-game situations.
While the team's attack had its share of offensive triumphs - boasting First Team and Second Team All-NESCAC selections in senior midfielder Mike O'Brien and senior co-captain and midfielder Rory Doucette, respectively - it was the team's defensive consistency, and the reliability of a core of veteran players, that ultimately contributed to the Jumbos' defensive success over the course of the season. Tufts finished fourth in the league in goals against average (7.83) and third in saves per game (11.76).
"Other than a few exceptions, I was happy with their consistency," assistant coach and defensive coordinator Jesse Miller said. "I thought overall they set the tone for the team, and they did a great job with that."
Cohesion within team units is key, especially on defense, when matching up with attack and communication on the field can mean the difference between a goal scored and a goal saved.
"Our ability to play together as a unit was definitely the most important thing," Dornseif said. "Just to be able to have seven people come together like that definitely helps, especially on defense."
In terms of game strategy, the team stayed away from traditional zone coverage, sticking to a man-to-man defensive scheme that, according to coaches, allowed the Jumbos to utilize their athleticism over other offenses in key defensive situations.
"[The man-to-man defense] allowed us to dictate the tempo of the game once we settled into it," Dornseif said. "We ran the zone a few times in different situations, but we mainly stuck to man-to-man most of the season."
Carrying out that solid defensive strategy in the Jumbos backfield was a solid core of veteran defenders. Senior Ave Cook and juniors Wiley Dornseif and Alex Bezdek formed a formidable backfield that held strong against some of the strongest offenses in the country. Two first-years complimented the veteran defense by manning the long-stick midfielder role for the Jumbos: freshman long-stick midfielder Jordan Yarboro and sophomore Ohio Wesleyan transfer Tucker Merrigan platooned at the position.
The defense protected a key component of the Jumbos' defense and a bright spot in the 2006 season - freshman goalie Matt Harrigan. Harrigan posted a .595 save percentage, third in NESCAC, and filled a goal left vacant by the graduation of starting goalie Andy Starr and backup Luke Chicco.
In key matchups, especially later in the season, the defense proved to be almost impenetrable at times, and it often ignited the offense in close-game situations.
"It's huge to have a good defense and a group of players that have played together [over the last two seasons]," senior co-captain Billy Granger said. "There were a lot of second-half games where they didn't give up any goals, and that just enabled us to have a lot more confidence and take some pressure off of the offense. It's awesome to have that kind of defense in close games."
The defense also possessed important intangibles, such as cohesiveness and familiarity with each other's style of play, which separates the good defenses from the great defenses.
"It's very important to have some past familiarity with [a teammate's] defensive tendencies, especially on defense" Miller said. "We had a group of players who developed a sense of trust and anticipation, and I think that made us play better as a cohesive defensive unit."
Dornseif agreed with Miller, and said that the unit's cohesion gave the individual talent on the squad a chance to shine.
"[Team cohesion] definitely helps, but it was also the player's athletic abilities," Dornseif said. "We had a really athletic group of players this season, and it was just one of those things that everyone was able to settle into a role and contribute something. Toward the end of the season I think everyone was familiar with the style of play and their roles."
