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Analysis: Team USA Mixes Talent with Chemistry

by Matt DaSilva | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff

Stephen Peyser's versatility between the lines and strong play at Stony Brook on Saturday earned him a spot on Team USA's midfield unit. © Kevin P. Tucker

Following a grueling tryout that included a two-day combine and three fall exhibition weekends, lacrosse’s version of the Redeem Team -- the 2010 U.S. men’s national team -- has been selected.

US Lacrosse announced Monday the 23 players tabbed with reclaiming the gold medal from Canada next July at the FIL World Championship in Manchester, England.

Here’s Lacrosse Magazine’s unit-by-unit take on the team, as well as reactions from Team USA head coach Mike Pressler.

ATTACK

Ryan Boyle – Boston Cannons (Princeton ’04)
Mike Leveille – Chicago Machine (Syracuse ’08)
Brendan Mundorf – Denver Outlaws (UMBC ’06)
Ryan Powell – Big Foot LC (Syracuse ’00)
Drew Westervelt – Denver Outlaws (UMBC ’07)

Breakdown: Mundorf and Westervelt have great chemistry that goes back to their UMBC days. Powell played with both with the Outlaws in 2008. So there’s some built-in familiarity that should benefit Team USA up front. After Brodie Merrill, Canada’s defense is suspect, and it’s on this attack corps to exploit that… Boyle and Powell like to coordinate the offense from behind, Mundorf brings an array of wing and crease dodges to the table as a ball carrier, and Leveille and Westervelt are strong off-ball finishers. This will be Boyle’s third stint with the U.S. team and Powell's second.

Pressler: "We've got some great quarterback guys in Ryan Boyle and Ryan Powell. This Ryan Boyle's third U.S. team and Ryan Powell's second. We needed those type of guys that could run the offense and play behind. We've got two outstanding, left-handed wing shooters in Brendan Mundorf and Mike Leveille. Mundorf might have been the most impressive guy over the three weekends, a great dodger to goal. Leveille is a quality guy and gives us young legs out there. Drew Westervelt is 6-foot-4, right-handed and comes off the wing -- he might be the slickest player of the bunch."

ATTACK/MIDFIELD

Ned Crotty – Duke ’09

Breakdown: Crotty, who will return to Duke for his fifth year of eligibility in 2010, is the only current collegian among the 23 players. His shifty north-south moves and feeding abilities offer Team USA some versatility in this swing role.

Pressler: "Ned Crotty was lights out. He earned his spot here. He had four goals in the last weekend at Stony Brook. He's just a dynamic, versatile player. He can break you down, has great vision and create his own shot. There's not a thing Ned can't do offensively."

MIDFIELD

Kevin Cassese – Boston Cannons (Duke ’03)
Kyle Dixon – Washington Bayhawks (Virginia ’06)
Stephen Peyser – Long Island Lizards (Johns Hopkins ’08)
Paul Rabil – Boston Cannons (Johns Hopkins ’08)
Chris Schiller – Sailin’ Shoe LC (Penn State ’99)
Max Seibald – Denver Outlaws (Cornell ’09)
Matt Striebel – Chicago Machine (Princeton ’01)
Matt Zash – Long Island Lizards (Duke ’06)

Breakdown: Interesting mix here. Schiller and Zash are purely defensive midfielders, though Zash can make sub-happy opponents pay on offense. Throw Cassese into the mix, and you get the impression that head coach Mike Pressler and his staff want midfielders who can hold their own defensively to limit slides. Not a bad idea considering the Canadians’ prowess around the crease… A midfield line of Dixon, Rabil and Seibald would be downright scary… Dixon was actually cut in June, but was brought back in the fall after a monster MLL season and due to Steven Brooks’ injury. Same thing happened to him with the 2003 U.S. U-19 team -- he went on to become an all-world midfielder... Cassese and Striebel are both three-time U.S. teamers.

Pressler: "Chris Schiller earned his spot. He's a great role guy, a short-stick d-middie with great experience not only indoor and outdoor, but playing with the Canadians. Schiller's experience is going to be valuable there. Kevin Cassese is probably more defensive than offensive. Matt Zash gets pigeonholed in the pros by playing a lot more defense. He's a two-way guy. Look at our blend of youth and veteran -- newcomers in Paul Rabil and Max Seibald, who are big, physical and as good of athletes as any in the game. And what a story for Kyle Dixon, just a great player and without question deserving to be here. And what do oyu say about Stephen Peyser? God, he was terrific at Stony Brook. He made the team on the final weekend based on his complete game facing off, playing offense and defense. Another big, physical, dynamic athlete."

DEFENSE

Joe Cinosky – Toronto Nationals (Maryland ’08)
DJ Driscoll – Chicago Machine (Notre Dame ’06)
Eric Martin – Denver Outlaws (Salisbury ’04)
Ryan McClay – Boston Cannons (Cornell ’03)
Shawn Nadelen – Washington Bayhawks (Johns Hopkins ’01)
Kyle Sweeney – Boston Cannons (Georgetown ’03)

Breakdown: This has the look of a defense that will body up on Canada’s big guns and play physical… Nadelen has had success against John Grant Jr… McClay is his own redemption story, a 2002 U.S. team member who nearly hung up his cleats after failing to qualify for the 2006 team. Now he's back for what could be his swan song... Sweeney, also a two-time U.S. teamer, will most likely be relegated almost exclusively to long-stick midfield duties, although we could see Martin in that role, too.

Pressler: "Kyle Sweeney is without question one of the best wing guys and offensive poles in the game, and he can also play down low. Eric Martin might be the best pure athlete on the entire team. Joe Cinosky and Shawn Nadelen are big, physical right-handed defensemen that can play those left-handed guys internationally. DJ Driscoll gets on your hands. He can play both close and pole. Ryan McClay was the defensive MVP in '02, didn't make it in '06 and came back with a vengeance. He might be in the best shape of anyone out here."

GOALKEEPER

Brian Dougherty – Long Island Lizards (Maryland ’95)
Adam Fullerton – Denver Outlaws (Army ’08)

Breakdown: Fullerton was a dark horse all along. It raised eyebrows when he was invited to Team USA tryouts when Jesse Schwartzman, whom he backs up for the Outlaws, was not. He got the nod over the more experienced Mickey Jarboe, which says a lot. Fullerton makes the saves he should and offers crisp outlet passes in the clearing game… The experience comes from Dougherty, a three-time MLL Goalkeeper of the Year, as do the flair for a big save and the ability to bait shooters.

Pressler: "I'll tell you exactly what I said to the team and the goalies in the room -- it was dead even going into the Stony Brook weekend. And Doc was at his best. He was on his game at practice Friday and on Saturday was as good as I've ever seen him. He saved his best for last and won out. Of the three, Adam is without question the best athlete. He gives us some differnet things. This was probably one of the most difficult decisions. Mickey is a tremendous leader and I have so much respect for him. I don't think you could go wrong either way."

FACEOFF

Alex Smith – Washington Bayhawks (Delaware ’07)

Breakdown: Smith won 70 percent of faceoffs against Canada’s Geoff Snider during the MLL season. Peyser can spell him in the event of a high-scoring affair. Smith worked well with Schiller as his wingman when they were both in Rochester and with Sweeney this fall. After what Snider did to Team USA in 2006, this will be the most-watched unit leading into the world games.

Pressler: "This is why we brought Paul Cantabene on to be one of our assistants. Everyone knows Paul's great resume at Stevenson and as a pro player. He understands the faceoff aspect better than anyone in the game. We looked at Chris Eck and Alex Smith. Do you take both or one and then John Glynn or Peyser? We took Peyser. It was a dead heat, but Alex Smith won the job."