Versatility and unpredictability speak to the secret, and the surprise, in the offensive attack of the University of Denver men’s lacrosse team.
The deep, talented Pioneers roll out their six offensive positions like a game of musical chairs, with their opponents usually left standing around.
“That’s been our thing — to make it hard on our opponents to figure out what we’re going to do,” said DU coach Bill Tierney, whose team takes an 11-2 record, a No. 3 national ranking and a seven-game winning streak into this week’s Big East Tournament. “I got a ton of calls (Monday) on why Sean Cannizzaro, who is down to his last six games as a senior, is playing attack for the first time. The opponents have to figure it all out.”
Marquette was 10-4 and ranked 16th nationally heading into its regular-season finale against the Pioneers on Saturday. The Golden Eagles undoubtedly scouted DU, but what they expected to see is not what pinned them with a 13-1 deficit to begin the game.
Cannizzaro, usually a second-line midfielder, traded places with starting attack Jack Bobzien, who moved from a behind-the-net specialist to the commander-in-chief at the point of attack.
Previously, DU’s top two scorers, sophomore transfer Connor Cannizzaro (39 goals) and senior Wes Berg (35), switched positions as often as whistle to whistle. Sophomore attack Zach Miller (26 assists) and senior Erik Adamson (24 goals) have done the same.
Among Denver’s top six scorers, sophomore midfielder Tyler Pace is the only one not to have played multiple positions in offensive coordinator Matt Brown’s elaborate attack.
“You can mix and match wherever you want,” said Bobzien, who scored six goals in a 17-13 season-opening victory against Duke but is now DU’s sixth-leading scorer. “You want speed in this section, a little more dodging up here, and you can do that because we’re such a deep and versatile team.”
DU is seventh nationally in goals per game (13.7) and tied for second in scoring margin (plus-5.5). The offensive success stems from the return of last year’s three starting attacks (Berg, Bobzien and Miller) and the addition of Connor Cannizzaro, the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference freshman of the year for Maryland.
“It’s really hard to get a read on us,” said Sean Cannizzaro, who last week played with his younger brother at attack for the first time since high school. “It’s a huge advantage. Teams can look how we’ve played this season and show up, and we play completely different. It’s definitely a surprise.”
DU was expected to be stacked offensively. Faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste, a true freshman who leads the country in draws (.721), questions whether the Pioneers will lose another game. Baptiste continually fuels the offense and keeps the ball out of senior goalie Ryan LaPlante’s end.
“It’s a lot of fun to get a chance to play with all these great players, including Trevor,” Bobzien said. “When you get the ball an extra two or three times every quarter, it adds up, and you have momentum going into every possession.”
Added Tierney, “It all comes from Trevor winning faceoffs and the guys doing what they’re supposed to be doing in Brownie’s offense.”
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
The Denver Pioneers men’s lacrosse team has produced nine scoring runs of 10-1 or better in coach bill tierney’s six seasons:
2015
13-1 vs. Marquette (18-11 victory)
11-1 vs. Villanova (15-4 victory)
14-1 vs. Georgetown (19-7 victory)
10-1 vs. Lehigh (10-4 victory)
2014
12-1 vs. Drexel (15-6 victory)
10-1 vs. Rutgers (17-11 victory)
2013
10-1 vs. Canisius (11-4 victory)
2011
12-1 vs. Manhattan (17-6 victory)
10-1 vs. Jacksonville (20-8 victory)
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
