Princeton Players React To Rules Changes

The NCAA men's lacrosse rules committee has made some major changes to the way the game will be played starting in 2019. Included in those rules changes are the introduction of a shot clock on every possession, one that gives teams 20 seconds to advance the ball past midfield and then 60 to get a shot that either goes in, hits the pipe or is saved by the goalie (the exception is after a won face-off, in which case the clock starts when the ball is either touched into the restraining box or one pass is made).

There are also new rules involving shortening the substitution box and the return of "the dive," which will allow players to leave their feet and land in the crease if the ball is in the goal before they land and as long as they are not diving directly to the goal mouth.

Here are the reactions of a few Princeton players, from various positions, to the changes:

Charlie Durbin
Offensive Midfielder
On offense, I think teams will generally try to play faster to maximize time on the shot clock; however, for many teams this could simply mean eliminating swinging the ball around early in possessions. No matter how teams try to play faster, a shot clock encourages risk-taking, especially later in possessions. That is where the dive comes in. It's a dynamic move that makes it extraordinarily easier to get to the net. I think the shot clock will be more important for defenses. The shot clock rewards good defenses by making them play less of it. Athletic defenses will be disproportionally rewarded because they have the ability to play aggressively for the duration of the shot clock. Unathletic defenses will probably try to play zone and slow the game down, hoping opposing offenses can't break the zone in time. The zone strategy really ruins the point of the new rules, but more teams will probably try it.

Jon Levine
Goalie
I think the rules change will definitely impact the tempo of the game. For goalies, this will most likely mean a lot more shots and quicker development of offensive sets.

Connor McCarthy
Offensive midfielder
I'm really excited to see the changes to the rules. I think the shot clock will increase the tempo and pace of the game, producing some more intense goals with an emphasis on transition and midfielders who are able to play both sides of the ball. And of course in addition to the shot clock, the return of the dive will make for some electric goals and hopefully some exciting, high scoring games.

Arman Medghalchi
Defenseman
In terms of my thoughts on the new rule changes, for the shot clock I think this will obviously help the defense and stop offenses from simply dodging and redodging until the defense makes a mistake. It also takes a lot of the discretion out of the referees' hands, which will help make the game more fair. On the flip side, however, since it will speed up the game if a defense has to play multiple possessions in a row, the offense will no longer be able to take their time and allow the defense to catch their breath anymore, making conditioning and first-time clearing more important than ever. For the new crease dive rule, I think there are still a lot of questions to be answered on how refs are going to interpret the rule and call it in games, which is something that will be more clear through fall ball and as the season progresses, but we have the luxury of having Coach Matt Madalon, who was a goalie in the MLL and has played with the dive rule in place, who will do a great job preparing our goalies and defense for whatever ends up becoming of this rule.

Phillip Robertson
Attack
I'm excited about the new rules. They will definitely speed up the pace of play, and I think that will generate a lot of creativity on the offensive end. We will still need to be smart with our possessions and decisions but the increase in game speed will give us more opportunities to take offensive risks.

Michael Sowers
Attack
I think the new rules will really speed up the game and force people to play fast. Teams won't be able to sit on the ball at all, which should make it more exciting to watch and play. I think the dive will also make the game more fun to watch and play.

Jack-Henry Vara
Face-off
I think the new rules will have a good impact on the game. From the face-off perspective, I think it will be interesting to see how the rule about the shot clock not starting until after a pass is made after a face off impacts late game scenarios. I also think the new rules will lead to more goals and naturally, more face offs.

Strib Walker
Two-way middie
I think the new rules are really going to reward athleticism. The shot clock will have to have an effect on substitutions, and it will be really interesting seeing less specialization and more guys playing both offense and defense. Looking forward to seeing some hops around the crease too.

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Charlie Durbin

Jon Levine

Connor McCarthy

Arman Medghalchi

Phillip Robertson

Michael Sowers

Jack-Henry Vara

Strib Walker

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