Each week, we will look back at the games that were to see which players had the largest individual performances. I say largest because the contributions that we can measure (from play by play) tend to be things that are easy to count. This includes, goals, shots, assists, turnovers, penalties, etc. We can’t measure a defender who shuts down an opposing player so completely that she doesn’t even touch the ball. Still, it is interesting to be able to identify the players that really filled it up each weekend and give them a shout out here.
For a bit of background, in order to rank single game performances, we needed a way to condense box score stats to a single number for each player. In order to do this, we relied on our expected goal values methodology, which assigns a goal value to each type of play depending on how often it leads to a goal in the next 60 seconds. By adding up all the expected goals added for each player, we can get to that single number and these rankings.
We have also tagged each performance with the opponent’s ELO rating. The higher the number, the stronger the opponent. This should help to give some context for each performance. Did the player feast on the dregs of D1 or did they put up these numbers against a quality opponent?
Click on any player’s name or the PRO logo () and you’ll head straight to the detailed breakdown on their LacrosseReference PRO page. As opposed to last year, all players appearing in the weekly rundown are unlocked and the information on their page is available to all readers.
#2 – Siena Gore (Kennesaw State) – 8.41 goals added
Mar 26 vs Gardner-Webb Opp ELO: 1258
USA Lacrosse Magazine did a great piece on Gore last week. And the followed up the publicity with yet another top EGA game. This time, it was a season-high 4 assists to go with 5 goals on 9 shots.
Turnovers have plagued KSU, and this game was no different; the team had a 40% turnover rate. But at least for Gore, turnovers weren’t as much of an issue in this one. At the end of the day, it was another uaEGA game over 2.0 for her.
Rosenzweig’s game against BU was her most efficient outing of the season (3.09 uaEGA is the second best mark of her career). It was also her most productive, with a raw EGA mark of 8.05 expected goals added.
Against the Terriers, as a team, the Greyhounds put a remarkable 94% of their shots on goal. SOG rate is, to me, a measure of how comfortable an offense is and how easily they are getting their spots. They were certainly comfortable against BU.
I think Pitt watched the Denver tape. Charlotte North’s line was still impressive, but they held the Eagles to their 4th worst offensive efficiency of the season. The key stat was the 30.2% turnover rate, which is the 3rd highest of the year for BC.
Of course, CN finds a way, and in this one, she made her presence felt with 16 draw controls to go with the 5 points. Still, she ended with 5 turnovers, and I expect that smart ACC opponents will make sure to add this Pitt film to their playlist. Maybe 2 or 3 times.
Cat Barry’s game against Notre Dame was important because of the production, but also because of the opponent and the fact that it was a) an ACC opponent and b) the 2nd best defense they’ve faced this year.
She’s been wildly efficient all season (97th percentile nationally), but this game was a cut above. In fact, that’s two games in a row for Barry with at least 6 points and zero turnovers. Love those numbers.
McDonnell had her 3rd perfect shooting game in this one. Last year, she rated as a 29th percentile shooter. This year, on the 0 to 100 scale, she’s a 94.
There are several metrics where she’s improved drastically since last season, but wow, those shooting numbers are really something.
I have a feeling that when opponents game plan for Colorado, a lot of the discussion is whether or not they can (or should) try and shut off Sadie Grozier. USC held her to 3 shots and no goals. Arizona State held her to 1 shot and no goals. In those 2 games, she committed 6 total turnovers.
Those were the only two losses for the Buffs this year. If this is a team that’s truly going to compete out west, you’ve gotta have a plan for what happens when you star can’t get going. Of course, when your star can get going, like Grozier did against the Golden Bears, it can be a thing of beauty.
Maggie Diebold’s game against Akron was a bit out an outlier. In 28 career games, her previous career high raw EGA was 4.73. In this one, she put up a 7.20 mark. Of course, this is a player who is being asked to do a lot more this year for the Chippewas.
So it’s not surprising that her raw numbers have gone up. What you like to see is that even as her role has increased, her efficiency numbers have more or less stayed the same.
Another big day for Pascale. And it was another productive day without being an especially turnover-prone day. With 2 turnovers and a 16.9% play share, her season ball security rating is up to 84 (out of 100).
Last year her ball security rating was a 36. Her actual assists-per-touch rating is 90 (just like it was last season). That means that she’s been able to drastically improve her ball security without sacrificing the aggressiveness and vision that has allowed her to be a top facilitator. That’s evolution.
USA Lacrosse honored Soures as the player of the week and it was quite an impressive week. 13 goals across 2 wins for the Saints.
And make no mistake: she has been a prolific scorer this year. She’s shooting 57% and on a per-game basis, her EGA average puts her in the 92nd percentile nationally.
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) and you’ll head straight to the detailed breakdown on their LacrosseReference PRO page. As opposed to last year, all players appearing in the weekly rundown are unlocked and the information on their page is available to all readers.
