Nationals: Sunday Open Live Analysis

This coverage is presented by Spin Ultimate.

Welcome to Skyd Magazine’s live coverage of the Open Semifinals. We’re in the press box tweeting and watching the games, and we’ll be doing a live analysis in this post. Refresh this page for the latest strategic and tactical analysis of the semis from Skyd’s open correspondents.

To interact with us, post in the comments or tweet at us: Jimmy Leppert @Skyd_JLeppert, Coit Stevenson @CO1T919 , Pat Kimutis @Skyd_Pat. Also check out Jonas Cole @Skyd_JonasCole – he’ll be watching the game and occasionally tweeting too!

7:50pm, UCF vs Carleton

Jimmy: With the warmups underway for each team, and a quick run to Starbucks out of the way, we’re getting ready for the second semifinal game. If you’re reading along, and hopefully watching, tweet us any thoughts! Same thing as last round. We’re all up in the booth following along, and anything at all.

8:03pm, UCF vs Carleton

Jimmy: As the ESPN guys just said, Nick Stuart is not expected to be playing this game because the ankle injury sustained earlier against UNC-W. That’s a huge loss, we saw him come in during the UNC-W game and just dominate during his maybe 5 points played.

8:06pm, UCF 0 – Carleton 1

Jimmy: If you read my piece before the game, you saw that Simon said the offense was focusing on taking the easy looks and just being very patient with the disc. Up until his huck for the score, that’s exactly what they were doing. Not forcing the disc, just taking the easy looks – whatever UCF gave them. But I’m not trying to say the huck was forced at all either, Simon saw a mismatch and open guy, and took it. He’s gonna keep doing that too when it presents itself.

9:18pm, UCF 2 – Carleton 2

Jimmy: Sorry for the delay there folks, was having some internet issues. For now – that was a big early UCF break. CUT needs to get that back, and they can do that by not taking those shots that we saw there. They weren’t playing the chilly game that Simon said they should take. Totally going against my last point too there, Simon. C’mon!

8:21pm, UCF 3 – Carleton 2

Pat: CUT can’t be tempted into a hucking match with UCF. They won’t win that battle, and won’t win the game. Instead, they need to take advantage of the Dogs of War turns on the deep shots, and calmly work the disc up the field.  (As typing this, CUT hucked it…)

8:24pm, UCF 4 – Carleton 2

Jimmy: I certainly wasn’t expecting this. From talking to Simon before the game, he was saying how they weren’t going to get into this mentality, they weren’t going to try and force the disc into areas it shouldn’t go. But that’s been their game thus far. And because of it, they’re down two breaks very early in the game.  This is a big hole for early, and if they don’t change their mentality UCF has shown they’ll take advantage and break them again and again.

8:28pm, UCF 4 – Carleton 2

Pat: Earlier against Dartmouth, UCF has problems pulling in bounds, and gave Dartmouth a short field to work with a lot. This hasn’t been a problem this game, and Carleton is being forced to work it up the full field. It’s not working in their favor thus far.

8:34pm, UCF 5 – Carleton 2

Jimmy: Some TMF’s being handed out. 2 for Carleton so far is word up here, but some discussion that it could be 1 all. Have to figure that CUT’s are because of the close game, they’re getting frustrated that their game isn’t working right now.

8:40pm, UCF 5 – Carleton 4

 Jimmy: As Carleton gets one of the breaks back, notice how UCF was very patient up until the last second against the CUT defense. The zone is looking to slow their game down a bit, but credit to the handlers for being so patient.

8:45pm, UCF 6 – Carleton 4

 Pat: Very impressed with how patient UCF is being against the Carleton zone. Instead of forcing it deep, they are finding the holes and putting the disc perfectly on spot.

8:47pm, UCF 7 – Carleton 4

Jimmy: Remember last year? Carleton had the big lead against Pitt going into half? And who won that game? This one isn’t over, and I am not counting them out. No way. Even with the way UCF is playing, we know CUT can play better than they are now.

Pat: UCF defense is very hungry. They’re laying out for anything remotely close, and it’s working out for them a lot of the time.

8:52, UCF 8, Carleton 4

Pat: So the Dogs of War take half after capitalizing on yet another thrown-away disc by CUT. We knew coming into this semifinal that a game that came down to who could get big in the air would favor UCF, but it hasn’t been the Dogs’ deep game that’s put CUT down four–it’s been their own miscues. They need to ratchet up the easy stuff if the want a chance to come back.

8:57pm, UCF 8 – Carleton 4

Jimmy: As half is about to come to an end, I’m thinking that this really isn’t a different UCF team than we’ve seen. Maybe defensively, but that could be a result of more of their top guys playing both ways. They shouldn’t be tiring themselves out for tomorrow either, should they hold this lead. I’m not counting the CUT out yet, but I think UCF has to sustain this pressure, no less than it, and they can win this game. If not – they’ll open the door open for CUT to come back in a big way.

9:02pm, UCF 9 – Carleton 4

Jimmy: And right out of half, UCF doesn’t let up as they hold against the CUT zone. Carleton was throwing the best they had. I bet they’re really missing Nick Stuart right now, he was big on defense earlier and not having his presence and energy out on the field is killing them. With another UCF break, this game could be over. Time at about 25 minutes before soft cap…

9:05pm, UCF 10 – Carleton 4

Jimmy: And there’s that break. They’d have to go on a 6-0 run just to tie the game up at this point… Is that really do-able?

9:14pm UCF 11 – Carleton 6

Jimmy: At some point Carleton has to rest their top guys to try for a comeback, they already look worn out. By the way, 14 minutes until soft cap.

Coit: Last second layout grab. Split decision in the press box if it was truly up or not. Observers call it up, so here we go again.

9:19 UCF 12 – Carleton 7

Coit: CUT player seen saying “Let’s just have fun now.” Looks like everyone in the stadium including CUT knows the lead is insurmountable.

9:27 UCF 13 – Carleton 8

Pat: The way UCF celebrated their last goal it’s obvious they know they’re going to the Finals tomorrow.

9:38 UCF 15 – Carleton 8

Coit: I don’t think anyone saw this result coming. UCF headed to the finals tomorrow after an absolute pummeling.

—————–

5:16, Oregon 0 – Pittsburgh 0

Jimmy: The teams are warming up, and getting ready for their semifinal game.

5:25pm, Oregon 0 – Pittsburgh 0

Jimmy: We all agree – being in a press box is pretty awesome.

5:36pm, Oregon 1 – Pittsburgh 0

Jimmy: Interesting matchup to watch: Trent Dillon on Dylan Freechild. We saw Dillon go to work against UNC-W, and on Friday against Texas. First point he isn’t successful in his chances to get a D, but from what we’ve seen of him this tournament, he’ll get a few on Freechild.

5:40pm, Oregon 2 – Pittsburgh 0

Jimmy: Didn’t see Freechild get a TMF for that edge down spike, but everyone up here thought he was going to get one. Haven’t heard that he did though.

5:43pm, Oregon 3 – Pittsburgh 1

Pat: I think they need to put someone other than Dillon on Freechild, it’s been three points and Freechild has had his way.

Coit: Three points, and already they’re talking TMF’s up here in the press box – both between Pitt and Ego.

5:54pm, Oregon 3 – Pittsburgh 2

Jimmy: If not Dillon on Freechild, who? ESPN guys are talking about how Dillon hasn’t been able to contain him and even used the words “favorable matchup”. Even if Dillon is doing a bad job (I don’t think he is), there isn’t anyone else they could put on Freechild to get him out of the game. It isn’t a game of containing Dylan, it’s limiting how badly he burns you.

Coit: Tyler D is more of an incut option than a deep right now, wonder if that’ll change in the second half.

6:00pm, Oregon 3 – Pittsburgh 4

Pat: First game that I’ve seen in a while where defense hasn’t relied on zone – looks like both teams are going to rely on their athletes to shut down the mark instead.

Jimmy: Big surge here by Pitt. Saw multiple times during that point that Dillon was doing just fine in making sure Freechild didn’t get the disc. He danced several times in the lane, and instead Ego turned the disc and Pitt ended up scoring.

6:10pm, Oregon 4 – Pittsburgh 5

Jimmy: Oregon looking a little upset at each other on the field that those hucks aren’t working out.

Pat: When Oregon took the early lead, they were being patient and taking the inside throws. Now they’re going for the huck, and instead giving Pitt chances. That’s exactly what Pitt wants them to do.

6:13pm, Oregon 4 – Pittsburgh 6

Jimmy: You know whose name we haven’t heard much of this weekend? Camden Allison-Hall. He hasn’t looked too impressive on defense, and I don’t remember seeing much of him in pool play either.

6:20pm, Oregon 5 – Pittsburgh 7

Jimmy: Dylan was sitting that point, very surprised at that. But Allison-Hall shows up, and gets open deep.

Jimmy: And if you want some more interesting insight, follow @BravoUltimate they’re doing a good job tweeting. Getting some things we aren’t.

6:22pm, Oregon 6 – Pittsburgh 7

Coit: We saw Pitt trying to force it to Tyler D there, they can’t do that if they want to maintain the lead over Ego.

6:24pm, Oregon 7 – Pittsburgh 7

Jimmy: Ever since Dylan was on the sideline, he’s come on and gone to town on Pitt. That was the move by Coach Jay Janin (I presume) that got him going. Second straight score for him.

Pat: Aaron Honn has done a very good job getting open against Tyler D. One of the only tall guys on Ego, so they need him to keep getting the disc.

6:27pm, Oregon 7 – Pittsburgh 7 

Pat: If you’re Jay Janin, you have to keep telling your guys to just play their game. Going into half down one, but they’ve managed to close the gap since they’ve stopped hucking and started being more patient.

Coit: Ego should go straight-up in the second half if all Pitt wants to do is go deep. They keep forcing it deep to Degirolamo, and while a few have been successful, they have to stop the bleeding.

6:35pm, Oregon 7 – Pittsburgh 8 HALF

Jimmy: A big congrats to Claire Chastain for winning the Callahan on the Women’s side from all of us up here in the booth!

6:38pm, Oregon 7 – Pittsburgh 8

Jimmy: As this half gets under way, there’s around 21 minutes left on the clock until soft cap. That’s going to be very interesting should the pace of the game continue. It was definitely because of all of those timeouts in the first half, 2-aside, but with a game this close and Ego down, they’re going to need all the time they can get.

6:43pm, Oregon 8 – Pittsburgh 9

Pat: Allison-Hall was able to come down with that one, the second attempt that point, but I don’t like Ego’s chances to win the game if they keep favoring the huck. 50/50 chances are more like 75/25 against Pitt.

6:46pm, Oregon 8 – Pittsburgh 10

Jimmy: Interesting that they’ve moved Freechild to covering Degirolamo now. He had no chance on that huck, you have to figure that the Pitt handlers recognize that, and put it a little further up just to make sure too. I think Honn is better suited for covering him for sure.

6:49pm, Oregon 8 – Pittsburgh 10

Pat: That put to Honn is exactly the kind of throw I’m saying they shouldn’t be doing, especially against Degirolamo.

6:50pm, Oregon 9 – Pittsburgh 10

Pat: Honn is coming up big for Ego, but with time running out all of the turns from them doesn’t make them look like a team trying to win a Championship.

7:00pm, Oregon 9 – Pittsburgh 11

Jimmy: With Pitt threatening again to score, and with players like Degirolamo not out on the field right now, the soft cap clock expires. It’ll go on after this point. Time is really running out for Oregon Ego.

7:03pm, Oregon 9 – Pittsburgh 12

Jimmy: With game to 14 now, I don’t expect any of the stars on either team to take a break. Maybe some like Trent Dillon, but I don’t think Thorne or Degirolamo will take a break – nor with C-Hall, Freechild or Honn. Also a little surprised Oregon hasn’t taken a timeout.

7:07pm, Oregon 10 – Pittsburgh 13

Coit: This game is over. It seems like Oregon has lost all of their energy, all of their mojo. They aren’t going to be coming back here.

7:08pm, Oregon 10 – Pittsburgh 13

Pat: Degirolamo might be playing with a chip on his shoulder after getting snubbed from the Callahan. He has 5 scores and Freechild has 3.

7:11pm, Oregon 10 – Pittsburgh 14

Jimmy: And that’s the final. Oregon falls to Pittsburgh 14 to 10. After falling down 3-1 early in the game, Pitt really took control and wouldn’t relinquish it. They seemed to have more energy, and Oregon just couldn’t shake Pitt. The fact that some of their players weren’t always on top of their game, and the dominance of Degirolamo in the game came through. Pitt will be in the D1 Open Finals yet again, getting a chance to repeat.

Pat: Degirolamo may not have won the Callahan but he sure looks ready to win a championship. If you’re Pitt you have to feel good about your chances tomorrow–regardless of whether that’s against Carleton or UFC. I was mostly impressed by the fact that they did not rely on 50/50 shots, especially as the game progressed. Instead, they worked the under and still found ways to break the mark for scores. Degirolamo showed a more well-rounded version of himself, handling the disc well and proving he has more than just monster skies. Pitt’s hungry, and I believe they fully expect to leave tomorrow with a championship.