Recap: 2011 College Open D-I Regionals (Metro East)
Bryan Jones
Posted: May 2, 2011 07:27 PM
“We just picked up the intensity, our defense was better, our marks were better,”
- Buds captain Alex Kadesch.
When NYU Purple Haze earned the first break of the Metro East Open final, the sidelines were buzzing at the prospect of a potential upset over tournament favorites Cornell. NYU had come out strong thanks to the play of Husayn Carnegie, and though Cornell would break back, Purple Haze took an 8-7 lead into the half.
The second half was a different story, as Cornell came out looking far from ready to relinquish their two year hold on the Metro East. Cornell put more pressure on NYU resets and in cuts while also limiting the deep looks to Carnegie.
After scoring on their initial possession, lay out blocks by Neil Butler and Garret Bernstein led to two consecutive Buds breaks that made the score 10-8, Cornell. NYU was unable to connect on deep throws to Carnegie, and the bleeding did not stop until 12-8.
“We just picked up the intensity, our defense was better, our marks were better,” said Buds captain Alex Kadesch.
With soft cap put on, a game to 14, victory looked out of reach for NYU. But thanks to the handling of team assist leader Lu Wang, a Cornell turnover, and a breathtaking deep grab in traffic by Carnegie, NYU got to within one, 12-11.
Cornell would score on the ensuing possession on a deep huck from Bernstein to Butler, bringing the Buds one point away from a spot at the College Championships. A layout block put the disc in the hands of Brian Grundy, who would hit Butler for the win, 14-11. For the third straight year, Cornell is the Metro East champion.
Also of note:
- Cornell looked to be in control throughout the tournament, and didn’t face a threat until NYU
- Depth was the difference, as teams that advanced farther relied on the majority of their squad rather than just one or two main guns
- Husayn Carnegie was the player of the tournament, hands down
- Kerry Chang and Milo Synder were the reasons Columbia was in the semifinals
- The Metro East should still be wide open from 2 through 8th for the next few years
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