How Can He Do That?
Watched 2 of the 4 NCAA Men’s Quarterfinals yesterday, Maryland vs Hopkins and Loyola vs Denver. Lots of tremendous play from all 4 teams, but one moment stood out. Mark Matthews’ goal in the waning moments of Denver’s loss to Loyola (MD) is a thing of such beauty and body control it’s hard to know where to begin (about 1:08 of this clip). NCAA Highlights His team trailing, the chance to cut the deficit to one, but the pass is wide, the defenseman is right in Matthews’ face. To reach out across his body to the right with a one-handed stab, no more than 3″ of stick still in his grasp, and bring that pass in–like catching a brick in a teaspoon. To bring it in so smoothly, to get both hands on the stick, and then to turn full 180 and fire a left-handed laser is evidence of ballet-class body control. To do it while being physically assaulted by the defense, to put the ball in the upper corner with surgical precision and bring his team within 1, was a blazing portrait of focus. That his team lost adds poignancy to the moment, but nothing came smudge the beauty.