Man-Up 3-3 Overload from Crease
This is the simple Man-Up play that UNC used when they won the NCAA DI National Championship game in Overtime yesterday! This is actually a standard play that we see just about every team in college lacrosse using now.
We see teams miss easy Man-Up goals every day because they don't understand 2-on-1 situations! With six men on Offense and only five on Defense, there is a 2-on-1 and an open man somewhere on the field. Make sure your players know that they are looking for the open extra man in Man-Up situations. That's what "Man-Up" means!
Maybe you've heard of "Wheel" or "Rotation Overload" plays before. This play is really just a simple 3-Man Wheel, except you are rotating and overloading from the Crease instead of from behindthe goal at "X".
Teach your youth and high school players the 3-3 Formation! Most college teams are running their 6-on-6 settled Offense and Man-Up plays in the 3-1-2 or "3-3" Formation since it helps keep all six of your players in scoring position at Goal Line Extended (GLE) or in front of the Goal, while you can still back up shots that go out of bounds behind the goal. Too many teams use the classic 2-3-1 formation and leave their open extra man behind the goal at "X" where he can't score.
HERE'S THE PLAY:
UNC ran this play on the left side of the field (when looking out from the Goal or Goalie) to get the ball to Chris Cloutier (#45), a lefty.
We run this play most often on the right side of the field since most of our players are right-handed and most of the passes and shot opportunities are also right-handed.
Figure 1.) Start your Man-Up in the typical 2-3-1 Formation. Blue 1 will carry the ball to top center, looking for a good shot in the "lane" or "seam" between the top two corners of the Man-Down Defense (Red 1 and 2).
If the other team is running a "Box-and-One [in the Middle]" or "4-Man Rotation", you might be able to step in and shoot from here.
RELATED PLAYS & DRILLS:
- Man-Down Defense "Box-and-One [in the Middle]": Youth and High School teams will be Man-Down for penalties multiple times per game. Make sure your team knows how to "Rotate!" to cover the ball with this basic Man-Down 4-Man Rotation.
- Man-Up 2-3-1 Basic Wheel: Use this simple "Wheel" Play to get your open extra man in front of the goal and score with as few as two passes!
- Man-Up 2-3-1 Simple Box/Field 3-on-2 Up Top: We got this simple Man-Up play from Box Lacrosse. Use the 3-1-2 Formation to work against the top two corners of the typical "Box-and-One" Man-Down Defense.
- Man-Up 3-1-2 Pick & Roll Up Top: Another simple Man-Up play we got from Box Lacrosse, use the Pick & Roll to give the Man-Down Defense something extra to worry about!
