Read Joel Dalgarno’s Online Chat with Fans – Ohio State Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio Joel Dalgarno, a junior attack player on the Ohio State men’s lacrosse, held an online chat on OhioStateBuckeyes.com to answer fans’ questions Thursday. Read a full transcript of the chat below.

The Buckeyes look to continue their NCAA tournament run this weekend vs. No. 1 Duke at noon Sunday in Ithaca, N.Y. Ohio State advanced to the national quarterfinals, defeating No.8-seed Cornell, 15-7, on the Big Red’s home field last Saturday. In the win, Dalgarno, a native of Port Coquitlam, B.C., had two goals and two assists for a team-best four points. The junior currently ranks fourth nationally in points per game (4.56).

This season, Dalgarno has a team-best 34 assists and 73 points this season. His 73 points rank fourth in program history for a single season, while his 34 assists are tied for fourth (Jon Ewert/1985). In his career, the Buckeye attacker has 92 goals, 72 assists and 164 points for the Scarlet and Gray to rank fourth in program history in points, one behind third-place Ewert. He is seventh in career assists, behind Craig Cooper (1974-78) and Mike Norton (2000-03) in fifth.

Joel::	I think Kevin would adapt to the game really well. His field lacrosse style of play is similar to the Canadian box lacrosse style.

Jacob:Columbus, OH:	When did you start playing lacrosse? Did you also play hockey?

Joel::	I started playing lacrosse and hockey when I was about 4 years old.

Eric:Powell:	How did you end up at OhioState from British Columbia?

Joel::	I actually went to a private school (Western Reserve in Ohio) to repeat my junior year. I got recruited from there. My coach, Dr. Flanigan, really helped in the recruiting process. I came for a visit at OhioState and loved the school.

Carol:Baltimore:	What do you expect the tempo of this game against Duke to be like?

Joel::	We expect the game to be very fast-paced. Duke loves to push transition and so do we. It should be an exciting game.

Jessica:Columbus:	What are your plans for over the summer? Is your goal to continue playing lacrosse after your final season next year?

Joel::	During the summer, I’m actually in the middle of my season back home, playing for the Maple Ridge Burrards in the Western Lacrosse Association.

Paul:Chicago, Ill.:	Best of luck this weekend! The Buckeyes in Chicago will be cheering for you.

Joel::	Thanks! We appreciate all the support we’ve been getting.

Jacob:Columbus, OH:	Is lacrosse a popular sport in Canada?

Joel::	Lacrosse is actually one of the national sports in Canada. It’s really popular on the west coast, where I’m from.

Hunter:Baltimore:	Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

Joel::	I have a ton of pregame rituals and superstitions. Everything, from what I eat to how I tie my shoes.

Troy:Frederick, Md.:	The Buckeyes have been a high-scoring team this year. What has made your offense so good?

Joel::	We have a great gameplan from our coaches going into every game. Having great players like Kevin Buchanan and Peet Poillon helps generate scoring opportunities.

Andrew:Philadelphia:	How’s the team feeling entering the second round of the NCAA tournament? What have you been doing to prepare for Duke?

Joel::	The team is excited to play Duke. We’ve been preparing the same way we have for every team. We’re definitely going to stick to our gameplan this weekend.

Ryan:Columbus:	How do you guys go about stopping the Duke offense and transition game?

Joel::	I think a big part of stopping the transition is for our offensive middies to get back on defense after a loss of an offensive possession.

Tim:Powell:	How was it playing in front of so many fans before the football spring game?

Joel::	It was an amazing experience. My family flew down from British Columbia so that made it even more special. Hopefully, we can make it an annual tradition.

Ryan:Columbus:	Joel, What’s your take on Duke Long Pole Mid Fielder Nick O’Hara, and his ability to grab groundballs?

Joel::	Nick O’Hara is definitely one of the best long poles in the country. It’s going to be an exciting matchup for our midfielders to face him.

Casey:Cincinnati:	Your goalie’s goal vs. Cornell was all over SportsCenter. What did you think when you saw him racing to the goal? Do you think it had an effect on your team?

Joel::	We actually practice having Stefan clearing the ball. When I saw him coming down the field and my defenseman was locked off on me, I knew he was going to be able to take it to the net. He has one of the best sticks on our team. It was a great way to start the game.

Eric:Worthington:	Do you think playing at Cornell last week gives you an advantage this week vs. Duke?

Joel::	I think it might give us a little bit of an advantage because we’ve played on that surface before and we’re familiar with our surroundings.

John:Columbus, OH:	Do you plan to go pro?


Joel::	Hopefully, I can get drafted into the NLL (National Lacrosse League). It’s been a dream of mine to play in that league for a while now.

Emily:Cincinnati:	How did team bounce back from a rough game against Notre Dame in the GWLL final and play so well against Cornell?

Joel::	Losing to Notre Dame definitely made us realize we need to play a full 60 minutes to beat good teams like Notre Dame and Cornell.

Madison:LewisCenter:	You’re a junior, and you’re already high in the Buckeye record books for career points. How have you been so consistent throughout your career, starting when you were a freshman?

Joel::	The biggest thing is playing every game with confidence. A huge credit goes to the guys on the field who draw the doubles and find me on the back side.

Luke:Baltimore:	What kind of fan support do you get at home? Is lacrosse big in Columbus?

Joel::	Lacrosse is definitely not as big as football, but we continue to get support from people who have watched us play. Hopefully, we’ll get more fans after they saw us play in Ohio Stadium. Lacrosse is a growing sport in Columbus, it seems like it’s getting more popular all the time.

John:Columbus, OH:	Do you think you’ll coach someday?

Joel::	This summer I plan on helping out with some minor programs. I don’t plan on coaching as a full-time job.

Josh:Cincinnati:	How has the team blocked out all the talk of OhioState being the underdog in this NCAA tournament run?

Joel::	I don’t think we have blocked it out, necessarily. I think it motivates us to let the lacrosse community know we belong in the tournament.

Ryan:Columbus:	Is there a team you prefer to play for in the NLL if you had your choice?

Joel::	I’d be happy to play anywhere, but I have some friends on the Colorado Mammoth (like former Buckeye Jason Bloom), so it would be great to play there.

Mark:New Jersey:	The team had three overtime losses early in the year. Did you learn anything in them that helped you the rest of the season?

Joel::	I think we learned a lot. Our team definitely came together as a group after those losses. We feel we’ve been playing pretty consistent since.

OhioStateBuckeyes.com::	That’s all the time we have. Thanks for all the questions.

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