07/05/2007 10:25 AM - Boston Cannons defenseman Chris Passavia returns to the MLL All-Star game for the third consecutive season in 2007. After the departure of longtime Cannons defender Ryan Curtis, who played in a record 74 games for Boston, Passavia has been relied on to provide a backbone to the defense. Passavia has done so by taking on a larger leadership role by being named a team captain along with fellow MLL All-Star David Jenkins.
Passavia has played in all eight games for the Cannons, scooping up 28 groundballs and regularly matching up against the opposition’s best attackman. In week six Passavia held former Cannons and league MVP Conor Gill to merely one assist in the Cannons 19-11 victory.
“I think defensive play is too often simplified into statistical categories such as ground balls or the limiting of the opposing attackman to a low point total,” said Passavia. “While it's easy to understand, it removes so much of the nuance of great defensive play such as communication, spacing, sliding and recovering.”
The nuances of great defensive play are skills Passaiva honed during his time at the University of Maryland where he was accustomed to receiving individual accolades. As a lacrosse standout at Maryland Passavia was named a first team All-American in his senior season at Maryland in 2004, he was a second team All-American during his junior campaign and tabbed a third team All-American as a sophomore.
Passavia was called to three All-ACC teams in his final three seasons with the Terrapins as well as being a nominee for the Tewaarton Award as a senior. Passavia finished his college career with 161 total groundballs and four points on one goal and three assists which was a good enough effort to be drafted by the Cannons in the first round of the 2004 collegiate draft.
With the ups and downs the Cannons have faced in the 2007 by holding a 4-4 record, Chris Passavia has been a source of consistent defensive play. His aggressive style and vicious stick checks have earned him a slot on the Eastern Conference All-Star roster.
“It is certainly exciting to be voted onto the All-Star team again but really the best part of making the All-Star team is getting another opportunity to play in front of the Boston faithful, the best fans in the country,” Passavia said.
