MLL: Bayhawks Spoil Nats' Stadium Opener
from staff reports
TORONTO -- Midfielder Brian Vetter scored a career-high four goals and was named Bud Light Most Valuable Player to lead the Chesapeake Bayhawks to a 25-12 blowout of Toronto, the defending Major League Lacrosse champions.
It was the Nationals' opener in the new, improved Lamport
Stadium, drawing nearly 4,000 fans.
Vetter scored all four of his goals on determined drives to the
goal – beating a short stick defender from behind the net
then scoring on spectacular jump shots. The second-year player out
of Towson University product scored three goals on midair shots
that hit the back of the net before he landed in the crease.
“Early on I was dodging too much and getting double-teamed.
(General manager) Spencer Ford told me to just make one dodge and
go to the goal,” Vetter said. “We inverted and I was
able to get underneath my man. They weren’t sliding from the
crease at all so I was able to get all the way to the
goal.”
Perennial All-Pro midfielder Kyle Dixon also scored four goals and
dished off two assists for the Bayhawks, who raced to a 10-2 lead
and never looked back in improving to 2-0. Dixon scored a 2-point
goal on a sidearm crank shot and now has 20 for his career –
one shy of the franchise record held by Mark Frye.
Peet Poillon contributed three goals and three assists as
Chesapeake continues to get tremendous production out of its
midfield. Poillon and Dixon have now combined for 25 points in two
games.
Faceoff specialist Alex Smith was the catalyst as Chesapeake
completely took over the game in the final 10 minutes of the first
quarter, shredding the Toronto defense for eight straight goals.
Attackman Ben Rubeorscored both his goals while Smith got two
assists directly off draws during the run.
Poillon then scored just 15 seconds into the second period to give
Chesapeake a commanding 10-2 lead. Midfielders Ben Hunt and Alex
Buckley along with attackman Danny Glading scored two goals apiece
for the Bayhawks, who outshot the Nationals 37-24.
“I’m very pleased. We came out with a lot of energy
today and I thought we played real smart lacrosse,” Bayhawks
head coach John Tucker said. “We were doing a good job of
controlling possession and wearing Toronto down. I think their
defense got a little tired.”
Smith, a former first team All-American out of Delaware and member
of the United States National team, showed why he’s the best
faceoff man in the game by winning 34 of 39 on Saturday. Toronto
was without top faceoff specialist Geoff Snider and had no answer
for Smith, who routinely won the draws outright to jump-start the
offense.
“To have a weapon like Alex Smith is just huge because when
you score you usually get the ball right back,” Tucker said.
“Alex was phenomenal once again.”
Chesapeake scored three 2-point goals with midfielder Ben Hunt
providing the most impressive one. Hunt came out of the box, took a
feed and unleashed an absolute cannon blast of an overhand crank
shot that whistled past the left ear of Toronto goalie Doc
Schneider.
A total of 10 different players scored goals for the Bayhawks,
whose revamped offense has been nothing short of explosive so far.
Chesapeake has now accumulated 41 goals in two games with almost
everybody getting into the act. Matt Abbott had a goal and an
assist while Jordan Levine added two assists and both midfielders
played extremely well between the lines in terms of getting ground
balls and clearing.
“It’s all about being unselfish and staying balanced.
Guys are keeping their heads up and moving the ball, which is all
we need to do because this team has so many great shooters,”
Vetter said.
Goalkeeper Chris Garrity made 13 saves to anchor another
outstanding effort by the defense. Close defenseman Michael Evans
held Toronto star attackman John Grant to one goal while running
mates Ray Megill and Joe Cinosky performed similar lockdown jobs on
Dan Dawson (one goal) and Kevin Huntley(no goals).
“Chris is making some clutch saves so far this season.
Whenever teams have tried to get on a run, Chris has come up with a
big save to stop the momentum,” Tucker said. “We have a
big, strong, athletic close defense that is smart and communicates
well. We made some mistakes in transition and off faceoffs, but I
thought our six-on-six defense was excellent.”
Midfielders Josh Sims and Mark Steenhuis both scored two goals to
lead Toronto (0-2). Schneider stood tall in the face of an
onslaught of shots, making 15 saves.
