MLL: Surging Lizards Top Slumping Bayhawks
by Brad Zak | majorleaguelacrosse.com
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- With the playoffs on the
line, the Long Island Lizards were able to grind out another gutsy
victory over a struggling Chesapeake Bayhawks squad 14-11 at Shuart
Stadium at Hofstra University. After a late rally pulled them
to within one goal, the Bayhawks acted out of desperation and
pulled their goalie enabling them to double team the ball.
However, Bud Light MVP Stephen Berger made them pay by connecting
on a shot from halfway to Jones Beach to clinch the game for the
Lizards.
Week 10 of the MLL season coincided with the FIL World Lacrosse
Championships meaning Long Island would be without Zack Greer
(Canada), Matt Zash (USA), Stephen Peyser (USA) and Chesapeake
would have to play without American stars Kyle Dixon, Alex Smith,
Joe Cinosky and Shawn Nadelen. After scoring 11 goals in the
last two weeks, the only thing that could stop Greer was his home
country and the Lizards were forced to look elsewhere to replace
his scoring production. Fortunately for the home team, the
two longest tenured Lizards picked up the slack. Stephen
Berger led the team with five goals including one two pointer and
Tim Goettelmann added a hat trick with all three goals coming in
the first half.
Chris Fiore opened the scoring during the first minute of play as
he let a shot fly from just inside the circle on the ride side of
the attack and beat goalie Chris Garrity for his eighth goal of the
season. The Bayhawks high scoring duo of Brian Vetter and
Peet Poillon would pump some life into the away side as they would
each score their 19th and 21st goals of the season respectfully to
give Chesapeake the advantage.
The Lizards wouldn’t stay down for long however, as Berger
galloped down the ride side and let loose with a low shot just past
the outstretched leg of Garrity. That early success would
help provide Berger with the confidence he needed to be the Lizards
finisher as he connected on five of eight shots for the
contest.
Keith Cromwell who was appearing in just his third game of the
season gift-wrapped more packages than Macy’s during the game
as he set up Lizards’ goals on five different
occasions. His first assist of the night would come after he
dodged his way into the Bayhawk zone and dropped a nice pass off
for Matt Danowski, who then sent a quick shot into the top half of
the net for his 21st goal of the year. A few minutes later,
Cromwell would orchestrate another score as he found Goettelmann in
front of the net for an easy goal.
Impressive passing by the Bayhawks led to their third goal of the
game as they took full advantage of a power play. Ben Rubeor
eventually worked his way into scoring range and beat goalie Drew
Adams to make the score 4-3 with one second left in the first
quarter.
The first goal in the second quarter came after John Glynn heaved a
pass from near midfield to a waiting Stephen Berger who was able to
beat the goalie with a quick shot into the top corner. The
Lizards then really started to click as everybody’s best
friend Cromwell was able to find Goettelmann for his second goal as
they continued to find holes in the Bayhawks defense.
After a lull in the scoring, Ricky Pages would use his speed to
blow by the Chesapeake midfielders and spark a Lizards attack that
would eventually lead to Tim Goettelmann’s third goal of the
game putting the Lizards ahead 7-3. It was his 15th goal of
the season and brings him within two goals of the MLL all-time
scoring record. It looked as if Goettelmann would get even
closer as he used his patented bull dodge to get himself in front
of the Chesapeake goal, but sent his shot squarely off the
post. The Bayhawks would capitalize by setting up Kyle
Hartzell for a transition goal. Chesapeake would continue
their second half charge as Jeff Reynolds beat Adams for his 14th
goal of the season to make the half-time score 7-5.
In the second quarter, the defensive style of the Lizards really
began to take a toll on the Bayhawks as they could only muster one
goal during the fifteen minute period. After firing coach
John Tucker after the loss two weeks ago to the Boston Cannons, new
coach Brendan Kelly had a tough time developing a plan to crack the
defense of the Lizards. Parker McKee continued his emergence
as an elite MLL defender with six groundballs and tenacious
pressure. Nicky Polanco, John Orsen and Ricky Pages also
combined for eight ground balls and closed up the Bayhawks passing
lanes all night long.
Berger scored a pretty unassisted goal as he made a Reggie
Bush-like change of direction to free himself in the middle of the
field and get a clear shot from near the top of the circle.
Later in the quarter, Buggs Combs would give Chesapeake their only
third quarter goal by putting a low shot just across the line that
was ruled a goal despite the protests of the Lizards
defense.
Peter Vlahakis wouldn’t let the Bayhawks celebrate for long
as he promptly won the faceoff and paraded down the middle of the
field and unleashed a quick shot for his first goal of the
season. Without their normal faceoff man Alex Smith, Vlahakis
and faceoff specialist Greg Gurenlian dominated the center circle
and allowed the Lizards to control the game as they combined to win
21 of 27 faceoffs.
In a special moment at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Albert
Maione would catch and release a quick shot into the net for his
first career MLL goal. Maione is in his rookie season for the
Lizards and joined the team after his impressive senior season at
Molloy College. Maione went to school at nearby West Islip
high school whose lacrosse team was honored at halftime for winning
a state championship this past season.
Ben Hunt would score his fourth goal of the season to cut into the
Lizard lead making it 10-7 but Cromwell would again help ignite the
attack and seemingly put the game out of reach. Cromwell fed
Joel Dalgarno on the right side of the net for an easy shot past
the stick of Garrity. Cromwell would then pass off to Berger
who continued his amazing shooting night by Fed-Exing a shot from
just inside the arc into the top of the net.
As the Lizards began to relax, Chesapeake snuck back into the game
with a three quick goals. Rubeor scored his 11th of the
season and then Jeremy Sieverts introduced himself to his teammates
by scoring his first two goals of the season (one of them a
two-pointer).
With the score now 12-11, Vlahakis would get another key faceoff
victory and allow Berger to put an exclamation point on the game
with his heroics. His late game Hail Mary gave him his 14th
goal of the season and first two pointer of the year.
The win is the Lizards third in a row and now puts them at 5-5 and
in control of their championship weekend plans. The Lizards
play again next Saturday, July 31st against the Toronto Nationals
at Shuart Stadium at 7 p.m.
