Denver Drubs Machine, Hits Playoffs in Stride
from press release
DENVER — After suffering the worse
loss in franchise history, the Denver Outlaws responded by shutting
down the Chicago Machine 18-8 in perfect, sunny lacrosse weather in
front of 7,285 fans at INVESCO Field.
Attackman Brendan Mundorf won the Bud Light MVP for his four goal,
one assist performance, while Midfielder Max Seibald contributed
four goals and one assist of his own in the season finale
victory.Chicago Attackman Ned Crotty netted a hat trick and one
assist in a losing effort for the Machine.
“Mundy [Mundorf] can get some good passes and has the ability
to shoot with both hands,” Head Coach Brian Reese said.
“Max is a monster out there. You can’t really match up
with him. He’s fast, strong, can run you over or run by
you.”
The Denver Outlaws drew first blood, with a goal from Midfielder
Brian Langtry, but Chicago was quick to respond, as Midfielder
Martin Cahill knotted the game up two-and-a-half minutes into the
game. Mundorf regained the lead for Denver, scoring an unassisted
goal to give the Outlaws an early 2-1 lead halfway through the
first quarter.
After intercepting an errant Machine pass, Defender Eric Martin
found an open Mundorf for his second goal of the quarter. The
Denver momentum continued, as Attackman Matt Brown put a goal past
Chicago Goalie Bud Petit. The relentless Denver attack continued,
as a barrage of shots lead to goals for Seibald and Martin,
respectively, to end the first quarter with a 6-1 score.
The Denver dominance continued in the second quarter, as Seibald
willed his way to a second goal to start the quarter’s
scoring. The Machine delayed the Outlaws attack but it was not
enough, as rookie Midfielder Sean DeLaney scored Denver’s
seventh consecutive goal. Chicago put away their second goal of the
game, after going scoreless for over 15 minutes, as Midfielder Matt
Striebel found enough room to sneak a shot past Outlaws Goalie
Jesse Schwartzman. Chicago Attackman Ned Crotty followed
Striebel’s goal with one of his own, finding a crease in the
Denver defense after taking the ball from out of bounds.
The Outlaws offense got back on track in the 13th minute of the
second quarter, as Langtry found Mundorf for his hat-trick goal.
After two quarters of play, the Outlaws headed into the locker room
with a 9-3 advantage over the Machine.
“I think it’s huge,” Reese said about
Denver’s win. “Every team who has won a championship
has won their last game of the regular season.”
The Machine came out of halftime on a mission to stop the Denver
attack, but it would not last as Brown found cutting Attackman Drew
Westervelt for a behind-the-back, trick-shot goal to start the
second-half scoring. Cahill matched Westervelt’s goal
for the Machine, before Seibald found enough room to net his
hat-trick goal.
Machine Midfielder Bill McGlone scored Chicago’s second goal
of the quarter, before Delaney responded with his second goal of
the contest. The Machine had the last laugh of the quarter, as
Attackman Mike Leveille netted an unassisted goal to bring the
score to 12-6 after three quarters.
Brown started the fourth quarter scoring for Denver, before Seibald
picked up a loose ball off the following face off to find his
fourth goal in the start of the fourth quarter. Rookie Defender
Dillon Roy found the back of the net for the first time in his
career, making way for Langtry to give the Outlaws a 10 goal lead
with his second goal of the game. With Denver firing on all
cylinders, the Machine found themselves in a 16-6 hole halfway
through the final quarter.
Crotty ended Chicago’s scoring drought, scoring the
Machine’s first goal of the quarter with his second goal of
the game. Mundorf answered Crotty’s goal with his fourth goal
of the game, which Crotty answered with his hat-trick goal.
Westervelt netted his second goal of the game to cap the Outlaws
scoring, and bringing the final score to 18-8.
“I’m just proud of the way the guys responded off of
last week’s loss,” Reese said. “They came back
with a renewed purpose and energy that we want to carry on into the
playoffs.”
