Tim Yilmaz, Beat Writer New York Lizards
Lacrosse is Awesome
Despite their loss against the Ohio Machine at their final home game of the season, the New York Lizards clinched the second seed and headed to Fairfield, CT to face the surging Denver Outlaws in the MLL Semi-finals. However, the Lizards would not be able to overcome the Outlaws to advance to the Championship game. Final Score: Outlaws 20—Lizards 17.
Drew Westervelt started the game hot, similarly to the weather, getting New York on the board first at 12:18. Kyle Hartzell followed his lead and scored immediately after with a two-point goal, and the Lizards led by three. Matt Kavanagh struck first for the Outlaws and Drew Snider followed. Dave Lawson answered to extend New York’s lead to three. Mike Bocklet would score back-to-back man-up goals to end the quarter at 5-4 Lizards.
Paul Rabil opened the second quarter with his first goal of the game. But Denver went on a quick power trip as Tommy Kelly answered immediately; followed by Matt Kavanagh; Jeremy Sieverts; and Mike Simon with a two-pointer. Sieverts scored yet again making the score 10-6 with 10:54 left in the second. League-leading Rabil and Rob Pannell collaborated to score, getting New York’s momentum going yet again. Steve DeNapoli scored shorthanded and the score read 10-8 with 8:25 to go in the first half. The quarter ended with Kavanagh
getting the hat-trick and the score at the end of the half: Denver 11—New York 8.
Pannell got one of his own to open the third quarter for New York, only to be followed by two goals from Denver, one by Kavanagh; and then Mike Bocklet. Walsh got New York moving again, scoring his second of the night man-up to make the score 13-10 Denver. Jojo Marasco got in with his first of the game, followed by Walsh for the hat-trick. Tommy Palasek valiantly tied it up at 13 with 4:56 left in the third. Then Denver went on a three-goal spurt to close the third as Kavanagh; Sieverts; and Wes Berg scored to lead 16-13 heading into the final quarter.
Mike Bocklet and Berg of the Outlaws would score consecutive goals to open the final quarter. Pannell and Walsh would again score for the Lizards with seven minutes to go and the scored read 19-15. Eric Law would notch one extending Denver’s lead to five. Westervelt and DeNapoli tallied goals to trim Denver’s lead to three. But it was too late! The score read 20-17 at the final buzzer and New York’s season came to a close.
Tim Yilmaz, Beat Writer New York Lizards
Lacrosse is Awesome