Tim Yilmaz, Beat Writer New York Lizards
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Lizards returned home to face off against the Ohio Machine. The winner would achieve a coveted playoff spot. Headed into tonight all four playoff spots were still up for grabs. The last time these two teams met in Ohio on May 14, the Machine would come away with the victory 22-10. New York wanted to avenge their loss facing the Machine for the final game of the regular season in 2016. It was not meant to be and Ohio would take the series with the final score: Ohio 22—New York 13.
Tom Schreiber got the Machine on the board first with a laser 23 seconds into the game. Only a minute later Schreiber found Peter Baum to put Ohio up 2-0. After a big Drew Adams save Matt Gibson put the Lizards on the board off a great feed from Rob Pannell cutting the Machine lead to 2-1. With the assist Rob Pannell became the Lizards all time leader in assists with 104. John Grant, Jr. bulled his way to the goal and slipped it past Adams making it 3-1 Ohio. After the teams had a couple of empty possessions, Schreiber again put one past Adams putting Ohio up 4-1. Following a slashing call on the Lizards, Marcus Holman scored off a beautiful feed from Steele Stanwick making it 5-1 Machine. The Lizards were being dominated in every facet of the game. After a T.V. timeout Grant, Jr. worked his magic and again Ohio was up 6-1. Pannell would stop the bleeding putting a goal behind Scotty Rodgers cutting the Machine lead to 6-2. Score at the end of one: Machine 6—Lizards 2.
The second quarter would start the same as the first with Ohio dominating. Schreiber found Holman all alone for a lay-up making the score 7-2. The Schreiber show then continued as he found Baum for another Machine goal. A much needed T.V. timeout did not change things for the Lizards as Schreiber again found a cutting Grant, Jr. for another Machine goal. After both teams exchanged some pleasantries after a late hit on Paul Rabil, Brian Spallina; Mike Noone; Drew Westervelt; and Dan Groot would all receive five-minute majors. With the extra space Schreiber found a cutting Stanwick for another Ohio goal making it 10-2. Brandon Mangan then got into the scoring fray putting Ohio up 11-2. The flood gates continued to flow as Holman scored again. Just before the half the Lizards finally stopped the run as Pannell scored from a feed from Rabil cutting the Machines lead to 12-3 at the half.
Thanks to a Brian Karalunas late hit at the end of the first half; the Lizards began the second half man up. Westervelt inched the Lizards closer, then Tommy Palasek would score quickly right after cutting the Ohio lead to 12-5. The Lizards would force an Ohio shot clock violation, allowing Pannell to score again off a great feed from Rabil to make it 12-6. After a big Adams save on Schreiber, Palasek put another goal up for the Lizards assisted by Dave Lawson making it 12-7. Ohio would end the Lizards run as Baum fired a shot off the post and in for a 13-7 Ohio lead. After some stout defensive play by both teams, Pannell scored just before the third quarter pulling the Lizards within five. It was 13-8 heading into the last quarter.
Only 20 seconds into the fourth, Pannell not only bought the Lizards to within four, but he also became the MLL single season record holder for points in a season with his 73rd point. The Lizards struck quickly again as Rabil fired a laser by Rogers making it 13-10. Grant, Jr. stopped the Lizards run with a nifty behind the back shot past Adams putting Ohio up14-10. After a scrum where Rodgers made several saves Rabil picked up a juicy rebound and put it in making it 14-11. With 10:42 left, Grant, Jr. slipped one past Adams putting Ohio up 15-11. After a faceoff win by Ohio, Schreiber found Grant again for his seventh goal of the game putting Ohio up by six. Following another T.V. timeout, Baum fired one past Adams putting the visitors up 17-11. The game quickly turned as Steve DeNapoli and Pannell scored back to back making it 17-13 with 8:13 remaining in the game. At the 7:25 mark Stanwick found Jake Bernhardt putting the visitors up by five. A minute later Grant, Jr. put his eighth goal of the game putting the Machine up19-13. At the 4:45 mark, Grant, Jr. tied the MLL record for goals in a game with his ninth, and the score 20-13. Holman dove and put it in making it 21-13. Then history was made as Grant Jr put in his tenth goal of the game breaking former Lizard Tim Goettelmann’s record of nine. The final score read 22-13 for the Machine putting them into the playoffs and clinching the #1 seed.
Despite the loss the Lizards find themselves in the MLL playoffs. The Lizards will face a red hot Denver Outlaws team on August 13th at 4:00 pm in Fairfield, CT.
Tim Yilmaz, Beat Writer New York Lizards
Lacrosse is Awesome