Photo Credit Featured Image: Kyle Hess
Justin Ivey, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome
Finally after two weeks, the first game of the Champions Cup took place in Georgia. We have had plenty of lacrosse to enjoy since then, including Maryland winning their first NCAA title since 1975; the MLL under way; and the MSL as well. Both teams were well rested and ready to get going. Saskatchewan, the West Division champions, are looking to bring home the title for the third straight year while Georgia, the East Division champions, are playing in their first final. The stage was set for an offensive game, and the arena was packed for lacrosse and a halftime appearance by “Ludacris”. The Rush would fight their way to a four-goal lead, but Georgia would swarm to the finish, and come back to take game one. Final Score: Georgia 18—Saskatchwan 14.
Both teams started off a tad rusty, with some passes going awry and the usual offensive flow not quite around. Georgia put enough together to score the first two of the game. The first came from Randy Staats (2G, 3A) late in the shot clock. His side arm bounce shot from the side beat Rush goaltender Aaron Bold on his glove side. Kiel Matisz (3G, 2A), who assisted on the Staats goal got the second on the next possession when he was left open to pick a corner. Only 2:43 into the game and Georgia had the lead 2-0. The Rush would score the next two to tie the game up with 7:14 left in the first. Jeremy Thompson (3G) got the first on the assist from goalie Bold to notch his first points in the playoffs. Curtis Knight (2G, 1A) got the equalizer with a perfectly placed sidearm shot around two defenders beating Georgia goalie Mike Poulin low. Jordan Hall (5G, 3A) would break the tie to give Georgia the lead back slipping the pick and roll with Shayne Jackson (2G, 4A), catching on the crease, faking and finishing. The lead would not last though. Mark Matthews (3G, 4A) would score two power-play goals. The only difference was placement. Both would come from up top, man up, and from Robert Church (2G, 5A). The last would come with only 10 seconds remaining in the quarter. At the end of the first Saskatchewan would lead Georgia 4-3.
The Rush made it a three-goal run to start the scoring in the second quarter as Adam Jones (3G) dove into the crease past two defenders shooting over Poulin’s shoulder. The goal was initially called off, but after a challenge and review, it was awarded. At 1:38 into the second quarter, Saskatchewan had the lead 5-3. Lyle Thompson (1G, 4A) would get one back for Georgia as he collected his own rebound to beat Bold about a minute and a half later. The Rush would fire off the next two and get their largest lead of the game at three goals. Ryan Keenan (1G, 1A) got the first coming around the pick and beating Poulin over the shoulder. Jeremy Thompson got the second in transition and on the better end of the two on one. With 10:08 remaining in the half, the Rush had the lead at 7-4. Has anyone ever told you lacrosse, especially indoor, is a game of runs? Well, it was Georgia’s turn as they scored three in a row to tie the game in three and a half minutes. Jordan Hall got the first, twisting the quick stick on the crease off the pin point pass from Jackson. Johnny Powless (2G, 3A) notched the other two both from up close, and the second off a juicy rebound from a Thompson shot. With 5:11 remaining, the game was tied at seven. But there was enough time for Saskatchewan to regroup and put in two more to end the run and regain the lead. Church would fire on net with three seconds left in the shot clock, catching Poulin by surprise, and with three seconds left in the half, Knight would quick stick a goal with the extra attacker present. At the half, Saskatchewan led Georgia 9-7.
Halftime deserves a little aside here. Attendance this year in Georgia has not been the best. In trying to raise game and team awareness, tweets of support came from the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Braves. Ownership went the extra mile and brought in “Ludacris” for the halftime show. He was spectacular, and got the crowd moving running from one side of the floor to the other with his hip hop hits. He even brought the viral dancing kid with the backpack – yes, the one that swings his arms side to side and everyone goes wild. No, he still didn’t smile. To top it all off, there was a dancing penguin wearing a Swarm jersey. Amazing.
Saskatchewan opened the third quarter with two more goals, making their run four and hitting the largest lead of the game. Church scored first as he passed the ball up top, slinked around a pick and back down, catching the return pass and firing. Jones got the second slipping to the inside on the power-play. With 7:42 left in the third, the Rush had an 11-7 lead. And then the tables turned. Georgia spent the rest of the quarter methodically defending and scoring four in a row. Hall scored first, swimming his defender to dive into the crease and complete his hat trick. Matisz struck next about a minute and a half later on the pick and pop with Staats. Three minutes later Jackson caught the pass on the pick and roll from Hall and scored falling towards the net. To cap it off, with 14 seconds left, Jackson walked up from the side, looking for something to develop, did not get picked up and picked a corner. At the end of three, the game stood tied at 11.
Georgia continued laying down the law to start the fourth quarter. Three more unanswered goals got the run to seven. Hall got the first as his flip pass to the middle was deflected in. Staats was responsible for the second, bouncing a shot from outside around a few players, and then Miles Thompson (2G, 2A) caught a pass in the middle, danced, faked and scored. 3:38 into the fourth, and Georgia who one quarter ago were down four goals, had a three-goal lead at 14-11. Bold would be pulled for Tyler Carlson, but before any other action happened, he would return. Jordan MacIntosh (1A) would get called for a high stick, and with the extra attacker, the Rush were able to end the run. With the extra attacker on the delayed penalty, Jones was able to net one from outside. The five-minute major allowed them to still have the power play opportunity, and once again Matthews rocketed a goal in from up top. Back at even strength, the Swarm were able to stride again to pull away. Miles Thompson scored first in an unsettled transition, bouncing a side arm around a crowd. Matisz scored on the next possession. Jackson picked up a juicy rebound but made the cross-crease pass where Matisz was guaranteed a goal. Hall would make it three unanswered three minutes later with an outside bounce shot and his fifth goal of the game. Down four goals with 2:30 left, Saskatchewan would pull Bold to the bench for the extra attacker. They would not score and Bryan Cole (1G) would end up running down with one defender between him and the empty net. He missed wide to the dismay of the crowd. The Rush called time out with 1:20 remaining hoping to get something going. It would end up being an over and back. Connor Sellars (3A) picked up the ball and passed ahead to Cole who did not miss the open net this time. Jeremy Thompson scored with 50 seconds left, but it was too little, too late. Georgia would take the first game of the series at home. Final Score: Swarm 18—Rush 14.
NEXT UP:
Saskatchewan hosts Game Two on Saturday, June 10 at 9:30 PM.
If Saskatchewan wins, Game Three will be in Georgia on Sunday, June 18 at 5:05 PM.
Justin Ivey, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome