Tom Coyne, Correspondent Dallas Rattlers
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Pretty Instant
The MLL’s youngest franchise the Dallas Rattlers (0-5), are still suffering from growing pains and the shockwaves caused by the newly formed and second outdoor professional lacrosse league, the PLL and its impact on their roster.
Dallas is still searching for the answer to the riddle of how to achieve their first victory of the enigma that is their 2019 MLL season. In week four of the season the Rattlers wound up wounded and on the MLL roadside dropping two away games in just three nights.
On Thursday June 27, 2019 the Rattlers lost to the now league leading Denver Outlaws (4-1) in front of 2,134 fans at Denver’s Mile High Stadium by the score of 15-9. On Saturday June 28, Dallas would fall by the wayside again and become the league’s sole cellar dweller, losing to the New York Lizards (1-4) by the score of 13-9 in front of 4,237 fans on Long Island at James M. Shuart Stadium.
Dallas only managed to score nine goals in each of their games this week and only won a total of 18 out of 46 face-offs during their two losses this week.
In the Rattlers loss to the Lizards, two native Texans played well for the team, Attackman Bryce Wasserman (3G, 1A); and Net-minder Christian Carson-Banister (28 SOG, 15 SV, 13 GA). D-pole Eli Salama (one 2PtG, 4 GB, 3 CTO) scored the game’s only two pointer, his second of the season. Wasserman and Cody Radziewicz (2G, 2A) led the Rattlers scorers with four points each with Teddy Hatfield and Jake Seau each scoring one goal apiece as well.
The Lizards leading scorers were reigning league MVP Rob Pannell (2G, 3A); followed by Dylan Molloy and Ryan Walsh (3G); Kevin Crowley (2G); and added a couple with Brett Osman, Scott Corcoran, and Long Island native John Daniggelis, each adding one goal apiece for New York.
Overall the Rattlers seem to be in search of an answer to the riddle wrapped inside an enigma that has become their 2019 MLL season, in part due to the inaugural PLL season and its effects on the once closely knit Rattlers roster.
Both teams play next on July 7, 2019. The Lizards after getting off to their worst start in franchise history play next on the road against the Atlanta Blaze (3-1), who are tied for second place with the Boston Cannons (3-1). Boston will be away hosted by Dallas at the Ford Center, in Frisco, TX. Both games will be televised by MLL.com and Lax Sports Network.
The next MLL game on the schedule is the annual Fourth of July game at 9:00 p.m. EST, hosted by the current league-leaders and defending Champions, the Denver Outlaws, who will take on the Chesapeake Bayhawks (2-1). The Bayhawks will be looking to bounce back after suffering their only loss this season on June 28, 2019 to Atlanta by the lopsided score of 19-10.
All games can be streamed on MLL.com; Lax Sports Network; and don’t forget to check the listings at watchstadium.com for select televised games throughout the MLL 2019 season, you know the one, that is a mystery inside a riddle wrapped in an enigma!
Keep on Laxin’!
Tom Coyne, Correspondent Dallas Rattlers
Lacrosse is Awesome©