Di Miller, Correspondent Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome©
On Saturday September 14, 2019 the Denver Outlaws (9-6) hosted the Chesapeake Bayhawks (9-6) at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on the campus of Denver University for their last home game of the regular season. With the win, Denver would lock up the No. 1 Seed in the league but the Bayhawks would not give up and would go on to defeat the Outlaws by a one goal margin. Final Score: Outlaws 10-Bayhawks 11.
The game was a back and forth contest throughout with Chesapeake shutting out Denver 4-0 in the first quarter. It took about six minutes for the game to get going with the net-minders playing well on both sides of the field. Chesapeake got it rolling at the 6:30 mark with Andrew Kew (2g) getting on the board first. Steele Stanwick (3g, 1a) would score just under a minute later with his first of three on the day. Denver had several opportunities to score, but Brian Phipps who got the nod in between the pipes was making some great saves not allowing the powerful Outlaws offense to put anything together. Lyle Thompson (2g, 4a) and Nick Mariano (2g, 1a) would close it out in the first. Chesapeake dominated on SOG in the first 10-4; they also led in GB 7-6; while Denver led at the face-off dot 3-2. Score at the end of one: Bayhawks 4—Outlaws 0.
The Outlaws would go on a four goal run and started it off with Ryan Lee (4g) who sparked the Denver offense. Chris Aslanian (2g, 3a) would score 30 seconds later; Lee would notch another; and Mikie Schlosser (3g, 1a) would tie it up at four apiece, but would also be the last to score for Denver with 10:43 remaining in the half. The Bayhawks shut the Denver offense down once more and would put up another four. Stanwick; Kew; and Mariano would notch another for the Bayhawks giving them a three goal lead 7-4 with 6:07 left in the half. Once again Dillon Ward for Denver and Brian Phipps for Chesapeake made some great saves keeping the ball out of the cage. It wasn’t until 3:12 was left in the frame when Ryan Tucker (1g) would notch his lone goal on the day breaking the drought to give the Bayhawks another goal in the half. Once again, Chesapeake would lead in SOG 9-5; GB 14-6; and face-offs 5-4. The Outlaws lead in turnovers by an outstanding margin of 8-1. Score at the end of two: Bayhawks 8—Outlaws 4.
The halftime break did the Outlaws a world of good as they came out and shut out the Bayhawks in the third. They would go on a five-goal run with four of their five goals unassisted. Schlosser would start it off; Lee would notch back-to-back goals; Charlie Hayes (1g) would get in on the action as well; and Aslanian would notch his second giving Denver the lead 9-8. Just as happened in the first two quarters, the team who lead in goals would lead in stats. The Outlaws lead this time in SOG 7-2; GB 9-6; and face-offs 4-2. Score at the end of three: Outlaws 9—Bayhawks 8.
With the tables turned after the half, it looked like the game would go Denver’s way but instead they could only muster one goal in the fourth. Chesapeake would tie it up at nine apiece with another goal from Thompson. The Outlaws would score the go ahead goal 10-9 with another from Schlosser, but unfortunately that would be it. As Chesapeake would notch the final two. John Wagner (1g) would get his lone goal of the day to tie the game at 10 apiece. With less than two minutes remaining, Stanwick would notch his hat-trick on the day and what would turn out to be the game winning goal. Denver would win the ensuing face-off but was unable to capitalize and could not score as time ticked off the clock. Final Score: Chesapeake 11—Outlaws 10.
The loss would put the Outlaws and Bayhawks in a tie for first place. With the Boston Cannons decisive win over Atlanta, there is now a three way tie for first in the league. This means that next week’s contest in Chesapeake will determine which of the two, Denver or Chesapeake will hold the No. 1 Seed in the league.
NEXT UP:
The Denver Outlaws (9-6) head east to face the Chesapeake Bayhawks (9-6) in Annapolis, MD. The game will be played at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Friday September 20. Game time is 8:00 p.m. EST and the game can be seen on www.laxsportsnetwork.com
Di Miller, Correspondent Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome©