Tom Coyne, Correspondent Dallas Rattlers
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Pretty Instant
On Saturday August 31 the Dallas Rattlers (6-8) hosted the New York Lizards (4-10) at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, TX with an audience of 4,217 in attendance. A Rattlers win would put them in a three-way tie for third place and increase their chances of securing a playoff berth. It would also increase their winning streak to seven consecutive games and improve their season record to .500%. To do so the Rattlers would have to defeat the league’s last place team the New York Lizards, already eliminated from the playoffs and coming to town on a five game losing streak. Unfortunately for Dallas, New York would jump out to an early lead, scoring twice within the first two minutes of the game and they would not relinquish that lead, eventually securing the win. Final Score: New York 12—Dallas 11.
The 2019 MLL All-Star game MVP, Lizard’s Dylan Molloy (2G, 1A, 3GB) would score unassisted at the :28 mark of the first quarter. Less than a minute later at the 1:12 mark, Rocky Point, N.Y native Justin Reh (2G, 3A, 1GB) would score for the Lizards on a textbook example of how to beat a defender when advancing from behind the cage at “X” to just above goal-line-extended (GLE). Reh extended his stick up field; increased his angle; squared his hips to the cage to create more torque; and then ripped a blast past the Rattlers goalkeeper giving New York an early 2-0 lead. Bryce Wasserman (3G, 1A) would put Dallas on the scoreboard at the 3:00 mark showcasing his athleticism driving in from the left wing along GLE beating his defender to the crease, launching into a dive shot tucking the ball past the Lizards net-minder and into the back of the goal making it 2-1 with the Lizards still in the lead.
Unfortunately for Dallas, the Lizards would score three unanswered goals before Jack Curran (4G, 1A, 3GB) would score for the Rattlers with just 2:36 left in the opening quarter. With some quick tic-tac-toe passing started by Adam Osika’s nice backhanded flip pass to Bradley Voigt (2G, 1A, 1GB) who then quick-sticked it to Curran, he’d bury it in the back of the net making it 5-2. The Lizards would answer with just :10 left in the first frame on a goal from Penn State alum Nick Spillane (1G, 1A) on some pinpoint passing started down low from last year’s MLL Offensive POY Rob Pannell (3G, 1A, 5GB) up top to Reh who found Spillane unattended on the crease with a crisp assist that Spillane would blast past the Rattlers goalkeeper at point blank range giving the Lizards a 6-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
At the :10 mark of the second quarter the Rattlers Eli Salama (1-2ptG, 2GB) would score his fourth two-pointer of the season cutting the Lizards lead to just two making it a 6-4 contest. The Rattler’s rookie and Syracuse alum, Voigt would cut the Lizards lead to just one with a goal at the 7:06 mark making it a 6-5 contest. Unfortunately for Dallas the Lizards, like a cagey prizefighter, managed to keep their opponent just out of reach, counter-punching them and scoring just enough points to secure a win. The half would end with New York ahead by the score of 8-6.
Both teams would score three goals apiece in the third quarter making it 11-9 with the Lizards in the lead going into the fourth quarter. New York would score its only goal in the last quarter with 4:30 left in the game. Pannell would pick up an assist by threading the needle on a pass from GLE up to Reh who was at the top of the two-point arc; Reh then launched a picture perfect overhand step-down blast from high to low and into the back of the net to score what would be the winning goal, making it 12-10. The Rattlers would score one more but it was too little too late, with the Lizards picking up the win 12-11, and making it necessary for Dallas to win at least one, if not both of their final two games of the season in order to have any chance at making the playoffs.
The Rattler’s Jack Curran recorded his fourth consecutive hat trick game, scoring 15 goals and two assists in that span.
NEXT UP:
The New York Lizards (4-10) will host the Denver Outlaws (8-5) on Saturday September 7 at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, NY for the final meeting of the two teams. Denver has won the series 2-0 but the Lizards have the chance to again be the spoil sport as they did in Dallas. Game time 7:00 p.m. EST and the game can be seen on www.majorleaguelacrosse.com
Dallas (6-8) also plays at home on September 7 and will host the Atlanta Blaze (7-6) in a must win game at the Star in Frisco, TX , game time is 8:00 p.m. EST and can be seen on www.watchstadium.com
Keep on Laxin’!
Tom Coyne, Correspondent Dallas Rattlers
Lacrosse is Awesome©