Di Miller, PLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: David Stewart, Lacrosse is Awesome©
Week 5 kicked off at Harvard Stadium with the California Redwoods (1-3) going up against the hometown favorite, Boston Cannons (3-2) on Friday night July 5, 2024. The Woods were itching for that first win of the season and the Cannons were coming off a high from their spectacular victory last weekend over the Utah Archers 14-9. The game would see five ties throughout with the Woods shutting out the Cannons in the fourth. T.D. Ierlan of the Woods was simply stellar at the face-off dot going 13-20. This is just what California needed heading into next weekend’s All Star Break. Final Score: Redwoods 9—Cannons 7.
Boston got it started 1:18 into the first when Marcus Holman (4g) put his shoulder into his defender, turned, shot and went far side down low and it was 1-0. It took a little over a minute and a half for the Woods to find twine. With six seconds left on the shot clock, Ryder Garnsey (1g) on the run, fired a bounce shot and hit far side for the equalizer 1-1. The teams would go back and forth for a little less than three before Holman struck again. He cut to the rack, turned and went back hand down low, putting the Cannons up again 2-1. But less than 3o seconds later, Rob Panell fed to Wes Berg (2g) in tight and he put a beautiful BTB shot far side down low and just like that we were tied again. Neither team was putting shots on cage and those that were ended up being saved by Kirst and Kelly. The quarter would end with a tie. Redwoods 2—Cannons 2.
The second got going quickly with the Woods finding twine first. Chris Gray (3g) came from behind X, turned and fired low-to-low five hole just 46 seconds in and the lead changed hands again 3-2. With 5:13 left in the half, the Woods would get knabbed with a holding penalty and the Cannons made them pay. With just one second left on the man up, on the give and go with Asher Nolting, Holman let it fly up top and inside for a man up tally hat-trick at the 4:43 mark and it was tied again 3-3. Once again, neither team could find the back of the net for almost three minutes, and the Woods would break another tie with 4:40 to go in the half. Gray made his way to the cage, dove in front of the crease, put it far side and it was 4-3 Woods. But as we saw for the first 23 minutes, no lead was safe. Asher Nolting (1g, 3a) had his defender draped all over his back, fought his way around, faked, turned and fired it far side with 56.4 seconds on the ticker and we were tied again. Score at the end of two: Redwoods 4—Cannons 4.
Halftime Stats:
California Redwoods—Shots 4-18; SOG 7; Saves 10; TO 10; FO Won 5; Touches 155
Boston Cannons—Shots 4-27; SOG 14; Saves 3; TO 5; FO Won 5; Touches 163
We’d see the third start off just like the second this time with the Woods tallying one first. Berg, who is shooting 75% this season, got the feed from Garnsey, tip toed the crease, twisted, faked right and dunked it left just 31 seconds in 5-4 Woods. The two teams would head up and down the field unable to score until Holman got the feed from Jeff Trainor and he fired a side arm shot top cheese at the 5:12 mark and it was all tied up once more, 5-5. Boston would put up two more in the next two, the first with 5:09 left in the frame. Alexander Yardaro (1g) stutter stepped, planted his feet and sent a high to low blast giving the Cannons the lead 6-5. Just over a minute later, Jeff Trainor (1g, 1a) got the feed from Nolting, and put a twister shot far side with 4:07 to go in the third and what turned out to be the last tally for Boston in the contest. Score at the end of three: Cannons 7—Redwoods 5.
The fourth was all Woods as they would put up four tallies. Rob Pannell (1g, 2a) set up at X, picked up the loose ball, turned, came around the cage and beat Kirst near pipe 3:40 in. This ended a 15:09 scoring drought by California and started their rally. A minute and a half later, Jared Conners (1g) would score a “pole goal”. He caught it on the high set of the offense, used a face dodge and blew it past Kirst with 6:43 left in the contest and we were tied again 7-7. Unfortunately for Boston, Holman would get hit with an offside penalty and the Woods took advantage. Pannel from X fed to Charlie Bertrand (1g) who was set up out in front, he went five hole with 5:18 on the ticker and it was 8-7. Gray would get his hat-trick 15 seconds later. From the wing, he got past his defender, fired a sidearm shot and found twine putting them up by two 9-7. But the Woods needed to be careful as the Cannons broke the record last weekend scoring five two-point goals in their victory over the Archers. Possession would change several times and with 39.5 on the timer, Boston would call a time out to try and set up a two-point goal. But the Woods defense was stellar, keeping Holman from getting set and with 17 seconds left on the clock they’d get back possession. They held control of the ball for the last 14.4 for their first “W” of the season. Final Score: Redwoods 9—Cannons 7.
STATS:
California Redwoods—28GB; 39 Shots (23.1%); 19 SOG; 19 TO; 7 CTO; 13-20 FO (65%); 21.55 min possession (45.7%)
Boston Cannons—22GB; 41 Shots (17.1%; 20 SOG: 14 TO; 7 CTO; 7-20 FO (35%); 23.55 min possession (49.8%)
NEXT UP:
Next weekend July 13, 2024, is the All Star Break and the teams will be back in full swing July 19 and July 20, 2024.
The Boston Cannons (3-2) will play host to the New York Atlas (4-1)*** at Rafferty Stadium in Fairfield, CT on Saturday July 20, 2024, game time 3:00 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on ESPN+ and ABC.
The California Redwoods (1-3) will host the Utah Archers (2-2)*** also at Rafferty Stadium on Saturday July 20, 2024, game time 5:30 p.m. EST. This game can only be seen on ESPN+.
Di Miller, PLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
***Record at time of publication