Justin Ivey, Co-Editor
Lacrosse is Awesome©
The Albany Firewolves (7-11) travelled to play the San Diego Seals (9-9) Friday night in Week 21, the final week, of the NLL regular season. Last weekend in Albany, the Firewolves kept their playoff hopes alive with a home win against the Seals. For last night’s tilt, San Diego needed a win to secure a playoff spot, while Albany needed a win and some other teams to lose before securing their playoff spot. Both teams fought hard in a low scoring affair, and with just under five minutes to play, the game was tied 10-10 after a goal from Albany’s Alex Simmons (3G, 2A). San Diego veteran Wes Berg (4G, 2A) broke that tie with the game winning goal and 3:42 remaining. Albany could not find a scoring opportunity after that, and San Diego moves on to the NLL Playoffs, while Albany misses the post season just one year after their first finals appearance. Final Score: Albany-10, San Diego-11.
Albany, seemingly riding the high of beating the Seals just a week ago, started strong in San Diego. Ethan Walker (3G, 3A) scored the opening goal just 56 seconds in. Tre Leclaire (1G, 3A) answered on the next San Diego Seals’ possession, but that would be the only Seals goal in the first quarter. While Doug Jamieson (11GA, 50SV) and the defense shut out the Seals, Tye Kurtz (1G, 5A) scored his first of the game with 8:28 remaining, giving the Firewolves a one goal lead. For the remaining time neither team could break through. The Seals even had a man up opportunity that they could not capitalize on. At the end of the first quarter, Albany led San Diego 2-1.
San Diego started the second quarter with a man up, but Jamieson and the Albany defense held them scoreless again. With their first man up opportunity of the night, Simmons scored his first goal of the game extending the Firewolves’ lead to two. The goal ignited the offense. Walker scored 23 seconds later and Simmons scored again with 7:40 remaining in the half. Albany suddenly led 5-1. Faceoff wizard Trevor Baptiste (1G) scored on the next Seals possession to halt the momentum, but another penalty opened the window for Dyson Williams (2G, 1A) to restore the visitors’ four goal lead. After being bottled up for most of the first half, Berg entered a hot zone and scored two unassisted goals, the second with just one second remaining, before the end of the half. Unfortunately, they sandwiched a Walker score as both teams traded goals. At the half, Albany led San Diego 7-4.
The comeback started for San Diego with a beautiful defensive third quarter. Despite a minor penalty, the Seals did not allow one Albany shot into the net. On the other side of the floor, they scored twice to get within one goal before the third quarter ended. Eli Gobrecht (1G, 1A) scored unassisted 5:07 into the quarter, and Ryan Benesch (3G) scored on a man up opportunity with 55 seconds remaining. At the end of the third quarter, Albany led San Diego 7-6.
Sam Firth (1G) silenced the San Diego crowd with the first goal of the fourth quarter. The pick and roll goal was scored just 24 seconds in and Albany had a two-goal lead again. San Diego hit the gas and scored the next three goals. Rob Hellyer (1G, 1A) scored 3:03 into the quarter and Berg tied the game with his hat trick goal just over four minutes later. Benesch gave the home team their first lead of the game only 29 seconds later. It was short lived, as Williams found the net 26 seconds after that. Undeterred, Benesch completed his hat trick while the Seals were man up and 5:59 remained. Once again though, Albany fought back and quickly tied the game. This time, Simmons scored on an assist from Kyle Jackson (4A) to knot the game 10-10 with 4:53 on the clock. San Diego found an opening once more, and with 3:42 left Berg scored his fourth of the game. The defense clamped down around goaltender Christopher Origlieri (10GA, 37SV) and did not allow Albany to answer this time. Final Score: Albany-10, San Diego-11