Di Miller, MLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Chesapeake Bayhawks (8-6) and the No. 1 seed heading into last night’s contest headed to American Legion Memorial Stadium to face the Charlotte Hounds (8-6). Charlotte had just come off two tough back-to-back losses against the on-fire Denver Outlaws and were looking to close out the regular since with a “W” and a play-off spot. Unfortunately for the Bayhawks, Charlotte did what they needed to and came away with the victory and Bayhawks fans would see their team knocked out of the playoffs. Final Score: Charlotte 15—Chesapeake 12.
The first quarter would go back and forth between the two teams. Joey Sankey would be the first to put one on the board for Charlotte only 55 seconds in. Fans would see almost five full minutes tick off the timer before Chesapeake would answer back with one from Joe Walters. But the Hounds would answer back only 53 seconds later with a shot from Dylan Donahue (assist Sankey). That’s when Brendan Mundorf would answer back unassisted with a nice behind-the-back shot a minute later. But just as Chesapeake would tie the game, the Hounds would come right back with yet another goal. This time Will Haus would notch one for Charlotte. Chesapeake would tie it up again with an unassisted shot by C.J. Costabile. But Charlotte who continued to dominate at “X” with Brendan Fowler taking the majority of the face-offs, would put the final two on the board, one from John Haus and the final from rookie Ryan Brown both assisted by Kevin Crowley. Score at the end of one: Charlotte 5—Chesapeake 3.
In the second, the game would take a turn and it would be all Chesapeake. Charlotte couldn’t buy a goal in the second. They would see Matt Donovan; Mundorf (second on the night); Myles Jones with two; and Matt Danowski notch points for the Bayhawks. Score at the end of the first half: Chesapeake 8—Charlotte 5.
Although the Bayhawks would start off the third with a hot-shot two pointer from Jones, the Hounds would find new life and dominate in the third. Mike Chanenchuck, midfielder for the Hounds who had notched a sock-trick against Denver the week before, would score a minute later only to see Danowski put another shot between the pipes for the Bayhawks. And that’s when the Hounds let loose and would put four unanswered goals on the board. Joe McCallion would start the barrage notching two, with a John Haus goal in between; and Michael Ehrhardt would score only 11 seconds later. After a penalty off a Ryan Brown illegal body check, Chesapeake would see Walters score on the power-play (assist Jones) to put the Hawks up by two. But it would be Crowley closing out the third for the Hounds at 12:36 (assist J. Haus). Score at the end of three: Chesapeake 12—Charlotte 11.
The Hounds would take that momentum and the desire to head into post-season play and dominate the fourth. Chanenchuk would open up the four-goal run and the Hounds didn’t look back. The Bayhawks defense was exhausted; making bad passes and their close defense was absent. That was enough for the Hounds to take advantage and Donahue would put two on the board, one a power-play off a Jesse Bernhardt slashing penalty. 
J. Haus would put up the hat-trick with an unassisted goal at 5:17. Although the Bayhawks would make several attempts, the Hounds controlled the ball and the shot clock, not to mention domination at “X” and would allow only one more point from Chesapeake with Mundorf getting his hat-trick on the night and the final goal not only in the game, but for the Bayhawks in 2016.
Next weekend, Charlotte the No. 4 seed will face the Ohio Machine the No. 1 seed in Blaine, MN on August 13 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT
It’s been a wild ride this season with major upsets and the top seeded teams changing throughout the season, so it’s anyone’s guess as to who will head to Kennesaw, GA for the MLL Championship game on Saturday August 20, 2016, and who will walk away with the Steinfeld Cup.
Di Miller, MLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome