Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome
The Denver Outlaws (3-0) welcomed the Charlotte Hounds (0-3) to their home opener at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Just before the start of the game, the skies over the Mile High City were gray and there was a chance of rain, but when the whistle blew, the skies were bright and the sun was shining. Midway through the first quarter, the skies darkened again and with only two seconds remaining in the first, there would be a 45 minute lightning delay. This didn’t affect the Outlaws as going into today’s game, they were 10-1 in home openers and on this dreary Sunday they would soon up their record to 11-1. Final Score: Outlaws 11—Hounds 7.
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The first quarter would start out slow with numerous changes of possession. However, Denver capitalized on the Deemer Class’ offsides penalty and would score off a nice shot on a power-play goal from Eric Law at 4:47. Charlotte was controlling the ball well and would go on a three-goal run the first an unassisted shot by John Haus (5:59); and back-to-back goals from Ryan Brown (6:35 and 7:50). Again the ball would ping pong back and forth on the field until Matt Kavanagh would get the assist from Tommy Kelly at 10:12 to put the Outlaws to within one. Then Michael “Tree” Simon would wind up for one of his infamous two point shots sending a laser past Charlie Cipriano putting the Outlaws up by one. Haus would come back with another for Charlotte at 14:39 to tie the game. The rain started to fall, the lightning began and the skies crackled, but the Outlaws didn’t waste much time when Drew Snider (assist Kavanagh) would score with only two seconds remaining in the quarter. That’s when the 45 minute lightning delay was called and the field was cleared. The teams would head to their respective locker rooms to wait out the A OK to head back on the field for the last two seconds. After the rain delay, there was a quick face off and the quarter ended. Score at the end of one: Outlaws 5—Charlotte 4.
Because of the rain delay, the second quarter started immediately. Jeremy Sieverts 
with his long stride would send an unassisted bullet by Cipriano at 1:37; followed by Law’s second on the day (assist Simon). Charlotte would strike back with the second unassisted goal of the quarter off a shot by Pat Young at 5:16. Michael Bocklet would score (assist Law) at 10:34 to close out the half. Score at the end of two: Outlaws 8—Hounds 5.
The third quarter was low scoring, with great defense by both net minders Pat Kelly for the Outlaws and Cipriano for the Hounds. John Grant, Jr., new offensive coach for the Outlaws commented on how well former teammate Cipriano was seeing the ball as it was coming towards him and stopping some great shots. Kavanagh would break the drought at 3:52 off a nice feed from Michael Bocklet. The field conditions were slick and as the Hounds headed down the field toward the Denver net, slipping and sliding, Denver would get hit with a holding call on newcomer Finn Sullivan putting the Hounds on the man up situation. They would capitalize on the penalty and Brown would score a power-play goal giving him the hat-trick at 6:15. Denver would close out the frame with yet another unassisted rocket off Sieverts with only 33 seconds left on the clock. Score at the end of the third: Denver 10—Charlotte 6.
It was a track meet in the fourth and it took almost 11 minutes before we’d see the ball hit twine. Charlotte’s Haus would notch his hat-trick at 10:53 and that would be it for the Hounds in the game. Michael Bocklet would close out the game at 14:14 with an unassisted goal giving the Outlaws their third win of the 2017 season. Final Score: Denver 11—Charlotte 7.
Denver would outshoot the Hounds 31-18; Tommy Kelly 
would win 15 of 21 face-offs giving him a 71.4% and a 36-31 GB advantage; and net-minder Jack Kelly was 11-18 on SOG ending the day with a Save% of 61.1%.
There was a lot of frustration on the Hounds bench, numerous miscommunications and missed slides on defensive coverage. If it were not for Cipriano holding tough in net, the score would have been much more lopsided in favor of Denver. Charlotte has only four days to figure out a solution to stop the slide and get into the “W” column on Thursday.
Next up on Saturday May 13, Denver (3-0) heads to Florida to face the Launch (1-1) at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. Charlotte (0-3) will head to Rochester to face the Rattlers (1-1) at Capelli Sport Stadium in Rochester on Thursday May 11.
Di Miller, Beat Writer Denver Outlaws
Lacrosse is Awesome