Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Victoria Adkins
The Toronto Rock (0-3) travelled to Georgia to face the Swarm (2-0) hoping to win their first game of the year as well as scoring more than six goals for the first time this year. Georgia won their season opener in San Diego last week and were hoping to continue their winning ways. Toronto welcomed one of their players back as Brad Kri returned after missing the last game. In what was the closest game of the year for the Rock, they tied the Swarm three times throughout the contest but were never able to take the lead as Georgia would score the game winner with less than a minute left to win 10 – 9. This is only the fourth time in franchise history that the Rock have started a season 0 – 3.
Georgia opened the scoring less than two minutes into the first quarter. Bryan Cole (1G,1A) cut along the top and his sidearm bounce shot beat Nick Rose (1A, 35 saves) to the far side for the quick 1 – 0 lead. Three minutes later Josh Dawick (1G, 2A) moved below his defender, dove across the crease and beat Brett Dobson (1A, 46 saves) to the far side to tie the game at one. With four minutes left in the first, Seth Oakes (1G) received a pass from Cole and his bounce shot beat Rose through the legs restoring the one goal Swarm lead. A minute later Lyle Thompson (3G, 2A) was double teamed, beat both of them, cut to the net and while diving, beat Rose to the short side to make it 3 – 1 for Georgia. At the end of the first quarter the shots favored Toronto 16 to Georgia’s 11.
In transition, four minutes into the second, while on a three-on-one, Dawick passed to Chris Boushy (3G), he faked and beat Dobson to the short side cutting the Swarm lead to 3 – 2. A little over a minute later, Thompson would cut behind the net and dunked a shot over the cross bar restoring the two-goal lead for Georgia 4 – 2. Almost two minutes later, in transition and while shorthanded, Andrew Kew (3G, 3A) would get the pass from Adam Wiedeman (3A) as he came off the bench and his side arm rip beat Rose over the shoulder to make it 5 – 2 for the Swarm. Toronto would get on the board one more time before the half. On their second power play in the frame, Mark Matthews (3A) would pass to Corey Small (2G), and his bounce shot to the far side beat Dobson to make it 5 – 3. With 5:51 left in the half, Mitch deSnoo would get hit with three penalties (a 2-minute slashing; a 2-minute unsportsmanlike conduct; & a 10-minute game misconduct). This gave Georgia a five-on-three man up and after one goal was called back for being in the crease, Kew got a bounce pass from Thompson and his side arm bounce shot went to the short side and Georgia had doubled up Tornton 6 – 3 at the end of the two. At the end of the first half the shots on goal still slightly favored Toronto 28 with Georgia having 21.
Starting off the third, and after killing off an early penalty, the Rock went on transition. Dawick passed to Boushy on the crease, he would beat his defender and then he’d beat Dobson to the far side to make it 6 – 4. Halfway through the third quarter, the Swarm would score their lone goal. Kew passed to Jordan Macintosh (1G) whose quick stick went top corner to regain the three-goal lead at 7 – 4. Small would again team up with Matthews to get his second man up goal on the night. The Rock moved the ball around well, Small got the pass from Matthews and his side arm shot went five-hole and proceeded to trickle over the line cutting the Swarm lead to two and it was 7 – 5. After killing another penalty and 2:55 left in the third, Rose sent a long transition pass to Chris Weier (1G), and he went stick side to get within one 7 – 6. At the end of the third quarter, Toronto continued to lead in shots with Toronto 38 and Georgia at 31.
Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Boushy grabbed a loose ball in front, spun, and his side arm shot beat Dobson to the top corner for his hat trick goal and the game was tied at seven. A little over two minutes later, while in transition, Dobson passed the ball the full length of the floor to Jackson coming off the bench and he fired one stick side to give Georgia back the lead at 8 – 7. After having a second goal overturned for the Rock, Kew came down the floor and his sidearm shot went short side for his hat trick goal increasing the Georgia lead to 9 – 7. With less than five minutes left in the game, Dan Craig (1G) would make a nice move underneath the defender and went over the shoulder of Dobson making it a one goal game again, 9 – 8. Hopes for the win were high for Toronto when Jake Darlison (1G) picked off a pass in his own end, ran the length of the floor, faked low and beat Dobson high for his first career NLL goal to tie the game at nine with 3:02 to go. Unfortunately, with less than a minute left in the fourth, Thompson had possession, he spun away from his defender and his twister over hand shot beat Rose to the short side giving Georgia the 10 – 9 lead. The Rock would pull Rose for the extra attacker, Dobson would stop a shot from Matthews, and he cleared the ball down the floor to seal the win for Georgia. Toronto would close out the game leading in shots with 55 and Georgia 45.
The Three Stars of the game were:
Andrew Kew, Georgia Swarm – 3 Goals, 3 Assists
Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm – 3 Goals, 2 Assists
Chris Boushy, Toronto Rock – 3 Goals
GAME STATS
Toronto Rock—SOG 55; Saves 35; Sv% .778; FO 7-23; FO% .304; PP 2-4; PIM 26
Georgia Swarm—SOG 45; Saves 46; Sv% .836; FO 16-23; FO% .696; PP 1-6; PIM 12
NEXT UP:
The Toronto Rock (0-3) have a bye-week and will be back in action at home on Saturday December 28, 2024, when they will play host to the Ottawa Black Bears (1-1), game time 7:00 p.m. EST. This is the second meeting of the two teams this season. Ottawa would defeat Toronto in their home arena…can Toronto return the favor? Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. This is the Game of the Week for fans in Canada and they can see the game on TSN and TSN+.
The Georgia Swarm (2-0) will head west to Pechanga Arena to face the San Diego Seals (2-1) for the second time this month on Saturday December 21, 2024, game time 10:00 p.m. EST. The Seals are playing tough at home so far this season and will definitely want to avenge their season opening loss to the Swarm. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN.
If you have the NLL+ app, you can see all the games there as well.
Shawn Palmer, Toronto Rock Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©