Barrage Attackman Boyle Garners Cascade Rookie of the Year
Published on August 22, 2004 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release
Boston, Mass. (August 22, 2004) â Major League Lacrosse, the premiere professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced Saturday that Philadelphia Barrage attackman Ryan Boyle has been named the 2004 Cascade Rookie of the Year. The award was based on votes submitted by the General Manager and the Head Coach of each of the six MLL teams. Boyle, along with other MLL honorees, was acknowledged on Saturday at the 2004 Major League Lacrosse Awards Luncheon.
A 2004 graduate of Princeton University, Boyle was selected with the third overall selection by Rochester in this year's MLL Collegiate Draft. Later that evening, he was dealt to Philadelphia for rookie goalkeeper Tillman Johnson, who was picked by Rochester just one selection earlier. The move gave both teams what they were searching for â a playmaking attackman for the Barrage and a goalkeeper to bolster Rochester's defense.
Boyle finished the season ranked second in the league in assists with 28, despite missing the first four games of the season. By the time he reached his fourth game, Boyle had shattered Boston attackman Conor Gill's two-year-old rookie record for assists. Several weeks later, he surpassed Gill's record for points by a rookie.
Boyle made his professional debut against the Baltimore Bayhawks in Week Five and scored three goals with two assists in the 19-18 overtime loss. He was named Cascade Rookie of the Week for his efforts, earning the first of five weekly honors during the season. During each of his next three games, the rookie scored one goal and recorded five assists as the Barrage began their playoff run.
In the final week of the campaign, Boyle scored five goals, including the game-winner with 1:24 remaining in regulation, to lead the Barrage to an exciting 18-17 victory at home over the Boston Cannons. The victory gave Philadelphia its first-ever berth in the New Balance Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend. Boyle was named the game's Bud Light MVP and earned his final Cascade Rookie of the Week honor for his efforts.
For the season, Boyle scored 17 goals and tallied 28 assists for 45 points.
Following their dramatic 18-17 overtime win over Rochester in Friday night's Semi-Finals, the Barrage will face American Division rival Boston in the 2004 New Balance Major League Lacrosse Championship Game on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, marking the first national live television broadcast in league history.
Major League Lacrosse, a six-team professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded in 1999 by fitness entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, CEO of Body by Jake Global L.L.C., and partners Dave Morrow, a former champion lacrosse player and now CEO of Warrior Lacrosse, a leading global provider of innovative and high performance lacrosse equipment; and Timothy B. Robertson, former CEO of The Family Channel and the current chairman of Bay Shore Enterprises, L.L.C., an investment holding company with activities in international media and Internet technology ventures. The MLL commenced play in June of 2001 and enters this season with teams in Baltimore, Boston, Long Island, (Montclair) New Jersey, Philadelphia and Rochester. The 2004 MLL season began on Saturday, May 22 and concludes with the New Balance Major League Lacrosse Championship Game on Sunday, August 22 at Nickerson Field in Boston, Mass. Additional league information can be found at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 22, 2004
- Barrage Complete Miracle Season, Win MLL Title - MLL
- Barrage Attackman Boyle Garners Cascade Rookie of the Year - MLL
- Warrior Players of the Year, Coach of the Year Announced - MLL
- Conor Gill Earns Major League Lacrosse's Top Individual Honor - MLL
- Inaugural All-MLL Team Recognizes Season's Best at Each Position - MLL
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