Barrage Fall to Pride, 17-16, in OT
Published on July 6, 2002 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Philadelphia Barrage News Release
BRIDGEPORT, Conn., July 6, 2002 â The Bridgeport Barrage, Connecticut's only professional lacrosse team and a charter member of Major League Lacrosse (MLL), fell to the New Jersey Pride, 17-16 in overtime before 3,165 fans on Saturday evening at Harbor Yard. The Barrage have now dropped all three overtime contest this season and are 1-8 all-time in games decided by a goal.
Bud Light MVP Dave Curry scored the game-winning goal for the Pride in overtime after the Barrage had scored the last two goals in regulation, including Keith Cromwell's first career two-point shot to send it to the sudden death overtime session.
Bridgeport was unable to get any closer than two goals in the fourth quarter until Cromwell launched his first career two-point goal to knot the game at 16-16 with ten seonds remaining in regulation. New Jersey took a 16-13 lead with under four minutes to play, but saw that lead slip away on Brian Piccola's third goal of the game and Cromwell's two-point equalizer.
Steve Koudelka, the SOBE Iron Lizard award winner, was stellar in goal for the Pride, making 26 saves, including a game-high nine saves in the second quarter. For the Barrage, Jim Mule and Mark Spruyt combined to make 12 saves.
Cromwell (4g) notched his first hat trick of the season, scoring a career high four goals while rookie Jim Mormile (Brown, 2002) not only scored his first MLL goal but ended the night with a hat trick of his own. Brian Piccola (3g, 1a) also had a hat trick for the Barrage.
New Jersey's Jesse Hubbard lead the Pride with five goals to go along with an assist. It was also Hubbard's fifth hat trick of the season. Chris Massey and Curry also had two goals apiece for the Pride.
In the third quarter, the Barrage and Pride and traded pairs of goals until New Jersey's Curry buried a two-point shot, the Pride's second of the game, to take a 15-10 lead with just nine seconds remaining the third frame.
The Barrage pulled to within 5-3 on a pair of goals to open the second quarter, but New Jersey countered with four unanswered goals in a span of less than two minutes to take their largest lead of the half at 9-3. New Jersey's Jesse Hubbard spearheaded that attack for the Pride with back-to-back goals that came within the same minute of play. However, the Barrage used a four-goal run of their own amd scored five of the last seven goals of the second quarter to close the gap to 11-8 at the half.
Bridgeport was outscored 5-1 in the opening quarter in part by the goalie play of Steve Koudelka who came up with five saves. New Jersey's biggest goal of the quarter came on a two point shot from the top of the arc by Peter Jacobs on an assist from Drew Melchionni. The Barrage lone goal of the first quarter came nearly six minutes into the game Keith Cromwell scored his seventh goal of the season.
With the loss Bridgeport falls to 1-6 on the season while New Jersey improves to 3-3.
The Barrage will resume play on Friday, July 12 when they travel to Rochester to square off against the Rattlers at 7:35 p.m. at Frontier Field. New Jersey will next host the Boston Cannons on Saturday, July 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Commerce Bank Ballpark.
BARRAGE LAX FACTS: The Bridgeport Barrage have outscored their opponents 32-25 in the second quarter this season....the Barrage are now 1-12 all-time when trailing at the half...Bridgeport's Keith Cromwell tied his career high with three goals in the game...New Jersey's Jesse Hubbard notched his fifth hat trick of the season...New Jersey now leads the all-time series 4-0 over the Barrage.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from July 6, 2002
- Barrage Fall to Pride, 17-16, in OT - Philadelphia Barrage
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