Bayhawks Look to Finish Road Schedule Perfect on Thursday Night Against Cannons
August 3, 2004 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Chesapeake Bayhawks News Release
Towson, Md. - Following a 17-13 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday night, the Baltimore Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse (5-5) head to Nickerson Field on the campus of Boston University to take on the Boston Cannons (8-2) in a crucial must-win game on Thursday night. Opening face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Bayhawks are coming off a disappointing home loss to the Barrage (5-5) on Saturday night at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium at Towson University, who are enjoying a three-game winning streak. Philadelphia rookie attackman Ryan Boyle and midfielder Keith Cromwell led the Barrage attack in the victory, combining for three goals and seven assists.
The Barrage got on the scoreboard early with a goal from Roy Colsey 1:37 into the game. The Bayhawks then responded with back-to-back goals from Jeff Sonke and Mark Frye. However, before the period ended, Philadelphia scored three more times to take a 5-4 lead at the end of the stanza. Baltimore bounded back quickly with goals from Brian Langtry and Kip Fulks, but it would not be enough to hold off Philadelphia's attack from regaining the lead with four unanswered points, including a two-point goal from Cromwell. Mark Millon ended the first half scoring with a power-play goal on a Tom Marechek pass, reducing Philadelphia's lead to 10-8 after the first half.
Early in the third period, attackman Dan Marohl scored off an assist from Millon before Philadelphia stopped the Bayhawks in their tracks, scoring three consecutive goals until Paul Cantabene stopped the scoring streak by taking the face-off and scoring an unassisted goal past goalkeeper Greg Cattrano. Midfielder Mike Mollot scored three goals in the third quarter to lead Philadelphia into the final period with a 14-11 lead.
The game saw the Baltimore return of Cattrano, who started in goal for the Bayhawks in each of the past three years before being traded to the Barrage in October. In his return, he recorded 23 saves and did not allow a two-point goal, marking the third time this season that the Bayhawks have been denied a two-point tally. Helping Cattrano on the defensive end was Nicky Polanco, who was named Bud Light Game MVP and MLL Defensive Player of the Week after he held attackman Mark Millon to one goal and one assist.
Langtry and Marohl led the Bayhawks offense with three goals each, while Millon and midfielder Gary Gait each extended their streaks of consecutive games with a goal to 22 and 26, respectively. Gait can tie the team record of 27 straight games with a goal against the Cannons on Thursday night.
The Boston Cannons (8-2) made team history in their weekend game against the New Jersey Pride (1-9) as they clinched their first win in the state of New Jersey with a 25-21 decision and recorded their first American Division title. It marks the first time in the history of Major League Lacrosse that a team other than Long Island clinched the American Division.
The Cannons were led once again by Michael Watson, who was named the game's Bud Light MVP after a five-goal scoring performance at Montclair State University's Sprague Field. He has scored 21 goals over the last four games, the best such streak in league history. Watson has also been named MLL's Offensive Player of the Week two times in the last three weeks as well as Bud Light Game MVP in three of the Cannons' last four games.
The New Jersey Pride were leading by 7-5 after the first period before the Cannons fought back in the second quarter on a two-point goal by midfielder Mike Battista. The Battista tally started a 6-0 run for the Cannons in the second period, setting the stage for the historic victory.
David Evans, Conor Gill, Steve Dusseau, and Chris Rotelli was among several Boston players who recorded hat tricks in the victory. Rotelli also recorded his first career two-point goal in the win. First-year defenseman Tom Fallon led the Cannons defense by holding star attackman Jesse Hubbard to one goal with two assists. Hubbard had averaged seven points in eight lifetime meetings against the Cannons.
A Baltimore win on Thursday would complete the first perfect road schedule in Major League Lacrosse history. The Bayhawks are 5-0 on the road this season compared to an 0-5 mark at home.
After Thursday's game, the Bayhawks finish the regular season against the New Jersey Pride on August 14 at Unitas Stadium. Opening face-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 866-99-HAWKS or by visiting www.baltimorebayhawks.com.
The Baltimore Bayhawks, a charter member of Major League Lacrosse, was founded in 2000 by the following Baltimore businessmen and lacrosse enthusiasts: Dave Pivec, a former Notre Dame and Los Angeles Rams football player, and now President of Pivec Advertising and owner of Courtney's Café in Timonium, Maryland; Chris Hutchins, former University of North Carolina lacrosse player and owner of Bacharach Rasin, the oldest lacrosse equipment retailer in the world; Dr. Raymond Schulmeyer, former lacrosse player at Cornell University and owner of Schulmeyer Animal Hospital in Perry Hall Maryland; and Gordon Boone, former lacrosse player at Salisbury State College and now a commercial real estate broker with Ryan Commercial.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 3, 2004
- Rochester Rattlers Tillman Johnson named Cascade MLL Rookie of the Week - Dallas Rattlers
- Bayhawks Look to Finish Road Schedule Perfect on Thursday Night Against Cannons - Chesapeake Bayhawks
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