Cannons Make Return to MLL Postseason Saturday
Published on August 20, 2009 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Boston Cannons News Release
BOSTON, MA - Thursday, August 20, 2009 - The Boston Cannons (6-6) of Major League Lacrosse (MLL), enter the 2009 New Balance MLL Championship Weekend presented by Smartlink as the number four seed and will face the number one seed Denver Outlaws (9-3) in the Semifinals on Saturday, August 22 at Noon. Held at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, the game will air live on ESPN2.
CANNONS VS. DENVER IN 2009: The Cannons and Outlaws squared-off twice in 2009, splitting the season series. In the first match-up, the Cannons were defeated by the Outlaws, 15-14, in a hard-fought contest at Harvard Stadium on May 22. Outlaws attackman Brendan Mundorf collected five goals and one assist to earn Bud Light MVP honors in the game. Attackman Ryan Boyle led the Cannons with three goals and one assist in his debut game with the team. The Cannons got the better of the second match-up as they defeated the first place Outlaws, breaking their six-game winning streak by a score of 17-16, in front of a record 21,952 fans at INVESCO Field at Mile High on July 4. Attackman Ryan Boyle stood out again as he earned the Bud Light MVP for his five-point performance (3G, 2A) in the Independence Day thriller.
CANNONS' LAST GAME (AUGUST 6 VS. WASHINGTON): The Cannons dropped their season finale in heart-wrenching fashion, giving up the game-winning goal to the Washington Bayhawks with 3.5 seconds left, for a 14-13 loss in front of a season-high 9,340 fans at Harvard Stadium on August 6. Midfielder Paul Rabil capped his league-leading season with a five point night (3G, 1 2ptG, 1A) to finish 2009 with 53 points. Midfielder Matt Poskay also made strong contributions with four goals. In the end, the Bayhawks edged out the victory, and midfielder Kyle Dixon earned Bud Light MVP honors thanks to his five point (3G, 2 2ptG) performance.
DENVER'S LAST GAME (AUGUST 8 AT TORONTO): The Denver Outlaws finished the season short of the 10-win plateau, and the Toronto Nationals secured the second seed in the playoffs as the Nationals beat the Outlaws, 16-10, in front of 3,635 fans at BMO Field on August 8. Attackman Drew Westervelt led Denver with six points (3G, 1 2ptG, 2A), however, five points from three different Toronto players helped guide the Canadian squad to victory. The five goals by Nationals attackman John Grant Jr. earned him the Bud Light MVP of the game.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: After a two year hiatus, the Cannons will make a return to the MLL postseason when they take on Denver in the Semifinals on Saturday...Each of the Cannons' six losses during the regular season were decided by one goal, and three of them were to the Long Island Lizards...Midfielder Paul Rabil finished the season as the league's scoring leader with 53 points (30G, 7 2ptG, 11A), taking home the MLL's Offensive Player of the Year and MVP awards...With 42 points (21G, 21A) on the season, attackman Sean Morris set a new career high for points in one season...Eleven of the players on the Cannons roster have played in at least two playoff games in their career. Defenseman Kyle Sweeney and attackman Ryan Boyle lead the way with seven postseason appearances each...Among the Cannons players, there are 11 MLL Championships that have been won, and again, Sweeney and Boyle lead in that department with three championships apiece...Face-off specialist Chris Eck finished the season with 196 face-offs won, tying the Cannons record and earning the MLL's Most Improved Player award.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 20, 2009
- Cannons Make Return to MLL Postseason Saturday - Boston Cannons
- Nationals Face Long Island Lizards Saturday - Hamilton Nationals
- Boston's Paul Rabil Earns 2009 MLL Bud Light MVP Award - MLL
- Boston's Paul Rabil Earns 2009 MLL Bud Light MVP Award - Boston Cannons
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