Chesapeake Looks to Secure Playoff Spot with Weekend Win in Quincy
September 6, 2019 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Chesapeake Bayhawks News Release
Chesapeake Bayhawks vs. the Boston Cannons
(Chesapeake Bayhawks)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Sitting atop the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) standings, the Chesapeake Bayhawks are flying high as they head into Week 14. The Bayhawks can soar even higher with a win, officially locking them into the postseason and the opportunity to play for the Steinfeld Trophy in October.
The team that the Bayhawks must beat is the Boston Cannons, one of the league's best. Chesapeake lost to Boston, 12-11, earlier this season in an overtime affair.
Since that game, the two teams have gone in opposite directions. Chesapeake maintained their hold on first-place, splitting a back-to-back weekend series against the Atlanta Blaze on the road and Dallas Rattlers at home. The team has been finding scoring from throughout the roster, allowing pressure to come off the shoulders of superstar attackman Lyle Thompson. Additionally, the defense has continued to improve, preventing Atlanta's Randy Staats and Bryan Cole from tallying goals, and holding Dallas' Bryce Wasserman to three points (2G, 1A).
Boston, on the other hand, has dropped two straight games. The Cannons lost to the Rattlers, 13-10, on August 24th in a tight battle that saw the Cannons surrender goals to eight different Rattlers. The following weekend, Boston was lit up, 22-9, by Denver who had four players tally hat tricks, including a seven-point (5G, 2A) effort by midfielder Ryan Lee. Boston goalie Nick Marrocco, who now ranks last among starting netminders in save percentage (.482), was pulled from that game and replaced with rookie Tate Boyce.
Despite their struggles, Boston is a formidable team. They roster a strong group of stars, including the lethal attackman Mark Cockerton, a creative playmaker in Will Sands, and an elite defensive midfield lead by Ryland Rees and Zach Goodrich. As they've shown before, this is a roster that can make opposing teams struggle.
Chesapeake's roster composition is not all too different. The Bayhawks have an elite attack lead by a trio of all-stars, Colin Heacock, Steele Stanwick and Lyle Thompson. In their defensive midfield, Chesapeake can deploy four all-stars with long stick midfielder CJ Costabile, short stick defensive midfielders Isaiah Davis-Allen and Nick Manis, and the ageless two-way midfielder Matt Abbott.
Manis, who suffered an injury against Atlanta on August 24th, is expected to return to action this week against Boston. The third-year professional has played integral roles with Head Coach Dave Cottle's even strength and man down units, often playing with a long pole.
Faceoff specialist Kenny Massa will look to get right this weekend after struggling against Dallas on August 25th. His opponent will be Kevin Reisman, who Massa handily outmatched in their last meeting, winning 18 of the pair's 25 attempts. Massa is still the league's second-best faceoff-man regarding faceoff win percentage (.587) and the Bayhawks' team leader in groundballs (72).
Rookie Andrew Kew will factor heavily into the offense again, just as he has all season. The University of Tampa product fits into the offense as one of the team's most lethal shooters, being able to choose the right type of shot in the right situation and effectively release it. Kew's large build also allows the attackman to crash the crease and score from up close.
Kew may not be a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, but certainly deserves to be brought up in the conversation. Since joining the league and Bayhawks on July 4th, Kew has scored 17 goals (one of which is a two-point goal), putting him above veteran stars like Staats, Sands and Kevin Crowley.
The Bayhawks' defensive group, led by close defenseman Jesse Bernhardt, will have their work cut out for them this weekend trying to contain Cockerton, Williams and Sands, but the group is up to the task. Since getting settled in a starting rotation, the corps of defenders has consistently improved. Veteran Chris Fennell and mid-season acquisition Greg Danseglio have had career years with the Bayhawks and been quiet but impactful contributors. Warren Jeffrey, who has earned Warrior Defensive Player of the Week honors, has continually created difficult matchups for MLL's top scorers.
With a win, the Bayhawks immediately slide into the MLL postseason and will play at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on the campus of the University of Denver for round one of the playoffs. If Chesapeake falls, the team can still punch their ticket into the playoffs with an Atlanta victory over Dallas.
Watch the Bayhawks live as they take on the Cannons on Saturday, September 7th at 5:00 PM ET in Quincy, MA. The game will be broadcast live on MyTV Baltimore and Lax Sports Network (LSN).
Chesapeake remains on the road for another week, taking on Denver on September 14th at 5:00 PM ET, but then returns home to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for their final game of the season on Friday, September 20th at 8:00 PM ET. The Bayhawks will once again take on the Outlaws. This game will be School Pride Night and fans are encouraged to wear attire from their favorite middle school, high school or university. The Lexus Tailgate begins at 5:30 PM ET.
Tickets for that game are available at thebayhawks.com/tickets. They can also be purchased through the Chesapeake Bayhawks Ticket Office at 866-99-HAWKS or by contacting sales@thebayhawks.com.
Images from this story
 Chesapeake Bayhawks vs. the Boston Cannons |
Major League Lacrosse Stories from September 6, 2019
- Outlaws to Face off against Lizards on Saturday Night with Chance to Clinch Postseason Berth - Denver Outlaws
- Chesapeake Looks to Secure Playoff Spot with Weekend Win in Quincy - Chesapeake Bayhawks
- MLL Week 14 Preview - MLL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
