First Place Nationals Visit Defending Champion Bayhawks
Published on May 31, 2013 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Hamilton Nationals News Release
The first place Hamilton Nationals will visit the defending MLL Champion Chesapeake Bayhawks on Saturday, June 1st in Annapolis, Md. The contest will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network.
Scouting the Nationals: Kevin Crowley scored a career-high five goals as the Nationals won for a franchise- best fourth straight time, defeating the Ohio Machine 16-9 at Selby Stadium on April 23rd. Crowley led the Nationals with six points (5+1), while Joe Walters added seven (4+3). His assist on Crowley's third of the night was the 100th of his MLL career. Crowley tied the franchise record with a point in his 19th straight game. With the victory, the Nats (4-0) moved into a tie for first place with the Denver Outlaws. Brett Queener made his return after a one-game absence to backstop the Nationals with 15 saves. He is now six saves away from 400 as a National. Defenseman MJ Kiekebelt netted the first two-point of his career in the win at Ohio. Rookie Josh Hawkins from Loyola, who was making his pro debut, scored late in the third quarter.
Nationals among MLL leaders: Crowley (12+1+7) leads the league with 20 points. Walters moved into a 10th place tie with 12 (7+5) in just two games. Goalie Brett Queener leads the league with a .692 save percentage and is second with a 7.52 goals-against average. Brodie Merrill is second in the league with 27 ground balls, while Matt Dolente is fourth with 24.
Call him Coach Bliss: Eight-year MLL pro Sol Bliss joined the Nationals coaching staff for the May 17th game as the team's defensive coordinator. The defenseman played for Rochester and Hamilton during his career, which was highlighted by the 2008 MLL title. In college, he was a two-time All-American and won two NCAA Championships at Syracuse.
Player Moves: Hamilton announced four player moves prior to their showdown with Chesapeake. General Manager Stu Brown activated defenseman Sid Smith and midfielder Mike Poppleton. In related moves, the Nationals moved Evan Kirk and Garrett Billings to the Practice Squad.
MJ back from the Big Dance: Nationals' MJ Kiekebelt is back from Philadelphia, where he was with the RIT Tigers for Sunday's Division III Men's Lacrosse National Championship Game. Kiekebelt, who is a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, and the Tigers fell just short, losing 16-14 to Stevenson.
Six Nationals named All-Americans: Six of the Nationals' collegiate draft picks earned Division I All-American honors. Jason Noble and Tucker Durkin were the top recipients as First Team selections. Mike Poppleton garnered Second Team status, while James "Garrett" Thul, Reid Acton and Josh Hawkins received Honorable Mention accolades.
Champions already: Five members of the National Lacrosse League champion Rochester Knighthawks are on the Nationals' roster: Joe Walters, Stephen Keogh, Cody Jamieson, Sid Smith and Matt Vinc. In the NLL title game, Walters (1+5) and Jamieson (3+3) both had big games in the 11-10 victory on March 11th over the Washington Stealth. Jamieson was named the Championship Game MVP for the second straight season, becoming just the second player in NLL history to accomplish that feat. Smith was the team captain of the Knighthawks and Keogh contributed with five points (1+4) in two playoff games. Vinc made 39 saves to become the first netminder to win Goalie of the Year and the NLL Champion's Cup in the same season.
Scouting Chesapeake: The Bayhawks (3-1) enter the week in third place in the MLL, trailing Hamilton and Denver by just a half game. Chesapeake dropped it last game, 15-14 in overtime, to the Boston Cannons on May 18th. Ben Rubeor is fourth in the MLL with 15 points. Goalie Kip Turner leads the MLL with a 7.28 goals-against average and is second with a .656 save percentage. Former National John Grant Jr. has five goals and two assists in two games.
Next Game: Hamilton stays on the road as it visits the Denver Outlaws on Saturday, June 8th. The game will be carried live on the league's YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/MLL.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from May 31, 2013
- Boston Cannons Fall to Denver Outlaws, 24-14 - Boston Cannons
- Hounds Rally Past Lizards in Fourth Quarter - Charlotte Hounds
- First Place Nationals Visit Defending Champion Bayhawks - Hamilton Nationals
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