Hamilton Ties Team Record with Third Straight Win
July 1, 2011 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Hamilton Nationals News Release
(Hamilton)... The Hamilton Nationals sit alone in third place in Major League Lacrosse after defeating the Long Island Lizards 15-9 tonight at McMaster University's Ron Joyce Stadium. The Nats' third straight win tied a team record and improved the club to 4-3.
The Nationals' Kevin Crowley completed his first pro hat trick as part of a career-high six point night (4+2). He led a balanced attack that included goals from eight different players. Hamilton also made Long Island pay on the power play, using a team record-tying three man-up goals to earn the victory on Canada Day.
"This was a huge win tonight. This was a team win," said rookie Kevin Crowley. "We had guys selling out in the midfield, diving to make plays and working hard for those ground balls. We are a younger team so we have to be feisty."
The rookies were a huge factor in the win tonight as Jeremy Boltus (three goals), David Earl (2+2) and Jeremy Thompson (1+1) all had multiple-point games. Kevin Ridgway also recorded his first professional point off an assist. Faceoff man Matt Dolente was awarded the game ball as he won 13 faceoffs and scooped up seven ground balls.
Hamilton opened the game with two goals by Crowley. His first marker came at 3:50, as he beat Drew Adams from in close for a 1-0 lead on the power play at 1:31. He then scored on the run at 3:50. Joe Walters (2+2) sent a rocket past Long Island goalie Drew Adams at 9:02 for a 3-0 lead on the power play. Walters followed with his second straight at 11:15 as he deflected off Adam's stick and into the net. The Lizards scored with 7.1 left in the first quarter to get Long Island on the board, 4-1.
The Lizards began the second with a three-minute man up after an illegal stick call. Yet, it was Hamilton not Long Island that scored on the power play. The Nationals scored with 26 seconds left in the penalty to make it 5-2, as Earl split the defense and ripped a shot low to the far post. Matt Danowski (2+1) chipped the deficit back down to three with a goal at 4:18. Crowley responded for the Nats completing a pass from Brodie Merrill to record his first pro hat trick at 4:53. Stephen Peyser tacked on Long Island's third of the contest at 5:38 to make it 6-3. John Grant Jr. rolled to the cage and scored over the shoulder at 7:35 to cut the lead to 6-4 and extend the Lizards' run to 2-0. He finished the night with one goal and one assist in his first game against his former team. Hamilton responded and scored its third power-play goal of the game as Boltus completed the cross-crease pass from Cody Jamieson.
Danowski opened the third with a crease dive and lunging shot that beat Rodgers to cut the Hamilton lead to 7-5 at 2:10. Stephen Berger (3+2) then scored on the next rush to make it 7-6 just 20 seconds later. Peyser connected from inside the arc to tie the game at seven at 5:38. Hamilton, however, regained the lead with three goals in 1:50. Earl broke the tie at 9:35 and ended Hamilton's scoreless streak of 12:37. Donny Moss then scored in transition at 10:28 to get the Nats rolling. Ridgway collected his first pro point with the assist. Boltus made it a 3-0 run with his second of the night at 11:25 to make it 10-7 Hamilton. Boltus then completed the hat trick at 12:46 off a pretty feed from Thompson.
In the fourth, Danowski helped cut the Hamilton down to three at 2:23, but Merrill answered just 22 seconds later from Jamieson for a 12-8 advantage. Thompson then gave the Nationals their biggest lead of the night at five goals, 13-8, at 5:11. Crowley notched his fourth from Jamieson at 7:55 for a 14-8 Hamilton lead, beating Adams one-on-one. Brett Bucktooth (1+2) scored a late tally and Berger ended the game with a quick stick goal past Rodgers to end the game 15-9. Rodgers won for the second straight game and made 15 stops. Long Island's Adams made 11 saves in the loss that dropped the Lizards to 2-5.
The Nationals will host the Chesapeake Bayhawks at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 16th. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN3.com.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from July 1, 2011
- Hamilton Ties Team Record with Third Straight Win - Hamilton Nationals
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