Knighthawks Finish Preseason with .500 Record

Published on December 9, 2018 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release

The Rochester Knighthawks wrapped up their preseason schedule this afternoon at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (TRAC), falling 14-9 to the Georgia Swarm. After opening the preseason with a 10-6 win over Philadelphia, Rochester finished its exhibition schedule with a 1-1 record.

Similar to last night's contest, Rochester poured it on in the second half. The Knighthawks mounted a furious comeback over the final two quarters on the strength of a 5-0 run to get within two at 10-8. The second-half comeback bid was symbolic of a Knighthawks' team.

"That's a positive aspect of our team," said Knighthawks forward Kyle Jackson, who had a fourth-quarter goal. "It's the drive that we have. We are never out of a game, and we proved that today."

Rookie Dylan Riley sparked the rally with back-to-back goals, which was followed up by tallies from Luke Laszkiewicz, Cory Vitarelli, and Pat Saunders. Riley, who was the Knighthawks' fifth-round selection, was tied for the team lead in points with three (2+1). Mike Burke (0+3) and Austin Shanks (0+3) also collected three-point efforts.

Shanks, who was an NLL All-Rookie Team member last season, had a hand in Rochester's first three goals. His final assist was on Saunders' first goal of the night, which cut the Georgia lead to 4-3 at 3:12 of the second quarter.

In goal, Rochester starter Angus Goodleaf logged almost 25 minutes, while Warren Hill saw 20 minutes of action. Rookie Charles Claxton finished the contest, playing the entire fourth quarter.

Sunday was one last opportunity for some of the young talent to impress the lacrosse staff. The Knighthawks played all 29 players on their roster this weekend and will now have less than 24 hours to cut down their roster before Monday's 1:00 p.m. ET deadline.

"They came in and competed, and that's what we asked of them," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. "It was such a short camp, so it's going to be really tough. We have to go with our gut and make the decisions that are the best for the team."

Rochester opens its historic 25th season on Saturday, Dec. 29 when it hosts Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. at Connors & Ferris Field at The Blue Cross Arena. That evening, the Knighthawks, in conjunction with iHeartMedia, Inc., will honor their All-Time Team. Fans can purchase individual and season tickets online at www.knighthawks.com or by calling the Knighthawks Office at (585) 454-4295.

Rochester Knighthawks preseason action against the Georgia Swarm (Ward Laforme, Jr.)

National Lacrosse League Stories from December 9, 2018

• Knighthawks Finish Preseason with .500 Record - Rochester Knighthawks
• Seals Home Scrimmage Concludes Inaugural Training Camp - San Diego Seals

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.

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