L.A. Riptide's Inaugural Season Comes To End With 13-9 Loss To Denver
Published on August 12, 2006 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Los Angeles Riptide News Release
CARSON, CALIFORNIA - The Los Angeles Riptide saw its inaugural Major League Lacrosse season come to an end today with a 13-9 loss to the Denver Outlaws at The Home Depot Center Track and Field Stadium. Needing a victory to advance to the playoffs, the Riptide (6-6) was unable to overcome the first place Outlaws (10-2). However, the Major League Lacrosse season will continue in Southern California, as the Riptide and The Home Depot Center hosts the MLL New Balance Championship Weekend on Friday, Aug. 25 and Sunday, Aug. 27. The MLL Semifinals take place on Aug. 25 at 6:00 and 8:30 p.m., with the Finals on Aug. 27 at 2:00 p.m. live on ESPN2.
Tickets for New Balance MLL Championship Weekend at the Home Depot Center are on sale now. Championship Packs begin at just $50 and include a ticket to each of the three games and an autographed action photo of Riptide attackman Michael Watson. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call toll free at 1-866-4-LAX-TIX.
"This is a great opportunity for sports fans in Los Angeles and all of Southern California to see the best teams in Major League Lacrosse showcased here at The Home Depot Center," Riptide General Manager G.W. Mix said. "It is great for the growth of lacrosse and really is something special for the fans of the game."
The Eastern Conference Champion Philadelphia Barrage will face the Boston Cannons in one semifinal game, while the Western Conference winning Outlaws will square off against the San Francisco Dragons, with the winners advancing to the championship on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2:00 p.m.
Needing a victory against the Outlaws to extend its season on Saturday, the Riptide played Denver tough throughout, tying the game at 9-9 on a two-pointer by Sean Lindsay with 12:07 remaining. However, the Riptide was not able to overtake Denver, as Jeff Zywicki netted three straight goals to give the Outlaws a 12-9 advantage with 4:53 left. Josh Sims scored the final tally for Denver with 1:43 remaining to put the final touches on the Riptide season.
"We didn't capitalize on our offensive chances. I thought we did a good job defensively most of the game," Riptide head coach John Tucker said. "They were a tough team to play, but to finish the season like this is of course disappointing."
Michael Watson, Lorne Smith and Andrew Combs led the Riptide with two goals each, and Spencer Ford and Sean Lindsay each scored one goal. Goalkeeper Tillman Johnson faced 35 shots on goal and made 22 saves for Los Angeles, but the Riptide could not keep Denver off the board in the final eight minutes of the game, allowing the Outlaws to score the final four goals of the affair and secure the number one overall seed in the MLL Playoffs.
Benson Erwin started the scoring off for the Outlaws at the 12:44 mark of the first quarter, but just a minute later Smith evened the game on a brilliant goal. After a Zywicki goal for Denver, Smith again tied the game on a goal with 7:06 remaining in the first. The Riptide took its first lead of the game on Ford's goal with 5:27 remainings in the first, but Hunter Lochte tied the game at 3-3 just before the end of the quarter.
After Denver scored two quick goals to take a 5-3 lead to start the second quarter, Combs found the back of the net with 11:08 left in the half to bring the Riptide to 5-4. Lochte put another goal past Johnson to give Denver a 6-4 lead, but Combs struck again with 1:02 remaining in the half to make it 6-5 at the break.
The Riptide tied the game at 6-6 on Michael Watson's first goal of the game with 11:34 left in the third quarter, but then Denver scored three straight goals from Geoff Snider, Brendan Mundorf and Matt Brown to push the lead out to 9-6. Watson scored again with 3:02 left in the third to bring the Riptide to 9-7 entering the fourth quarter.
With the Riptide desperately attempting to get back into the game and push its way into the playoffs, Lindsay ripped a two-pointer from the center of the field with 12:07 left in the game to tie it at 9-9. However, that was as close as Los Angeles would get, as Zywicki went on his goal-scoring binge down the stretch and the Riptide could not beat Denver goalkeeper Trevor Tierney, who finished with 20 saves.
Denver will return to The Home Depot Center for the New Balance MLL Championship Weekend on Friday, August 25 and Sunday, August 27. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call toll free at 1-866-4-LAX-TIX.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 12, 2006
- L.A. Riptide's Inaugural Season Comes To End With 13-9 Loss To Denver - Los Angeles Riptide
- Ryan Boyle Leads Philadelphia Barrage to 20-12 Win Over Baltimore - Chesapeake Bayhawks
- Lizards Wrap up Season with Dramatic OT Win - New York Lizards
- Rochester Knocks Off Cannons in Season Finale - Boston Cannons
- Pride fall in Overtime- end season at 5-7 and miss playoffs - New Jersey Pride
- Barrage Top Bayhawks 20-12, Clinch Conference Title - Philadelphia Barrage
- Machine fall short in overtime thriller, 16-15 - Chicago Machine
- L.A. Riptide One Win Away From MLL Playoffs - Los Angeles Riptide
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.
