Pride advance to 3-1 with record-tying offensive output
June 14, 2006 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
New Jersey Pride News Release
PISCATAWAY - Eleven different players contributed to a record tying performance for the Pride yesterday in front of 2,499 fans at Rutgers University's Yurcak Field, all of whom left happy after New Jersey defeated its old National Division rival Baltimore, 22-15.
The 22 point ties the team's highest single-game output done once in 2001, once in 2002 and once again in 2003, all wins.
"Offensively, obviously we're pretty happy with what we did,'' said Pride head coach Peter Jacobs. "What we did today we felt was play to our potential and create from the midfield, which plays to our strengths.''
The Pride improve to 3-1 on the season, putting them second in the Eastern Conference behind only unbeaten Philadelphia, which stands 4-0.
Scott Urick once again scored four goals, the second time this season he's scored that many, and was named the Bud Light Game MVP for the sixth time in his career. Urick now has 19 points on the season (14 goals, 5 assists), making him the league's leading scorer through four games. He is one point ahead of Denver's Mike Law who has 18 points.
"Urick has been amazing for us so far this season,'' Jacobs said. "It says so much about him the things he brings to our team.''
Midfielder Kyle Harrison scored a career high five points on a goal and four assists making him the main offensive catalyst for New Jersey.
"The things Kyle brings to the Pride are immeasurable,'' Jacobs said. "He does so much and makes the defense slide so quickly that opportunities present themselves for us.''
The Pride jumped out to a 12-4 halftime lead, thanks mainly to Urick and Harrison, who controlled the tempo of the game for the Pride. In the third quarter, Baltimore dominated play, outscoring the Pride 9-4 to pull to within 15-13. The Pride came out in the final quarter and scored the first seven goals, limiting the Bayhawks to a nearly meaningless 2-point goal with just over a minute to play in the game.
"The fourth quarter was very important for us, and I am really happy with the way the team responded,'' Jacobs said. "Both offensively and defensively we played excellent.''
A.J. Haugen scored the first hat trick of his Pride career, and Adam Doneger added his third three-goal game in as many contests. Midfielder Ben Grinnell had his first multi-goal game as a pro, registering a pair of fourth-quarter tallies as the Pride pulled away.
Jesse Hubbard also scored a goal, giving him 198 for his career, two shy of becoming just the second player to score 200 career goals (Baltimore's Mark Millon is the other). Guarding Millon the entire game was New Jersey defender Brett Hughes, who held the high-powered attacker to just two goals.
"Brett did an excellent job,'' Jacobs said. "We felt like he played to his strengths and held Mark down as best he could.''
Tom Marechek led the Baltimore attack with three goals and two assists.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from June 14, 2006
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- Pride advance to 3-1 with record-tying offensive output - New Jersey Pride
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