Pride defense silences Cannons 13-10

June 23, 2007 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
New Jersey Pride News Release


CAMBRIDGE, M.A. - In a night of highlight reel goals, it was the steady Pride captain Jesse Hubbard who cemented a victory for the Pride with the easiest score of the night.

After out-legging Boston goalie Jake Coon to back up a missed shot, Christ Unterstein got the ball in play quickly, and before Coon had made it back into goal, Hubbard tucked the ball into the empty net to give the Pride a 13-10 lead with 6:32 to play.

Boston (3-4) did not register another shot until inside of the two-minute mark, and the Pride (2-4) held their lead to earn the 13-10 win, their second consecutive.

The win makes it three in a row for the Pride over Boston after sweeping the season series a year ago, and also puts New Jersey just a half game behind the Cannons in the race for the playoffs.

Conor Ford was named the Bud Light Game MVP as he tied his career high with five goals. Hubbard finished with a hat trick.

"We played an excellent game defensively, and you can't ask for more from a guy like Conor Ford,'' said Pride head coach Peter Jacobs. "I am very proud of the way the guys played today."

Crease dives were on sale early in the contest, highlighted by sensational strikes by the Pride's Kevin Boland and the Cannon's Mikey Powell.

The Pride jumped out to an early lead, something the team has grown accustomed to this season, with three unanswered in the game's opening minutes.

Kyle Harrison was first on the board, beating Jake Coon in close, for the 1-0 advantage 2:23 into the game. Chris Colliniates doubled the lead ten seconds later after taking the ensuing face-off down cleanly, and bouncing a shot past Coon.

Following an acrobatic effort by Mikey Powell, the Boston attackman's apparent goal was waived off due to a crease violation. The Cannons had troubles covering the Pride in transition, and Greg Peyser found Conor Ford alone on the doorstep for the 3-0 advantage.

Chazz Woodson cut into the Pride's lead with a spectacular crease-dive from behind the net. Despite heavy defensive contention, Woodson got the shot off to bring the game to 3-1.

Jesse Hubbard pushed the Pride lead back to three with a short-angled laser on the power play, but Boston answered with another crease dive by John Christmas, and a laser of their own by Matt Poskay to make the score 4-3 after one period.

Hubbard's second tally of the game extended the Pride's lead to 5-3, and Peyser followed up by again finding the open man in transition, as Chris Unterstein was on the receiving end of the dunk opportunity for the 6-3 advantage.

Ford added the Pride's second power play of the night with a strip from twelve yards out to stretch the lead to four goals.

Kevin Boland, in a move Washington's Chris Garrity may remember, scored a spectacular goal on a crease-dive from behind the net, firing the ball behind his back and in for the 8-3 advantage.

Boston clipped the Pride lead to two at the half with a three-goal run that was equal parts sensational and controversial.

David Mitchell scored on a delayed penalty opportunity for the Cannons, and then things got interesting.

Powell continued the run with a goal which may well be the best in league history. Powell dove across the back of the crease, behind the net, and wrapped the ball around the far post past Rob Scherr.

The Cannons final goal elicited strong reactions from the Pride, as the Cannons brought the ball in with one second showing on the game clock. The pass traveled from the far corner out to Matt Poskay, who was stationed nine yards in front of the goal. Despite the short clock, the refs ruled the ball reached Poskay and left his stick before the final second ticked off.

Collianites got the Pride off to a fast start in the second by winning all six of the third quarter draws, setting up quickstrikes by Ford and Harrison to extend the lead to 10-6 just 1:46 into the period.

Chris Mucciolo scored an easy one for Boston 4:39 into the third when he recovered the ball at the top of the crease on a rebound. Scherr made an excellent stop on the Cannon's initial attempt, but the ball came loose, where Mucciolo scooped it up.

Boston drew closer following a creative bounce-pass assist from Powell to DJ Andzrejewski, but the Pride closed the quarter strong when Joe Yevoli found Ford with a beautiful feed to give the Pride the 11-8 lead after three.

Christmas came out firing for the Cannons early in the fourth first feeding Woodson on the crease, then adding s short-sided goalof his own to cut the Pride lead to one with 11:25 to play.

Conor Ford's fifth of the night again out the Pride ahead by two, and Hubbard's hat trick stretched the lead to 13-10.



Major League Lacrosse Stories from June 23, 2007


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