Pride fall in Overtime- end season at 5-7 and miss playoffs
August 12, 2006 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
New Jersey Pride News Release
UNIONDALE, N.Y. - For the second time in 2006, the New Jersey Pride lost in overtime on a questionable call.
With 4:07 remaining in overtime, Long Island's Keith Cromwell streaked in from behind the goal and dove with what looked like a foot in the crease and beat Matt Hunter to give the Lizards a 15-14 win in the final game of the season.
"It's tough to lose any game,'' said Pride head coach Peter Jacobs, "but to lose another game like that when it looked like we were going to win it is very tough. Especially to lose it that way is difficult to take.''
The Pride also lost a game in overtime in San Francisco in which it looked like Ryan Powell was in the crease on a similar play. In all, New Jersey played four games in overtime this season, losing three.
The game meant nothing in terms of playoff positioning, since San Francisco defeated Chicago earlier in the day to earn the fourth seed in the postseason. In that game, Chicago lost a six goal lead in the second half. Had San Francisco and Los Angeles both lost and the Pride had won, New Jersey would have reached the postseason.
"We would have loved to make the playoffs,'' said Pride General Manager Trey Reeder. "We are going to remember this season and come back next year with a purpose.''
The Pride end the season 5-7 having lost three games in overtime and another by a goal. In 2005, the Pride finished 2-10 and went 1-11 in 2004.
The Pride led 14-12 with under a minute to play before Cromwell used a pick to get free and drill an 18-yard 2-pointer to tie the contest. Andy Corno won the ensuing face-off but couldn't get a shot before time ran out on regulation.
Jesse Hubbard, Conor Ford and Scott Urick all scored three goals to lead New Jersey. For Hubbard, it was the second time this season he had a hat trick. Ben Grinnell added a pair for New Jersey Kevin Boland and A.J. Haugen added single tallies. Seven of the Pride's goals were assisted, with Haugen having a pair of first quarter assists to lead the way.
The Pride took a 4-2 lead after one quarter thanks to four assisted goals, two helpers coming from A.J. Haugen. Jesse Hubbard, Ben Grinnell, Conor Ford and Scott Urick all scored in the first 15 minutes of play.
The Lizards ran off four straight goals in an 11:42 stretch to pull ahead of the Pride 6-4, but New Jersey got within a goal at halftime at 6-5 thanks to a Ford goal off a broken play that saw Hubbard and Urick make nifty passes to get their teammate the ball. Ford's goal broke a streak of 17:14 in which the Pride did not score in the first half.
The Pride trailed 12-10 before running off four straight before Cromwell's heroics at the game's end.
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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
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