Rattlers Hope to Send Coach off with a Win against Bridgeport
August 13, 2003 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Dallas Rattlers News Release
(Rochester, NY)... For Rochester Rattlers Head Coach Guy Van Arsdale, the game at Bridgeport Thursday night will conclude his three-year tenure with the Major League Lacrosse team. The game is the season finale for the Rattlers as they were eliminated from the playoff hunt last weekend in Baltimore.
A win against the Barrage would send Van Arsdale off in style to his new assistant coaching position at the University of Notre Dame. The Rattlers (4-7) can end the 2003 campaign winners of three of their last four games if they can sweep the series against the Barrage. Van Arsdale has a career 18-21 mark and guided the Rattlers to the 2001 MLL Semifinals.
Thursday's game is the fourth and final contest of the season between the two teams. Rochester has won all three games, including a 28-13 victory over Bridgeport on August 2nd. In that game, Rochester set MLL records for goals (27) and shots (78).
The win kept the Rattlers' playoff hopes alive with two games remaining. Rochester, however, was eliminated from the playoffs following a 19-14 loss at Baltimore on August 9th. The loss dropped the Rattlers to 4-7 overall and 0-4 in the National Division. The Rattlers season-high two-game winning streak also came to an end.
The Barrage (1-10) enter the game after a 21-15 loss to the Boston Cannons last Thursday night. Bridgeport has scored a league-low 171 goals and has allowed a league-high 232 goals. Dan Denihan leads the team with 46 points, which places him sixth in the MLL.
The Rattlers are led by three-time all-star Casey Powell. Powell is second in the league with 61 points and 31 assists in 11 games. After returning from an injury, Ryan Powell has 22 points (11+11) in just five games this season. Rochester is second in the MLL with 180 goals, but second worst in goals allowed with 184.
Casey Powell has some unfinished business to take care of Thursday. He currently shares the franchise's single-season assist mark with his brother and can pass Ryan's single-season point total of 63 set in 2001.
The 7:00 p.m. contest on Thursday, August 14th from the Ballpark at Harbor Yard will be broadcast on News Talk 950 WROC and online at www.rochesterrattlers.com.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 13, 2003
- Rattlers Hope to Send Coach off with a Win against Bridgeport - Dallas Rattlers
- Barrage to Take on Rattlers August 14 - Philadelphia Barrage
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