Red Hot Rattlers Host First Place Chesapeake this Saturday
July 12, 2012 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Dallas Rattlers News Release
(Rochester, NY) - The Rochester Rattlers have won three consecutive games, and they are now two games behind first place Chesapeake in the Major League Lacrosse standings. They host the Bayhawks on Saturday, July 14that 7 PM in Sahlen's Stadium with a chance to cut Chesapeake's lead at the top even further. The game marks the beginning of a four game home stand for the Rattlers in Sahlen's Stadium.
"We've put a lot of hard work into getting ourselves into this position." Rattlers coach Tim Soudan said. "We are a much better team than we were when the season started. Right now there are five good teams battling it out for four playoff spots. We want to be one of those four teams."
Rattlers superstar A Ned Crotty returned for both games last weekend against Long Island after missing out on the Rattlers 17-10 victory over Hamilton on June 23rd with an ankle injury. Crotty scored two goals and added one assist in Rochester's 13-8 victory over Long Island on Friday night, then had one goal and four assists in the Rattlers 17-15 win in Long Island on Saturday. Crotty leads the Rattlers in points (22), and he is tied for sixth in the league in assists with 11.
While Crotty is among the league leaders in assists, the Rattlers are relying on a more balanced approach to score goals. Eight Rattlers have six or more goals this season. M Jordan MacIntosh leads the team with 16 goals, and A Steven Boyle (12) and Crotty (11) are the only two other players on the roster who have double-digit goal tallies. Veteran M Matt Striebel (9), SSDM Steven DeNapoli (8), A Kevin Leveille (7), M Roy Lang (7), and M Brad Ross (6) are the other five players who have scored six goals or more.
On the other end of the field Rattlers G John Galloway was named the MLL Defensive Player of the Week after Rochester's 13-8 victory over Long Island in Rochester last Friday night. Galloway set a new career high with 21 saves. He also tied a career low with eight goals against. Galloway's best quarter was the third when he stopped nine of eleven shots to extend the Rattlers lead from 6-4 at half time to 9-6 heading into the fourth quarter. Galloway had a save percentage of 50% or better in all four quarters. He made ten saves on 25 shots in the Rattlers 17-15 win in Long Island the next night.
The first place Chesapeake Bayhawks are led by a dynamic midfield attack. M Kyle Dixon has 31 points (13 goals, ten 2pt goals, eight assists), while M Steven Brooks has 27 points (19 goals, two 2pt goals, six assists) and M Michael Kimmell has 25 points (16 goals, three 2pt goals, six assists). A Drew Westervelt leads the attack with 15 goals and ten assists. On the defensive end G Kip Turner has a 4-2 record with an 11.27 goals against average.
Tickets for Saturday night's game against Chesapeake are available by calling 585-454-5425 or by visiting rochesterrattlers.com.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from July 12, 2012
- Red Hot Rattlers Host First Place Chesapeake this Saturday - Dallas Rattlers
- Nationals Preparing for Double the Machine - Hamilton Nationals
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