The San Francisco Dragons meet the LA Riptide for the first time in two games this weekend
July 20, 2006 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
San Francisco Dragons News Release
San Francisco, CA -After going through the first half of the season without seeing the Riptide (2-5), the Dragons (5-2) will meet their division foe in 3 of their final 5 games of the 2006 season.
Both teams are part of Major League Lacrosse's expansion Western Conference. The two team's inaugural seasons have thus far been polar opposites, the Dragons starting with a 5-2 record and LA stumbling to a 2-5 record.
Absent from Saturday's contest will be Dragons attackman Ryan Powell and midfielders Pete Inge and Ryan Marshall, who will be representing the US, Australia and Canada, respectively, in the World Lacrosse Championships currently being held in Canada. Powell and Inge plan to be in the lineup for the second half of this weekend-doubleheader; Ryan Marshall, who is nursing a shoulder injury, will join the team in Rochester on July 29 to face the Rattlers.
"We gave (Powell and Inge) the option of not coming right back to play on Sunday," remarked Dragons Head Coach Brian Silcott, "which would make it 9 games in 10 days for them, plus a cross- country flight, but they both just said âwe'll be there'." Added Silcott, "That's what I call âLove of the Game'."
Leading the Riptide against the Dragons will be attackman Michael Watson. With 23 points (16 Goals, 7 Assists), Watson leads LA in scoring. Defending Watson will be Dragons star defenseman Eric Martin.
"Eric has proven himself to be one of the top defenders in all of lacrosse and Mike Watson is without a doubt one of the most dynamic attackmen ever to play the game." Said Silcott, "(This match-up) should be fun to watch."
If every MLL team currently with two losses wins their next two games (or three for San Francisco) they would all clinch a spot in the playoffs. Los Angeles would be eliminated from playoff contention with two losses to San Francisco this weekend.
About the San Francisco Dragons The San Francisco Dragons, Northern California's newest professional sports franchise began its inaugural season in May of 2006 as a member of the 10-team Major League Lacrosse (MLL) league. The Dragons, based at historic Kezar Stadium's 9,044-seat track & field facility, provides fun, affordable family entertainment showcasing America's "fastest growing team sport" in addition to becoming the foremost resource for the lacrosse community.
The Dragons play 12 games in the regular season, with its six home games being played at Kezar Stadium. The inaugural game was played May 28th with over 5,600 fans in attendance. Season, group and individual tickets for the Dragons are available. For tickets or more information, call 415-573-2525 or www.sfdragons.com.
About Major League Lacrosse Major League Lacrosse, a ten-team professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded in 1999 by fitness entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, CEO of Body by Jake Global L.L.C., and founding partners Dave Morrow, a former champion lacrosse player and now CEO of Warrior Lacrosse, a leading global provider of innovative and high performance lacrosse equipment; and Timothy B. Robertson, former CEO of The Family Channel and the current chairman of Bay Shore Enterprises, L.L.C., an investment holding company with activities in international media and Internet technology ventures. The MLL commenced play in June of 2001. The MLL is comprised of two conferences. The Eastern Conference contains the original six teams, Baltimore, Boston, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Rochester. The Western Conference debuts in the 2006 season with MLL expansion franchises Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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