Photo Credit: Di Miller
On Sunday July 20, the Denver Outlaws (8-3) hosted the Florida Launch (4-7) at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in front of 7,136 faithful fans. It was the last regular-season home game and the fans were ready to see their Outlaws in action. The 2014 World Lacrosse Championships had just ended the night before, and many of the fans and teams from the World’s were there. Both teams would be without some of their key players after the championship game Team USA vs. Team Canada. For the Outlaws, they would be without Cam Flint #18, Curtis Dickson #17, Jeremy Noble #35, Zack Greer #88, and Dillon Roy #91. The Launch were missing Garrett Thul #9 and Tucker Durkin #51. All played for Team Canada. There were a few players from Team USA and Team Canada who played—Cam Holding #9, Jesse Schwartzman #19, and Lee Zink #29. The Outlaws fans saw a great game, one played with the desire to end the season at home with a “W”; and the Outlaws moving back into first in the MLL a half-game ahead of the Rochester Rattlers. Final Score 13-10 Outlaws.
The first quarter started out with Florida scoring the first three goals. Kieran McArdle #6, Attack would open the game by hitting net at 1:10 into the first. McArdle would get a hat-trick in the first 4:09 minutes of the game. Outlaws fans were stunned. Jesse Schwartzman had just come off a hard loss the night before when Team USA lost to Team Canada, and it was apparent as scoring three goals in four minutes on the 2013 Warrior Goalie of the Year, and one of the top-notch goalies in the league is virtually unheard of. But the Outlaws came together as a team, and it didn’t take long for them to score. Chris Bocklet #10, Attack would hit net at 6:44; followed by Brent Hiken #30, Face-off who scored his first career goal in the MLL. Hiken would win the face-off and take off on a breakaway scoring unassisted only seven seconds after Bocklet. John Grant, Jr. #24, Attack would score yet another goal for the Outlaws. It took almost five minutes before another goal would come, when Launch Midfielder Steven Brooks #10, would send a two-point shot past Schwartzman. Outlaws Cam Holding #9, Midfield would score the last goal of the quarter with 33 seconds left on the clock. At the end of the first the score was tied 4-4.
Heading into the second quarter, the Launch would again be the first to score. Brooks would get his second goal of the game less than two minutes in; followed by McArdle less than a minute later. It was shortly thereafter that the Outlaws made a goalie change. Schwartzman would be pulled, and Charlie Cipriano #25 would get the call. Again, the scoring would come to a halt. It took almost four minutes before someone would hit net, and Outlaws Holding would send one past Brett Queener #23. However, the Launch would be the last to score in the first half when Kevin Cunningham #29, Attack would hit twine with 8:59 left in the half. For the rest of the quarter, neither team would score. The Launch had dominated the quarter. Score at the end of the first half, Florida 8—Outlaws 5.
At the start of the third quarter, the Outlaws came to life. Drew Snider #23, Midfield would score only 1:50 into the quarter. The Launch would see two more goals, when McArdle would get his fifth of the game; followed by David Earl #13, Midfield. That would be the last goal Florida would score. Grant Jr., would score back-to-back goals at 7:26 and 9:04 also giving him a hat-trick; and five minutes later Bocklet (C ), would get his second of the game. The Outlaws had successfully shut down the Launch offense with great defense, and their offense came to life. At the end of the third, Florida was still up 10-9.
In the final quarter, Denver’s Jeremy Sieverts #20, Midfield would get his seventh 2pt goal of the year giving the Outlaws the lead. Snider would hit net for his second goal of the game; and Grant Jr., would get his fourth of the game. The fourth quarter would also see some last minute excitement. When the Launch had attempted a shot on goal with less than three minutes on the clock, Cipriano would take a nasty hit sending him to the ground. Chris O’Dougherty #4, Defense for the Outlaws, and Casey Powell #22, Attack for the Launch would go to blows. Helmets and gloves went flying. Fortunately, the referees and players stopped the fisticuffs, but O’Dougherty and Powell would both be hit with Unsportsmanlike Minor and Major penalties and would sit the bench for the remaining two minutes nineteen seconds of the game. Final score Outlaws 13—Launch 10.
Some key notes on the game for the Outlaws: Denver would score six straight goals; they have guaranteed themselves their ninth winning season as a franchise making them 9-of-9 winning seasons which leads all MLL franchises; John Grant, Jr. has scored a goal in all nine games he’s played this season; Sieverts scored his 20th career 2pt goal as an Outlaw, and has more 2pt goals (seven) as a player this season except for the team-total seven by the Bayhawks; Brent Hiken would get his first career goal in the MLL; and the Outlaws would hold Casey Powell, the league leader in the MLL in points with 48 (22 G, 26 A) to no goals.
Team Stats thru Week 11:
Outlaws—Record 8-3, .727 WPCT, 137 GF, eight 2ptGF, 126 GA, five 2ptGA
Launch—Record 4-7, .364 WPCT, 115 GF, two 2ptGF, 146 GA, six 2ptGA
Game Stats:
Outlaws—12 G, 1 two-pt G, 7 A, 8 PIM, 24 SOG, 18 SOFF, 33 GB, 16-25 FOW
Launch—9 G, 1 two-pt G, 7 A, 8.5 PIM, 21 SOG, 15 SOFF, 26 GB, 9-25 FOW
Position Match-ups:
Face-offs
Outlaws—Anthony Kelly #47, 12-19 FOW, .632 FOPCT
Outlaws—Brent Hiken #30, 4-6 FOW, .667 FOPCT
Launch—Chris Mattes #65, 9-25 FOW, .360 FOPCT
Goalies
Outlaws—Jesse Schwartzman #19, 7 SOG, 1 Save, 6 GA, .143 SPCT, one 2ptGA, 21:08 min
Outlaws—Charlie Cipriano #25, 14 SOG, 11 Saves, 3 GA, .785 SPCT, 38:52 min
Launch—Brett Queener #23, 24 SOG, 12 Saves, 12 GA (one 2pt), .500 SPCT, 60:00 min
MVP’s of the Game:
Outlaws—John Grant, Jr., #24: 4 G, 2 A, 6 SOG, 4 SOFF, 1 GB
Launch—Kieran McArdle #6: 5 G, 1 A, 7 SOG, 5 SOFF
The Denver Outlaws head to Selby Stadium, in Delaware, Ohio to face the Ohio Machine on July 26, at 4:30 EDT.
