With an 11-7 win over the Ohio Machine, the Chesapeake Bayhawks (9-2) have punched their ticket to Championship Weekend in August. The Machine now drop to 2-9 on the season in their first year as an expansion team. The Bayhawks stay in the top spot on the MLL standings with a one game lead over the Denver Outlaws, while the Machine continue to sit at the bottom of the standings.
Kip Turner played his best game of the season stopping 16 of 22 shots for a .727 save percentage. Turner made many key saves for the Bayhawks who shut out the Machine during the 3rd quarter. Ohio’s Brian Phipps also played a great game, stopping 17 of the Bayhawks’ 26 shots.
Kyle Dixon set the MLL record for most 2-point goals in a single season with 12. Kyle scored 2 2-point goals and added 2 assists to lead the game with 6 points. Drew Westervelt also greatly helped Chesapeake by adding 2 goals and an assist. Michael Kimmel and Steven Brooks both added 2 points for the Bayhawks.
For the Machine, Joe Cummings lead the team with three points thanks to a hat-trick. Connor Martin aka Con Bro Chill added 2 goals for the Machine whose expansion woes continued with their 9th loss of the season. Chazz Woodson’s streak of scoring in every game this season continued as he had 2 assists on the night. Rookie of the Year candidate Steele Stanwick couldn’t get the ball in the goal but did have an assist to bring his season total to 20 points with 3 games remaining.
Eric O’Brien recorded 2 groundballs as he dominated the face-offs winning 12 of 19 on the night. He was able to stop the combined efforts of Chesapeake’s Adam Rand (7 of 17) and Jeff Reynolds (0-2). O’Brien has won 77 of 149 face-offs in his first season with Ohio.
Next week the Bayhawks head to Boston to take on Paul Rabil and the Cannons (6-5). Ohio gets to travel over to Rochester to try and throw a wrench in the Rattlers’ (6-5) playoff hopes. Chesapeake was able to stave off the Cannons in their first meeting this year, winning the game 14-13. For Ohio, they handled the Rattlers 16-10 for their first win in program history. Going into their games, the Bayhawks hope to continue their winning streak and stay in 1st place while the Machine would like to end their losing streak and move out of last place in the league.
