The defending champion Chesapeake Bayhawks finished out the 2014 regular season with a record of 5-9, winning their final home game against the Charlotte Hounds in Week 14. The reigning champions suffered through a tough season to say the least where at one point they took the field without nine of their best players due to a mixture of injuries and players participating in the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships.
Only four players—attackman Ben Rubeor, midfielder Matt Mackrides and defensemen Nicky Polanco and Brian Megill—played in all 14 games of the season. Despite losing to Rochester in Week 11, the week they were down nine important contributors, they rallied for the end of the season, going 2-1 and coming out on a moral high, winning their final games on the road and at home. Injuries had to be the story of the season for the defending champs.
The 2014 Bayhawks season could certainly be described as inconsistent. Many players had standout performances, but there were also games where the defending champs squad just couldn’t connect.
The first few losses of the season were plagued with offensive droughts, putting the Bayhawks behind by too many goals to turn around the score. Stats record the Bayhawks second in shots and groundballs to many of their opponents, making it very difficult for the final result to end up in their favor.
Chesapeake are terrific roster builders and they will get better with high draft picks, plus injured players returning. Kip Turner will be back from a broken thumb looking to have the terrific season he had been on pace for as well.
