One thing we never expected to see again was a North American Lacrosse League uniform in action.
That’s what we saw on Saturday night when the Baltimore Bombers made their return as they edged past the New Jersey Lasersharks by a score of 8-7. It was the return of pro players such as Jeff Joy, Ginny Capicchioni, Will Harrington, Matt Hickman, and more.
Many of these players derive from the Baltimore Indoor Lacrosse League, and they played at the league’s arena, Myers Pavilion, in front of a packed crowd on Saturday night.
Baltimore started out looking like the more prepared team and it certainly looked like they had the more established roster. Less than a minute into the game it was Ryan Wheeler who got things started with Baltimore as he dove in front of the crease to beat Brian Kusterer.
The Bombers scored again with a goal from Harrington, who has also seen time in Major League Lacrosse, and Baltimore was cruising at 2-0. Hickman gave New Jersey their first goal to bring them within one.
Baltimore opened the second quarter with another Wheeler goal before the ‘Sharks could smell blood in the water, and they attacked.
Four consecutive goals from the Lasersharks were led by Anthony Terranova, Justin Synoweiz, and two from Justin Otto. Both Otto and Synoweiz were former Bombers and were actually the only players traded in NALL history from Baltimore to Rhode Island in 2013.
Tyler Midwinter, a star in the BILL and former member of Major Series Lacrosse’s Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks, scored for Baltimore to bring them back before New Jersey once again netted a score from Terranove.
By this point, the Lasersharks led 6-4 and things looked bleak for a Baltimore squad who were strugging to get positive offensive possessions and a defense that was letting up many shots on goal. That was until Erik Holt charged the net for Baltimore and Zach Clark found himself wide open in front and they tied the game at six.
Ben Todd, who had been playing so well all game battling for loose balls and settling the offense, gave the Bombers the go-ahead goal and they led 7-6 late in the contest.
Harrington scored his second of the game to lead 8-6, and even when Matt Hickman scored again for New Jersey, the Bombers still had an insurance goal.
New Jersey made a run at the end of the game with several wide-open looks in front of the crease, but goaltender Ginny Capicchioni shut the door with several huge saves in the final minute of the game.
Harrington led the Bombers with two goals while they also saw tallies from Wheeler. Garrett Ince, Midwinter, Clark, and Todd. New Jersey saw two goal performances from Hickman, Terranova, and Otto. Dave DiRiso had an assist for New jersey while Scott Joyner and Jeff Joy also saw the score sheet in Baltimore.
Capicchioni made 33 saves to lead the game and held New Jersey to seven goals. Kusterer made 28 saves for the Lasersharks. Julian Maliszewski and JP Dalton split faceoff duty, each winning six to total for 12. Bruce Pirie won six gaceoffs for New Jersey.
Overall the game was very chippy and despite this, there was just one penalty call all game as PJ Martin for New Jersey took a holding call. There could have been many other penalties with several open-field hits and stick checks that created loose ball opportunities.
Several of the players we saw on the floor on Saturday night will return to the BILL in 2015, along with the Ales Hrebesky tournament in the Czech Republic.
