Boston, Massachusetts – There were fireworks from the start and Charlotte came away with the victory over Boston, 17-14. With the win, the victorious Hounds head back to North Carolina breaking their three game losing streak.
Boston midfielder Josh Hawkins boxed out his counterpart, which enabled a fast break, and second ten seconds into contest. The visiting Hounds were able to answer on their first possession as Mike Chanenchuk would answer. It would be a sign as twelve goals were scored in the first quarter.
Captain Max Seibald would score a two-point goal that beat Charlotte goalie, Charlie Cipriano. That would be the largest lead of the quarter. The Hounds would get the next two goals to tie the game at 3. Joe McCallion and Brendan Fowler would score in a span of 12 seconds.
Charlotte’s John Haus would give the Hounds their first lead of the game. Boston would have an answer. Brent Adams would have a few shots, but would finally find the goal to tie the game at four. Will Haus would give the lead back to the Hounds on the next possession at 5-4, assist credited to rookie Ryan Brown.
Boston would answer and then retake the lead. Greg Melaugh would get the first to tie and James Fahey would give them the lead back. After a Brandon Mullins penalty, Charlotte’s extra-man offense would tie the game at 6. Brown scored off a pick-down play as rookie Dylan Donahue found him open.
The ferocious scoring would end with 7.9 seconds left when Boston would score on their extra-man opportunity. Davey Emala was open in front of the goal and was found by Justin Turri to end the quarter at 7-6.
The second quarter would see its first goal scored with 7:48 left in the half. Josh Hawkins scored in transition, his second of the game. Boston regained their early two-goal advantage from the first quarter.
The lead would be cut to one when Pat Young, whose is coming off a strong NCAA Tournament performance, was found open with time running low on the shot clock. The start of the second quarter finally settled down when the scoring opened, as both teams were plagued with turnovers.
The game would be tie at 8 when Donahue found linemate Joey Sankey open. Sankey would slide under the defense and Cannon goalie Tyler Fiorito had little chance to make the save. John Haus would give his team the lead back with just over two minutes left in the half.
As Charlotte began transitioning the ball upfield, with an opportunity to have an extra attacker, a turnover led to Boston regaining possession and ended with an Emala goal. The game would rest at halftime tied at 9.
Charlotte would open the scoring on their first extra-man opportunity of the half. Brown found John Haus to complete his hat trick. After nearing taking a two goal lead, the Cannons took the ball off their own goal line and Adams would race end-to-end to tie the game. On the following face off, Joe Nardella would score to retake the lead, 11-10.
McCallion would tie the score on his second goal of the game. Sankey found McCallion in the middle and would score before being sandwiched by three defenders. Neither team was able to pull away from the other through the third quarter.
Opening the fourth quarter, Charlotte would get its first two goal lead of the game. After a failed transition opportunity for the Cannons, the Hounds would get a transition opportunity back. Mike Chanenchuk would score a two-point goal after being found by John Haus. Charlotte lead 13-11 in the opening minute of the quarter.
The largest lead of the game at three-goals was held when McCallion earned his hat trick. Boston’s Brodie Merrill was able to cut into the lead on the following face off and then again on the face off after that. With 11:56, the lead was 14-13 in favor of Charlotte.
For the third face off in succession, Josh Hawkins scored in transition tying the game at 14. The Cannons kept winning possession on the draw. The differential would have been much more in favor of the Cannons, but Hounds goalie Charlie Cipriano was stellar backstopping the defense for the visitors.
Charlotte would score the next two goals to retake the lead. First, Brown would score on an extra man opportunity, the same for which he scored earlier. Mike Chanenchuk would score on the following possession, pushing the score to 16-14 with 9:12 left in the contest.
Sankey would then increase the lead to three goals as the run continued for the visitors. After a penalty was assessed to Sankey, defender Ryan Flanagan was able to pick off a pass to thwart the Cannon opportunity. Sankey ran in after the penalty was released and immediately drove on his defender, beating Fiorito high. The Hounds led 17-14 with 4:05 left.
Charlotte was able to run out the clock to conclude the game. Charlotte moves to 4-3 on the season and will play winless Florida next weekend. Boston will travel to New York to face the defending champion Lizards next.
