The Outlaws (7-0) return to Sports Authority Field at Mile High June 22 to close out their season series with the Ohio Machine (1-6). Denver is coming off a hard-fought win over Chesapeake to remain undefeated, while the Machine earned their first victory of the season over Rochester last week.
“To come out of there (Chesapeake) – considering where we were last time we played them – to come out of there with a win, go on the road against not just a good team, but a team that’s battling to maintain their supremacy, we’re certainly very pleased to come out of there and have a win,” Stagnitta said about the win versus the Bayhawks.
Denver gave Ohio their second loss of the season May 4 in a 13-8 game that was broken open for the Outlaws in the third quarter. Attackmen Matt Bocklet netted a hat trick, while 2012 MVP Brendan Mundorf returned to the lineup since injury took him out of the playoffs last season.
Since then the Outlaws have gone undefeated, including scoring 20 or more goals in each home win, and added a dangerous rookie that is making an immediate impact. Attackman Eric Law has given the offense a boost with 9 goals in two games, and has been the game MVP and Rookie of the Week in back-to-back weeks.
“Well I would tell you from the first weekend I thought it was a factor of – he’s very good off the ball, has great instincts and certainly was well coached,” Stagnitta said about Law’s contribution in his first two MLL games.
Despite the team’s undefeated record, Stagnitta feels that there is a lot of room for improvement for Denver to be playing its best lacrosse.
“When you play once a week and you don’t practice every day, I think unlike college, there are different times when you’re going to peak,” Stagnitta said. “…As I told the guys the other day after the game, good teams find ways to win games on days when they don’t play great.”
Denver has an unbeaten all-time record versus Ohio, sweeping the season series last year and beating the Machine earlier in this season. With a full squad that is firing on all cylinders available, the Outlaws will look to extend their franchise record 13-game regular-season winning streak at home.
The Outlaws and Machine, currently the best and worst teams in the MLL, will face off at 4 p.m. EST June 22 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver
