After starting the 2013 Major League Lacrosse season with three straight road wins, the Denver Outlaws will host the Rochester Rattlers is their home-opener at Sports Authority Field at Mile High May 18.
“We are 3-0, but we are a precarious 3-0,” Head Coach Jim Stagnitta said. “We have played great in stretches and there have been times where we have let our opponents back into the game.”
Denver is coming off of a 14-10 win over the Boston Cannons, in which midfielder Drew Snider led the scoring with five goals and goalie Jesse Schwartzman held steady in net with 17 saves.
“He (Drew Snider) shoots the ball very well. He can dodge and break you down both in unsettled situations and in six-on-six,” Stagnitta said about using defensive midefielder Snider on offense. “His effort and Jesse’s (Schwartzman) effort went a long way to get us a win on the road last week.”
The Outlaws have seen offensive success from a variety of sources this season, as attackman Chris Bocklet put up six goals in the season-opener for the Outlaws and 2012 MLL MVP attackman Brendan Mundorf leads the team with five assists.
The Rattlers are led by attackman Ned Crotty and midfielder Matt Striebel on offense, and are coming off their first win of the season. While the Rochester has threats on its offense that the Outlaws will focus on, Denver’s main goal will be to play their style of lacrosse more consistently.
“Certainly there are some guys on their team, from a defensive standpoint, that we’ll make sure we have the proper matchup for,” Stagnitta said. “But, we just need to do what we do on a more consistent basis.”
The Outlaws have had success agains Rochester in recent memory, sweeping the season series in 2012 and beating them by an average of about four goals. With offensive scoring threats across the field – and a defensive core led by Schwartzman in goal and nine-year veteran defenseman Lee Zink in front of him – home field advantage may be too much for the Rattlers to overcome.
Denver faces off agains Rochester at 7 p.m. EST in their first home match of the 2013 MLL season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
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