Delaware, Ohio – The Ohio Machine earned a hard fought two goal victory against the Chesapeake Bayhawks and in doing so pushed the Bayhawks to the bottom of the league standings. Ohio came out strong putting the pressure on the visiting Bayhawks, scoring the first four goals of the game to take the lead.
The Bayhawks began to answer the first quarter run as Joe Walters scored, beating Brian Phipps high. Walters has been a steady source of production since his arrival after the NLL season concluded. Ben Hunt cut the lead to two with a tally, assisted by Drew Westervelt. On their third straight possession, Walters found a cutting Brandon Benn to cut the lead to one at 4-3.
Kyle Harrison, recently named to Team USA roster, increased the Machine lead to two as he scored his twentieth goal of the season. Walters again tallied to bring the Bayhawks within one at 5-4. The first quarter would end with the teams trading possessions, but the defenses held and Ohio remained in the lead.
Steven Brooks opened the second quarter scoring to tie the game. This tied the game for the first time since the game opened. The Bayhawks got their first lead when midfielder David Earl scored from the top, beating Phipps low. Harrison tied the game at six with his goal dodging from his midfield position.
Benn found Walters to give the Bayhawks again. Matt Abbott dodged, found Benn in the middle, and he found Walters as defensive pressure converged inside. The Bayhawks led 7-6. Attackman Drew Westervelt scored to give the visitors a two-goal lead, but off the ensuing face-off midfielder Bobby Dattilo scored to cut the lead to one beating Bayhawk goalie Tyler Fiorito.
Ohio rookie midfielder Rob Guida scored his first career goal to tie the game yet again, this time at eight. Fiorito made an incredible save and in transition back, Bayhawks Dan Burns scored his first goal to give Chesapeake the lead at 9-8. The lead would hold as both teams went into the locker room at halftime.
Marcus Holman started the scoring early in the second half and this time the home team leaped over the visitors with a two-point tally. Brandon Benn scored his second of the game to give the lead again back to the Bayhawks with a difficult goal the he shot around his defender in tight. Walters found Westervelt, who cut behind his defender, to increase the lead to 12-10 in favor of the Bayhawks.
The deficit was cut to one as Jake Bernhardt, whose brother plays for the opposition, scored with 1.5 seconds left in the third quarter. As both teams prepared for the final stanza, the lead was never more than two goals after the initial Ohio barrage to open the game.
Marcus Holman tied the game at 12 as Brian Farrell found him in transition. Joe Walters scored for the Bayhawks to earn their final lead of the game. The next tie of the game was met when Peter Baum scored and his goal tied the league lead with twenty-seven on the season. He would score his second consecutive goal to give the Machine the lead at 14-13 and take the league lead at twenty-eight.
With 2:18 remaining in the contest, Bayhawk midfielder Matt Mackrides scored the final goal for the visitors. Jake Bernhardt scored the game winner for the Machine, his third game winner of his young career. Holman finished the scoring to give Ohio the final count at 16-14.
