Having a 5-8 record going into their last game against Boston was not how the Rochester Rattlers envisioned their season going. Missing the playoffs for the third time in three seasons since coming back into Major League Lacrosse was not how the Rattlers envisioned their season going either. However you decide to look at the 2013 season, one word comes to mind, and that word is disappointment.
The Rattlers were slow out of the gate when the 2013 season opened, registering their first win in the third week of the season after losses to Chesapeake and Boston.
After another loss would drop them to 1-3 on the season, the Rattlers would pull of a two game winning streak to pull their record to .500. Rochester was able to squeak by both Ohio and Boston by two goal margins, 9-7 and 16-14, respectively. This would be the only time throughout the season that the Rattlers would win back to back games, a fact that would make it hard for the Rattlers to hold momentum through the season.
Speaking of momentum, the Rattlers lost any that they had after back to back wins with back to back loses with Ohio avenging their earlier defeat by a score of 13-11. Rochester would then go on to drop another contest to playoff bound Hamilton, putting their record at 3-5.
Not wanting their playoff hopes to diminish completely, the Rattlers were able to claw their way through a tough battle with Long Island and come out victorious, 13-10.
The win against Long Island allowed Rochester to hold onto their playoff hopes for a little while longer, but those hopes were completely squashed after the Rattlers lost back to back games for the third time in the 2013 season. Hamilton swept the season series against Rochester with a 10-6 victory. The loss dropped Rochester to 4-6.
The second half of the third set of back to back loses came at the hands of the Denver Outlaws, 12-9. Dropping their record to 4-7, the Rattlers were hoping that they could salvage at least a .500 season, but that was not the case.
Rochester would snap their two game losing streak by beating Long Island for the second time in 2013 by a one goal margin, 13-12, but again, like the rest of the 2013 season, could not keep the momentum going, losing to Chesapeake 12-8. With this loss, the Rattlers were officially eliminated from the playoff picture.
Pride has become the name of the game for the Rattlers as they close out the 2013 season again Boston on August 10th. While they cannot play for playoff positioning and they cannot finish with a .500 record, the Rattlers are looking to finish the 2013 season on a high note and looking to laying a foundation for being successful in the future.
