BOCA RATON, Fla.— The Launch silenced the Charlotte Hounds in a decisive 18-12 victory as they closed out their home schedule for the 2017 season in front of 2079 fans at FAU Stadium.
After dropping their first meeting to the Hounds, the Launch stepped out onto the field with redemption in mind. A six-goal scoring run in the second half headed by rookie Dylan Molloy (6G, 1A) gave the Launch substantial momentum that kept them in the lead indefinitely.
With Will Gural dominating at the X, going 19 for 30, the Launch put on one of their best offensive performances of the season. Point leader Molloy went on a three-goal scoring streak to kick off the second quarter that played a monumental role is his career-best performance. His dominating presence on the field earned him Coca-Cola Player of the Game honours. Kieran McArdle tallied three goals and two assists.
“I think it’s a little bit of everything we did today as well as playing with a little bit of swagger,” Gural said of the win.
Goalie Austin Kaut’s performance in the cage kept the Launch alive, tallying a staggering 22 saves against the Hounds.
“That’s a team effort, that’s not an individual stat. That’s a defensive stat as a whole. They’re doing great job of communicating, sliding and recovering, giving up the outside shot, and that’s what leads us to success,” Kaut said.
With their win over the Hounds, the Launch are the third team in the MLL this season to reach seven wins, just behind the Ohio Machine and the Denver Outlaws. The Launch finish their home schedule with a 5-2 record.
