Two teams with high hopes for the playoffs will face off on Saturday when Rochester travels to Ohio to face the Machine. The Rattlers are tied for second in the Major League Lacrosse standings with a 4-2 record while Ohio is 2-4, but just one game out of a playoff spot.
After a dominant season-opening win over Charlotte, Ohio has lost four of its last five games, but has been close every time. The team’s biggest loss is by two goals as the Machine fell to Denver (14-12), Florida (10-9), New York (11-9) and Boston (17-16). Ohio defeated Chesapeake 15-11 in that stretch to stay in the playoff race. The Machine are trying to get over that hump and start reeling off victories.
Ohio’s roster is loaded with young talent. Last week, the squad fell to Boston 17-16 as the Cannons scored the game’s final two goals to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal victory. Logan Schuss was the story offensively with eight points behind four goals and four assists.
The Machine are led offensively by five players owning 15 or more points. Four are young players, along with veteran Kyle Harrison. Marcus Holman leads the way with 18 points while Peter Baum has 17, Harrison and Logan Schuss 16 and Steele Stanwick 15. Another young player, Tom Schreiber, is next up with nine points.
Brian Phipps and Scott Rodgers have split time in goal with Phipps owning the advantage in GAA (9.93) and Rodgers in save percentage (55.4).
Saturday marks Ohio’s second straight home game. In total, the Machine are home five times in a seven-game stretch which runs through July 26.
Meanwhile, the visiting Rattlers enter Saturday on a two-game winning streak, beating Florida (18-11) and Chesapeake (8-7), both at home. The Rattlers will be eying their first road victory—they’re 4-0 at home, but 0-2 on the road.
Last weekend, Kevin Leveille became the MLL’s all-time leading goal scorer, scoring the game-winning in the second overtime, the first double-overtime game in league history. He led the way with a hat trick while Mark Matthews scored twice. The goalies were the story as Rochester’s John Galloway stopped 21-of-28 shots sent his way and Kip Turner stopped 18-of-26.
Leveille is second on the Rattlers with 14 points this season (nine goals, five assists). Justin Turri leads the way with 15 points (nine goals, one two-point goal, five assists) while four others have also recorded double-figure points.
Rochester will need to improve its play on the road as the Rattlers play two straight and four of their next five games away from home. Ohio will look to get back into the playoff picture while Rochester hopes to solidify its spot among the league’s elite teams. The Rattlers can’t back down as six teams are within two games of each other in the MLL standings.
