Major League Lacrosse, the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced the weekly award winners for Week 14 of the 2013 season, which concluded on August 11. The winners are chosen every week by the League, and are based on outstanding in-game achievements. Matt Striebel of the Rochester Rattlers took home Warrior Offensive Player of the Week, while Jesse Schwartzman of the Denver Outlaws earned Warrior Defensive Player of the Week. Cascade Rookie of the Week went to New York’s JoJo Marasco. This week’s awards finalize the 2013 regular season, and postseason awards will be announced throughout the next two weeks.
Striebel drove the Rattlers to a 23-14 finish over the Boston Cannons, solidifying a 6-8 record, and fifth place in the League standings. The 13-year veteran rifled in three two-point goals, tying Chesapeake’s Kyle Dixon for most two-point goals in a single game this season. Striebel upped his season total to eight two-pointers which led the League this year, and matched the midfielder’s 2012 seventh place single-season record. He improved his career numbers to 22, seventh place in career two-pointers. Striebel hit back-to-back deuces in the second quarter en route to a season high seven point performance. He finished the season with 29 points, the second leading scorer on Rochester’s roster.
Schwartzman anchored the Denver Outlaws’ 18-12 victory over the Hamilton Nationals, accomplishing an untouched 14-0 record this season. The goaltender tallied 16 saves and a .688 save percentage in the win. Schwartzman finished this season with the best numbers of his career. His 9.67 goals-against average [GAA] broke the single-season GAA record, topping his previous record and making his fourth appearance on the list. He improved his career GAA to 11.28, now the record holder in that category, ousting Boston’s Jordan Burke from the top spot. This is Schwartzman’s third time this season earning Warrior Defensive Player of the Week, and is the lead contender for Goalie of the Year. Denver will play the Charlotte Hounds in Championship Weekend, presented by Smartlink on August 24 at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.
In New York’s final game of the season, Marasco helped lead the Lizards to a 14-11 win over the Ohio Machine. Awarded Player of the Game for his performance, the midfielder tallied a career high five points, coming off of three goals and two assists. All three strikes came in the fourth quarter to tie up the game and give New York their final lead of the night. The Syracuse University graduate has really come alive as of late, scoring eight of his nine points this season in the past two weekends. Marasco is part of a great New York rookie class, and should prove to be an asset in the Lizard’s future.
Warrior Offensive Player of the Week
Week 1 – Kyle Dixon (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
Week 2 – Ben Rubeor (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
Week 3 – Ned Crotty (Rochester Rattlers)
Week 4 – Ryan Boyle (Boston Cannons)
Week 5 – Stephen Keogh (Hamilton Nationals)
Week 6 – Drew Westervelt (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
Week 7 – Joe Cummings (Ohio Machine)
Week 8 – Matt Danowski (Charlotte Hounds)
Week 9 – Kevin Leveille (Rochester Rattlers)
Week 10 – Paul Rabil (Boston Cannons)
Week 11 – Casey Powell (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
Week 12 – Garrett Thul (Hamilton Nationals)
Week 13 – Matt Danowski (Charlotte Hounds)
Week 14 – Matt Striebel (Rochester Rattlers)
Warrior Defensive Player of the Week
Week 1 – Greg Gurenlian (New York Lizards)
Week 2 – Brodie Merrill (Hamilton Nationals)
Week 3 – Jesse Schwartzman (Denver Outlaws)
Week 4 – Lee Zink (Denver Outlaws)
Week 5 – John Galloway (Rochester Rattlers)
Week 6 – John Galloway (Rochester Rattlers)
Week 7 – Greg Gurenlian (New York Lizards)
Week 8 – Tucker Durkin (Hamilton Nationals)
Week 9 – Jesse Schwartzman (Denver Outlaws)
Week 10 – Tucker Durkin (Hamilton Nationals)
Week 11 – Adam Ghitelman (Charlotte Hounds)
Week 12 – Lee Zink (Denver Outlaws)
Week 13 – Jesse Bernhardt (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
Week 14 – Jesse Schwartzman (Denver Outlaws)
Cascade Rookie of the Week
Week 4 – Mike Sawyer (Charlotte Hounds)
Week 5 – Rob Pannell (New York Lizards)
Week 6 – Eric Law (Denver Outlaws)
Week 7 – Eric Law (Denver Outlaws)
Week 8 – Will Manny (Boston Cannons)
Week 9 – Cam Flint (Boston Cannons)
Week 10 – Kevin Cooper (Chesapeake Bayhawks)
Week 11 – Logan Schuss (Ohio Machine)
Week 12 – Dave Lawson (Rochester Rattlers)
Week 13 – Logan Schuss (Ohio Machine)
Week 14 – JoJo Marasco (New York Lizards)
