Bayhawks Week 9 Preview

7/7/10 10:53 AM

Chesapeake Bayhawks Week 9 Preview

Caitlain Kelley

The Chesapeake Bayhawks returned to Annapolis empty handed after a rain soaked, Independence Day loss to the Denver Outlaws, 12-10. The same team which led the league in week five with a record of 4-1 remains without its pivotal fifth win.

The Bayhawks will try to snap a three-game losing streak at home against the league leading Boston Cannons on Saturday, June 10 at 7 p.m. The Cannons are coming off a 15-13 loss to the Toronto Nationals.

While the Bayhawks enter week 9 with four losses, the most recent loss wasn’t the same. Chesapeake tied the score 1-1 within the first two minutes of the night, a vast difference from the Bayhawks previous losses which all began sluggish with first quarter deficits. This time, they ended the first 3-3 and had a three-goal run in the second quarter to remain tied 6-6 at halftime.

“I thought we played much better than we did in our previous two losses,” said General Manager Spencer Ford of the three-game losing streak. “We came out with a little more pride and played better overall lacrosse. Our defense and goalie really played like champs, to hold a team with as much firepower as Denver to 12 goals is a tremendous effort.”

Denver’s dangerous attack was stymied by the Bayhawks’ defensive unit. Close defenders Joe Cinosky, Michael Evans and Ray Megill shut out Denver’s Drew Westervelt and Matt Brown while keeping Brendan Mundorf at one goal for the night.

The defensive squad will need to continue to play physical to contend with the Cannons’ shooters. Not only does Boston lead the league with a 5-3 record, they have the MLL’s scoring leader, Matt Poskay. With 31 goals on the season, Poskay has yet to be stopped. Add Paul Rabil and rookie Max Quinzani to the mix and the Bayhawks will have to come out ready to stop scoring runs.

Offensively, the Bayhawks didn’t perform to their own standards last weekend. The midfield trio of Kyle Dixon, Pete Poillon and Michael Kimmel remained scoreless all night while Brian Vetter tallied one goal.

“This game is won and lost in the midfield, but transition midfield goals are very important,” said Ford. “We need to control the midfield.”

The Bayhawks have some of the best midfield scoring threats in the MLL and hope to capitalize on that strength against the Cannons. To defeat the Boston defense with Kip Turner in goal (and the possibility of Jordan Burke closing), Poillon and Dixon need to get on the score sheet to spark the Bayhawks offensive effort.

On the offensive end, it wasn’t all bad for the Bayhawks; the attack unit stepped up and posted 8 of 10 goals. Ben Rubeor registered his first hat-trick of the season, Danny Gladding put two away and rookie Brian Carroll scored a goal in his MLL debut. Newly acquired Chazz Woodson showed off his acrobatic moves to contribute his first two goals for the Bayhawks.

Alex Smith, the Bayhawks’ world-class face-off specialist, fell to Outlaws’ rookie Andrew Hennessey last week. Smith recorded a mere 12-26 wins. Chesapeake’s reliance on Smith at the X plagues the team’s ground balls and creates missed opportunities on both ends of the field. The Bayhawks have recorded the second lowest number of ground balls on the season. With only 202, they’re barely seven balls ahead of the Toronto Nationals. According to Ford, the ground balls are holding the Bayhawks back. He added, “If we fix the little problems, we’ll be okay.”

The Bayhawks played better lacrosse last week and anticipate a second victory over the Boston Cannons.

“I hope we make [Boston’s] goalies make saves and beat us, we can’t keep beating ourselves,” said Ford.

2010 Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend presented by Warrior

August 21-22, Annapolis, MD

For information and tickets go to www.majorleaguelacrosse.com