Cannons Rain on Pride's Parade, 15-14(OT)
by gracie on June 1, 2003 |  | | | | | Boston Cannons | 15 | | New Jersey Pride | 14 | | | | Scoring: | Scoring: | Michael Watson
David Evans
Conor Gill
Steve Dusseau
Tim Byrnes
Peter Inge
Mike Battista
| (4, 0)
(2, 2)
(2, 2)
(2, 1)
(2, 1)
(1, 1)
(1, 0)
| Jesse Hubbard
David Curry
Jon Hess
Scott Dooley
Joe Ghedina
Greg Traynor
| (4, 0)
(4, 0)
(0, 3)
(2, 0)
(2, 0)
(2, 0)
| | | | Saves: | Saves: | Kevin O'brien
| 22 (0.611)
| Trevor Tierney
| 23 (0.605)
| | | | Current Record : (1-0) | Current Record : (0-1) | | | | Team Page For 2003 | Team Page For 2003 | | | | | | The Game Story: | |
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A late fourth quarter monsoon on the eve of June, a 3-goal deficit (11-14) with less than 1:30 in regulation, slick grass, and the sight of fans retreating for dryer grounds (~5K total), made the 15-14 OT home-opener win for the Boston Cannons all the more sweet. Michael Watson's (UVA '97) back-to-back goals (2 of 4), less than one minute apart, sent the game into overtime for the Cannons. David Evans (Brown '96) scored the decisive game winner off an assist from Connor Gill (UVA '02).
Statistical review
Shots on goal: NJ (52), Boston (48). Saves: NJ (23), Boston (22), Faceoffs: NJ (12/18), Boston (6/18) [based on MLL stat sheet], GBC: NJ (27), Boston (28), EMO: NJ (1/5), Boston (0/2)
Goals: NJ - David Curry (4 pts - 2 goals, 1 (2pt) goal), Jesse Hubbard (4g), Jon Hess (3a), Scott Dooley (2g), Greg Traynor (2g), Joe Ghedina (2g). Boston - Michael Watson (4g), Connor Gill (3g, 2a), Tim Byrnes (2g, 1a), Steve Dusseau (2g, 1a), David Evans (1g, 2a), Peter Inge (1g, 2a), Scott Doyle (1g).
Starting line-ups
New Jersey: Attack - Jon Hess (Princeton '98), Jesse Hubbard (Princeton '98), Scott Urick (Georgetown '00), Midfield - David Curry (UVA '97), Greg Traynor (UVA '95), Joe Ghedina (Hofstra '99), Face-off - Peter Jacobs (JHU '95), Defense - Rodger Colbert (Georgetown '01), Dave Stilley (Duke '97), Todd Rassas (Notre Dame '98), Goal - Trevor Tierney (Princeton '01)
Boston: Attack - David Evans (Brown '96), Connor Gill (UVA '02), Michael Watson (UVA '97), Midfield - Mike Regan (Butler '00), Mike Battista (Loyola '00), Brian Silcott (Nazareth ?93), Face-off - Peter Inge (S. Australia '00), Defense - Ryan Curtis (UVA '00), Brian Kuczma (JHU '97), Chris Sullivan (Brown '01), Goal - Kevin O?Brien (Georgetown '99)
Head-to-head
Entering Saturday's meeting, New Jersey dominates the series 4-0. Three of the four games played over the past three years have been decided by two goals or less. In 2002, New Jersey beat the Cannons 16-15 (OT) on 12 July and 18-16 on 01 August.
Game brief
In 1996, a then Princeton sophomore Jesse Hubbard alongside teammate Jon Hess was a part of the Tiger team to go on to defeat UVA 13-12 in OT. Junior Cavalier Michael Watson would watch his opponents walk away with a title that mirrored the 1994 campaign where Princeton again defeated UVA in the NCAA finals 9-8 in OT. Fast forward seven years later, change up the jerseys, shift the geography, add a modest paycheck, and call it an odd twist of fate. What better what to chase a championship by your alma matter than to have a chance for an old school rematch.
The Cannons? class of Virginia grads had a strong outing against the Princeton-heavy New Jersey crew. Boston?s Connor Gill was the first to take offensive initiative and dish off the game-winning assist. Gill?s off ball movement help to generate many of the offensive plays. Cannons Michael Watson came up with his patented dive goal and added clutch equalizer that sent the game into OT. Defensively, Ryan Curtis didn?t make it easy for Jersey?s Jesse Hubbard.
New Jersey came out with their top guns firing away. The Pride got good looks on the net early and offensively was very quick with the release. They out shot the Cannons in the first three quarters and were able to dominate the face-off. It wasn?t necessarily Pride?s Peter Jacobs? extra 45 lbs on Cannon?s Peter Inge, as it was the extra 8 in. reach off the whistle. The Cannons plugged in Tim Byrnes and Brian Silcott in the circle. Inge?s quickness did payoff huge dividends when it counted late in the fourth. Michael Watson easily converted Inge?s possession of the faceoff into the game-tying goal.
New Jersey had plenty of opportunities to close the deal even through over time. David Curry had a nice look on goal and shot wide and Curry lost a prized possession with less than two minutes into overtime as held onto the ball too long and gave the Cannon?s defense to lock on the double and force the turnover. Defensively, Colbert was the most effective match for any speed on the Cannons offense. Unfortunately, in the end the defense was slow on the slide and left Evans exposed too long up top. Gill drew the help defender on the left side crease roll and fed Evans up top who ripped one behind Tierney to hit top left corner as he was moving to his right to recover. Tierney sank to one knee.
Game detail
New Jersey banged out of the gates and didn?t waste any time going to goal off possession of the face off. Hubbard got a mouth full of grass on the dive and O?Brien came up with several point blank saves. O?Brien?s hard work was short lived as he overthrew the ball on the clear. Joe Ghedina found the back of the net first on a lefty crank from outside right that hit the top pipe and bounced back in (1-0) at 1:34 into the first. Jersey took the face-off and you could already see the Curtis? footwork on Hubbard playing out. Both teams traded possession. Boston took predictable shots and it wasn?t until MLL 2002 rookie of the year Connor Gill worked the shake and bake up top, burned his defender, and got the lefty whip it in the low right corner (1-1) at 4:46.
Boston got the faceoff, but Peter Inge got hammered in traffic. David Curry scored off an assist from the playmaker himself, Jon Hess. Curry worked the smoke screens and shot high which rebounded off of O?Brien?s helmet into the back of the net (2-1) at 5:34. Pride controlled the faceoff and took it straight to goal but was called for the crease offense. Hometown favorite Mike Battista came up with the equalizer from way out with a lefty low left crank (2-2) at 10:55.
The Boston defense stepped it up and stripped Scott Urick in the hole. Ryan Curtis got called on the affectionate x-check at 12:38. 20 seconds later, New Jersey converted on EMO. Hess on X gave it up to Scott Dooley got the quick stick facial over O?Brien?s right shoulder (3-2) at 12:55. Boston leveled the playing field and closed out the scoring in the first quarter. Tim Byrnes inbounded the ball on the caused turnover on the ride and drew the double up top and dished off to Evans who was parallel parked 5 yds away. Evans got the low to high sweeper in the top right corner at 13:18 (3-3).
The Cannons outscored New Jersey 4-2 in the second. Both teams got away with a foul-less second and third period performance. Connor Gill rolled the crease and dunked one over Tierney?s shoulder (4-3) at 1:28.
Jersey got the shot clock violation on the possession but was able to regain possession. Jesse Hubbard finally hit the board with a wide open goal on the inside right (4-4) at 2:55. Boston responded with goal from Doyle. Dusseau was behind and dished off to Doyle who was in a staring contest with Tierney and got the dimehole bouncer (5-4) at 4:39.
Boston defense continued to press New Jersey and goalie O?Brien came up with the interception. The Cannons coughed up the ball on a shot clock violation. David Curry smacked the lower left corner (5-5) at 7:14.
The Cannons? lead was extended by two entering the third period. The pace picked up on O and Gill was posting up on Colbert who was a good match in quickness, but Gill was able to protect his stick effectively. In counterclockwise fashion, Boston moved the ball from Gill to Evans to Tim Byrnes who finished the series with a lefty low bouncer. Pride defense was slow on the slide and gave Byrnes a few more less than desired seconds on the look to goal (6-5) at 13:07. Michael Watson followed with a goal less than one minute later on a no look righty shot that went inside right side (7-5) at 13:53.
Jersey outscored Boston 4-3 in the third. New Jersey opened with two early third quarter goals. Joe Ghedina finally mixed up his shot selection (took several low left SOG, which was easily read by O?Brien) and finally converted on a low right shot (6-7) at 1:57. Hubbard came up with the equalizer on the roll dodge at the top and tacked right side (7-7) off an assist from none other than Hess.
Boston responded and banged out three consecutive goals. The middies lost sight of the ball on the face off and Peter Inge got the heads up and the 25-yard lead when he found the ball in Boston territory. Inge dished off to Watson who hit lower left corner at 3:26 (8-7). Gill had the ball on X and fed Byrnes for the easy stickside high goal (9-7) 6:52. Inge took possession of the faceoff and beat the defender to the ball and went to goal hitting low right corner for 10-7 at 7:02.
New Jersey wrapped up the scoring in the third with a goal from Hubbard on a lefty low left shot (unassisted) for 8-10. One minute later, Greg Traynor scored on a lefty low right shot (9-10) with 11 seconds left in the period.
Pride outscored Boston 5-4 in the fourth, however it would be the Cannons to score first. Dusseau would get the spinning jumper that hit lower right corner (11-9) at 1:45. David Curry responded with a nasty two pointer that hit upper shelf for 11-11. At this point, the rain started coming down and things got a little sloppy. Greg Traynor got a taste of the top right corner on the crease roll elevating the Pride 12-11. Scott Dooley followed with a weave on the crease and sidewinder low shot (13-11) at 6:43. Hubbard rounded out the Pride?s scoring bonanza with a snagged rebound (14-11).
The prognosis for the Cannons did not look rosy, with less than 1:30, 3-goal deficit, and downpour fitting of arc-construction-collection fund. Boston has been steadily improving over the past three years in finishing up strong and Saturday was no exception. Dusseau scored on a jumper over Tierney?s left shoulder narrowing the margin by two, 12-14. UVA alum showed the kids how it was done with the dive with less than one minute left (13-14). A mere seven seconds later, Watson got the ball from Inge on the fast break series and shot low right (14-14). New Jersey took possession of the faceoff but was unable to convert with the clock running out.
Boston took the ball in the circle but was unable to hold onto it. New Jersey worked the ball down low but David Curry took a wild shot that went wide. He was then stripped of the ball moments later. Five seconds after the TV timeout. Connor Gill drove the left side lip of the crease drawing the help defender leaving Evans exposed up top for the easy shot that hit top right corner. Tierney was pulled out of position and was moving to the right as Evans shot behind him.
Final score: Boston 15, NJ 14 (OT).
Tonight?s game will air on ESPN 2, Tuesday at 15:00.
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