Ohio Machine Earn 2017 MLL Championship With 17-12 Win – With Highlights
Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in Featured Posts, Florida Lacrosse News, Launch/MLL/NLL/Women’s Pro, MLL Around The League.
via MLL press release – photos via MLL web site
BOXSCORE
GAME RECAP
DALLAS (August, 19, 2017) – For the first time in the history of the franchise, the Ohio Machine are Champions of Major League Lacrosse after beating the Denver Outlaws, 17-12 on Saturday night at Ford Center at the Star in Dallas in front of 7,543.
Marcus Holman was named the Coca-Cola Most Valuable Player after scoring four goals and adding two assists. He netted the go-ahead goal at 7:45 in the fourth quarter that eventually gave Ohio the win.
The Outlaws, who won the 2016 Championship game against this very Ohio team, took a 7-6 lead into the locker room at halftime after rookie Zach Currier and Mike Bocklet scored consecutive goals just over a minute apart at the end of the second quarter.
In the third quarter, two goals from Wes Berg and a strike from Drew Snider gave Denver its largest lead of the game at 10-6. Ohio responded with a three-goal run of its own to head into the fourth quarter trailing 10-9.
The teams alternated goals until Jake Bernhardt scored on a shot from the perimeter at 5:01 that started a seven-goal run for the Machine. Faceoff man Greg Puskuldjian scored his first goal of the season when he won a draw and took it in himself with a shot that beat Jack Kelly and tied the score at 12-12.
Holman netted three goals in a four-minute span following that play to help seal the win for the Machine.
PLAYERS OF NOTE
Marcus Holman (4 goals, 2 assists) finished the playoffs with six goals and five assists. He now has two game-winning goals in the postseason in his career.
Playing in the first MLL Championship Game of his career, rookie Connor Cannizzaro scored four goals for the Machine.
Matt Kavanagh scored a team-high four goals and added two assists for Denver.
The Coca-Cola MVP of last year’s Championship Game, Eric Law, had four points (2 goals, 2 assists).