thanks to Megan Danner for the game preview   What: Game #3 Who: Florida Launch (0-2) at Rochester Rattlers (1-2) When: Sunday, May 3 – 1 PM Where: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium How: TV: www.espn3.com (Live)   Game #3 Preview The Florida Launch takes to the road for its third game of 2015 as they take clash with the Rochester Rattlers at Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium on Sunday, May 3 at 1:00 pm. The Launch is still looking for its first win in the season while Rochester looks to return to .500. Reigning MLL Rookie of the Year Kieran McArdle looks to continue his transition from rookie phenomenon to superstar with 10 points in the first two games for a league-best five points per game average.   Launch vs. Rattlers Series In its inaugural season, the Florida Launch could not avoid the sweep by the Rochester Rattlers. Jordan Hall paced the Launch in the two games with identical three goals, one assist outings. Casey Powell and Kieran McArdle also logged five points apiece in the two games. At the face-off position, Chris Mattes has had success versus the Rattlers at the center line. In the June 20 contest at FAU Stadium Mattes posted 18 face-off wins, the second-most in Launch history, and won 64 percent of the face-offs he participated in which is tied for second. Both of the current Launch goalies got experience facing the Rattlers offense in the 2014 series, with Brett Queener saving 20 shots in 100 minutes of play while Adam Fullerton had a pair of saves in 20 minutes on the field.  

  Game #2 Recap The Launch concluded the 2015 instalment of the Chesapeake Bayhawks series on Sunday, April 26 with a 15-11 loss at home. Despite surrendering the first goal of the contest in the opening minute, the Launch responded with goals from Casey Powell, Steven Brooks and Mike Poppleton in a 90 second span to go up 3-1. The Bayhawks scored four goals to close out the quarter. In the second frame Brooks added two more goals for his first hat trick of the season but no other Launch scored in the 15 minutes while the Bayhawks doubled its score to go up 10-5 at the intermission. After another two-goal result in the third quarter, Kieran McArdle started the final quarter with two goals a minute apart followed by Roman Lao-Gosney who chipped in his second goal of the afternoon and Brooks for his fourth of the day. Chesapeake responded to Brooks’ goal ended the rally and the scoring for the game.   Coach’s Corner  

  Ricci on the Go: “PT played a great game between the lines, he was able to pick up groundballs and push the transition. I think if opposing teams give him the opportunity and the room he will continue to push the ball, giving him transition opportunities.” Learning from Losses: “I think the team learned that playing fundamental team defense and offense is extremely important.  We must capitalize on our opportunities and our opponents’ mistakes” Keys to Rochester: “I think the key to beating Rochester is finishing the ball at the offensive end of the field. John Galloway has been playing great between the pipes and we are going to have to shoot the ball very well.  We will also need to figure out how to guard the big midfielders and lastly find a way to slow down Jordan Wolf.” Powell Getting His Groove Back: “I think Casey just needs to do a better job of picking and choosing his opportunities and let the game come to him a little bit but this is still very early in the season so he has a lot of time to shine.”   Launch Together April Showers Bring May Flowers: Despite starting the season with an 0-2 record, the Florida Launch have little to worry about as it enters its most productive month. In its inaugural season, the Launch went a perfect 3-0, defeating future MLL playoff team the Ohio Machine. During the second month of the season, Casey Powell and Kieran McArdle both posted five goal outings, a feat only done four times in Launch history. Powell also has his Launch-record six assist exhibition in the month of May. Goalie Brett Queener looks his finest in the fifth month of the year, saving at least 15 and 62 percent of the shots he faces. Déjà Vu: In 2014 the Florida Launch dropped its inaugural game with a four-point difference on April 26 versus Denver but turned things around and defeated Charlotte with a three-point difference on May 3 for the first ever Launch win. On April 26, 2015 the Launch fell to the Bayhawks with a four-point difference and now look to keep up the May 3 tradition with another three-point difference win over the Rattlers. Starting a New Run: After scoring 11 goals in Game #2 vs. the Bayhawks, the Launch looks to start a new streak of consecutive games with double-digit goals. The last run, which started at the Launch’s first ever game on April 26, lasted all the way through the 14 game MLL season and ended in the first game of the 2015 season. The Launch were the only club to score double-digit goals in every contest in 2014 and reaching that mark in 94 percent of games ties Denver (reigning MLL Champions) and  New York for best in that span.   Noteworthy Players #6 Kieran McArdle (A) – Two games into the season Kieran McArdle continues to be a pain for opposing defenses. With a balanced six goals and four assists so far he is proving that he can dish the ball to a teammate or score the goal on his own. Now having played in his 14^th MLL game, McArdle has 40 goals and 19 assists for a total of 59 points which would have been second in the league last season.  

  #22 Casey Powell (A) – With Kieran McArdle blowing up, opponents cannot forget about the reigning MLL Player of the Year Casey Powell. Despite a slow start to the season with two goals and one assist, all it takes is one shot to turn him back on. With his one point in the home opener it is just the second time in 16 games that Powell has failed to record multiple points in a game.  

  #1 PT Ricci (D) – In the home opener against Chesapeake, PT Ricci’s offensive game showed a different skillset of the defender. With one goal and one assist in the loss, Ricci matched his entire 2014 offensive numbers in the one contest. Not to be underplayed, Ricci also led the team with 14 groundballs and ranks second in the league last season.  

  #65 Chris Mattes (FO) – With Mike Poppleton back with the squad after being sidelined in 2014 with an injury, Chris Mattes no longer has to handle the face-off load on his own and the results have been positive. After a 50 percent face-off outing in the season opener, Mattes responded with a Launch-record of 69 percent face-off wins.  

  #23 Brett Queener (G) – Despite missing the majority of Game #2 due to injury, Brett Queener has put up exciting numbers protecting the goal. In the season opener Queener saved a Launch record 25 shots and saved four of the five shots he saw in the four minutes on the field versus Chesapeake before his game-ending injury.  

    Up Next: The Florida Launch is back at FAU Stadium on Saturday, May 9, when they take on the Ohio Machine. The teams face-off at 7:00 p.m. Tickets available by visiting www.floridalaunchlacrosse.com/tickets.