Eduardo Curros – Western Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
Week Two of the Premier Lacrosse League in Charlotte had the Utah Archers matching up against the Boston Cannons. Both clubs have been among the upper echelon teams during the last several regular seasons. The Archers lead the all-time series against the Cannons, but every game is a new opportunity, and Marcus Holman took full advantage of that opportunity. Holman scored an all-important two-point goal early in the game, then took matters into his own hands at the end of the game. A desperation crease dive from Holman with 1.4 seconds left found the back of the net, breaking an 8-8 tie and giving the Cannons a 9-8 win.
Holman two-bomb gives Boston two-point edge in the first half
Matt Moore kicked off the scoring for Utah, unassisted at 2:33. The Cannons would reply five seconds later with Zac Tucci taking the faceoff to the net. Marcus Holman drilled a two-point goal at 9:10 to give Boston a 3-1 lead after the first quarter. Ryan Ambler scored thanks to an assist from Tom Schreiber at 2:18 of the second quarter to make it 3-2. Cannons replied with Matt Campbell scoring off a pass from Coulter Mackesy at 6:48. It was the first career point for Mackesy, who was drafted fourth overall by Boston this year. Archers would net one more with a goal from Bryce Ford at 11:01. But Ryan Drenner had the last laugh of the half, scoring with nine seconds left to maintain a two-goal lead for Boston at the half, 5-3.
Holman is the hero as last-second effort keeps Boston undefeated
Archers opened the second half with Dyson Williams scoring back-to-back goals at 1:53 and 5:19 to tie the game. But Jonathan Donville scored his own back-to-back goals for Cannons at 8:24 and 10:19 to put Boston up 7-5 going into the fourth quarter. Archers rallied again in the fourth quarter with three consecutive goals. Moore from Schreiber on a power play at 3:55, another powerplay from Connor Fields at 8:25, and Williams with his hat trick goal at 9:11, for Utah’s first lead of game, 8-7. Ben Ramsey scored in transition at 10:46, setting up the last second heroics by Holman. With five seconds left, Holman took the ball in from behind the net on a restart, cut left, and dove to the front of the crease. He wrapped the ball around Archers defender Warren Jeffrey and goaltender Brett Dobson for the game-winner with just 1.4 seconds left on the clock.
Curros’s Corner
Archers: Williams (3g); Moore (2g); Fields (1g); Ambler (1g); Ford (1g); Schreiber (2a); King (2a)
Cannons: Holman (1g, 1 2-pt g); Donville (2g); Tucci (1g); Drenner (1g); Campbell (1g); Ramsey (1g); Nolting (1a); Mackesy (1a)
Zac Tucci: 10-20 FO, 4 GB
CTO: Utah 4; Boston 12
Brett Dobson (Utah): 14 saves; Colin Kirst (Boston): 15 saves
