Riorden Sets Saves Record in Chaos Win, Waterdogs Offense Comes Alive

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Friday’s Premier Lacrosse League action started off hot, as the Denver Outlaws and Carolina Chaos each scored twice in the first five minutes, but it was Chaos goalie Blaze Riodern’s record-breaking 25 saves that made the difference in Charlotte.

Despite the Outlaws outshooting the Chaos 49-36, the Chaos beat Denver 12-9 behind Riorden’s heroic effort and a 7-3 run in the second half.

The humble Riorden was just happy to do it in front of his family who live in the Charlotte area.

“It means absolutely nothing to break the record. Means absolutely everything to do it in front of my family and people that care about lacrosse in the Carolinas,” Riorden said. “It’s the medicine game at the end of the day … I don’t think it's a coincidence that 10 years into my career I have the best night of my career in front of these fans.”

The Outlaws (0-2) held a 6-5 lead at the end of the first quarter despite Owen McElroy having just one save in the first half. Outlaws faceoff specialist Luke Wierman dominated Nick Rowlett, winning 9 of 13 faceoffs, and attackman Brennan O’Neill scored half of the Outlaws’ first-half goals.

After Josh Zawada opened the second half with his first goal of the game, veteran defenseman Mike Manley stripped Zawada on the next possession and took the ball coast-to-coast. It wasn’t without paying a price, though, as defender Jack Rowlett crushed the diving Manley as he let the ball go.

Rowlett, who had blood streaming down his left cheek, served a one-minute, full-time penalty after the vigorous hit. The game remained scoreless for the next few minutes before Chaos defensive midfielder Mark Glicini scored on a slow break with six seconds left in the third quarter.

Midfielder Ross Scott opened the fourth quarter with a low-to-high rip from the low wing that stung twine. Scott finished with a career-high five points. Midfielder Garret Degnon also registered a hat trick in the absence of midfielders Shane Knobloch, Chris Aslanian and Sergio Perkovic, who all missed the game with injury. Attackman Adam Charalambides also added two goals after practicing for the first time with the Chaos (1-1) on Thursday.

“Those were all first-game starters that were out tonight, so we had to go even deeper than we already had,” Chaos head coach Roy Colsey said. “I loved the effort. Ross [Scott] in particular had an amazing game tonight.”

After Degnon’s third goal, a Zawada delay of game gave the Outlaws a power play opportunity. O’Neill shot an open look, which deflected off Glicini’s helmet into midfielder Graham Bundy’s stick — he ripped a shot from beyond the two-point arc that brought Denver to just a 11-9 deficit with 4:36 remaining.

Rowlett, who struggled in the first half, got the better of Wierman when it mattered — winning 4 of 7 faceoffs in the fourth quarter.

The Chaos’ first win of the season marks the first in Colsey’s PLL coaching career. After the game, he said that former Chaos head coach Andy Towers congratulated him on the win via text message.

Jared Bernhardt was held without a goal on five shots in his highly anticipated debut for Denver.Premier

PHILLY BEATS MARYLAND

A dominant second-half rally from the Philadelphia Waterdogs in their first game of the season lifted them to a 16-12 win over the Maryland Whipsnakes.

Neither side struggled to find the back of the net in the first half, as the Whipsnakes led 11-8 at halftime. Whipsnakes’ midfielder Brad Smith, who played in his first game in 366 days, scored multiple two-point goals on top of long-stick midfielder Scott Smith’s with 4:03 left in the first half.

Brad Smith’s second two-pointer was a pass that deflected off Waterdogs rookie long-stick midfielder Ben Wayer’s stick and into the net.

Whipsnakes attackman TJ Malone had three first-half points, but it was the duo of Kieran McArdle and Michael Sowers on the other side of the field that was too much for Maryland to overcome. Sowers finished the first half with a whopping six assists and added another goal and assist in the second half. He was one assist shy of tying Matt Rambo’s single-game assist record.

McArdle only registered one assist in the second half but finished with four goals and two assists. He passed Ryan Boyle to move up to seventh all-time on professional lacrosse’s career points list.

Rambo was held pointless for the second straight week, and Rob Panell was held to just one point for a consecutive week.

“We got outplayed in every facet of the game,” Whipsnakes head coach Jim Stagnitta said. “I give them a lot of credit. They played fast. They beat us off-balll; we struggled covering them. And then on the other end of the field, the ball died in our sticks and we just didn't create.”

Stagnitta added that he isn’t sure how to evaluate the PLL debut of his rookie goalie, Emmet Caroll, who finished the game with a 38.5-percent save efficiency. He pointed out how the majority of the Waterdogs’ goals were wide-open looks on top of the crease.

Maryland’s top defender, Ajax Zappitello, forced three turnovers for a consecutive week, but the Whipsnakes struggled to keep track of the Waterdogs’ movement off-ball.  

After the game, Waterdogs head coach Bill Tierney said he re-evaluated “everything” from last year’s 2-8 season and that he continuously told the team last season was his fault. It paid off, as Friday’s 16-point output was the most goals Philadelphia has scored under Tierney.

“There’s just been a huge emphasis on ball movement and people movement,” McArdle said. “I think last year we got a little stagnant at times, and this year we’re just grinding and moving forward, keep moving off-ball and keep the ball moving and eventually the defense is going to break down.”