Rookies In The MLL: Week 8 Update

Week 8 of the Major League Lacrosse season just ended. Let’s check in with how some of the recent NCAA graduates have done in their games this week!

New York Lizards @ Florida Launch

For the Lizards, former Bryant Bulldogs attackman Tucker James and former North Carolina Tar Heels defenseman Austin Pifani suited up in the overtime loss. James recorded a shot on goal, while Pifani recorded a shot off cage.

For the Launch, they had a total of eight rookies dress in the win. On defense, former Providence Friar Jarrod Neumann recorded a ground ball and a shot off cage, and former Maryland Terrapin Tim Muller played, but did not record a stat. But former Brown Bear Alec Tulett had the best night out of the trio with a goal on two shots on goal and three ground balls. Fellow teammate and another former Bear, Dylan Molloy, provided the assist.

To the offensive players and Molloy himself. The first overall pick in this year’s MLL Draft had three goals and one assist in his debut with the Launch, along with three ground balls. Former Towson Tiger Ryan Drenner also had three goals and one assist in his own debut. The former Syracuse Orange midfielders didn’t have their best game however. Nick Mariano, the younger brother of head coach Tom Mariano, did not record a stat, and Sergio Salcido had a shot on goal and a ground ball.

Former Richmond Spiders goalie Benny Pugh dressed as the backup for Austin Kaut. Well, unless you go by the MLL’s stats via Pointstreak.

Chesapeake Bayhawks @ Rochester Rattlers

Chesapeake dressed six rookies in last night’s overtime loss to the Rattlers. On defense, former Navy Midshipmen Matt Rees and Chris Fennell had good nights. Rees recorded an assist and three ground balls, while Fennell had two ground balls and one caused turnover. Another former Terp, Isaiah Davis-Allen, scooped up two ground balls.

Syracuse FOGO Ben Williams went 17-of-35 with an assist and five ground balls.

Former Villanova Wildcats midfielder Jake Froccaro picked up an assist on three shots on goal and a ground ball, but the biggest debut of the night came from former Hofstra Pride attackman Josh Byrne. He scored a whopping seven goals on 12 shots and three ground balls, and his team still lost.

Rochester had three rookies dress in their win, all offensive players. Former Marquette Golden Eagles attackman Ryan McNamara had a goal and two assists along with a ground ball. Former Ohio State Buckeye Eric Fannell had the best night for the Rattler rookies with a hat-trick and an assist with a ground ball. But former Virginia Cavalier Zed Williams notched two goals and two ground balls, and the game-winner in overtime.

Boston Cannons @ Ohio Machine

The Cannons’ pair of rookies didn’t do so hot in their overtime loss to the Machine. Former Stony Brook Seawolves attackman Alex Corpolongo did not record a stat and former Yale Bulldogs midfielder Eric Scott had a caused turnover, but also turned the ball over four times.

Ohio also had a pair of rookies dress, and they all took face-offs. Former Johns Hopkins Blue Jay defenseman Nick Fields was recorded with one face-off loss. Former Limestone Saint Kevin Reisman went 12-of-26 from the face-off X with 10 ground balls.

Atlanta Blaze @ Charlotte Hounds

In a rematch of last week’s meeting, Charlotte easily took the win over Atlanta. The Blaze dressed a total of four rookies in the rematch. Former Albany Great Danes midfielder Adam Osika had a shot on goal and former Notre Dame Fighting Irish defenseman Garrett Epple had a ground ball. Former Binghamton Bearcats attackman Tom Moore continued his hot start in the league with a pair of goals and an assist with a ground ball, but former Buckeye FOGO Jake Withers dominated in his debut, going 24-of-32 on draws with 11 ground balls.

For the Hounds, three rookies dressed in the win. On defense, former Spider Brendan Hynes caused a turnover and scooped up two ground balls, and former Towson defensive midfielder Jack Adams also had a caused turnover and picked up three ground balls in his debut. After scoring six goals in his debut last week, former Hopkins attackman and midfielder John Crawley scored only two goals on four shots in his second game.

We’re still waiting for the debuts of Sergio Perkovic (Notre Dame - NCAA, Boston - MLL), Matt Rambo (Maryland, Charlotte), Connor Cannizzaro (Denver, Ohio), Colin Heacock (Maryland, Chesapeake), and Christian Burgdorf (Denver, Atlanta) amongst others.