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Defensive Middies key to Lizards victory, agitating opponents
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The Long Island Lizards (left) and Denver Outlaws are separated after a post game melee at
INVESCO Field on Saturday night.
There will be fireworks when the Denver Outlaws play at home on July 4th, but there were certainly pyrotechnics over the weekend when they squared off against the excitable Long Island Lizards. Following several in-game scuffles, both teams erupted in fraternal adolescence following the referee's final whistle. There were several factors that instigated this post-game melee, but none so much as the hard-nosed play of the Outlaws' defensive unit.
Throughout the season Denver has been able to get under the skin of their opponents consistently and without prejudice. Attackman Matt Brown credits the aggressiveness of the defense for this agitation.
"I think it's our hard-nosed mentality and blue collar work ethic that effects the other teams," said Brown.
The work of the unheralded — at all levels of the sport — defensive midfield unit was particularly affective against the Long Island midfielders. Time and again Nate Watkins, Jim Borell, Mike Ward, and long pole Matt Bocklet shut down the opposing offense and on more than one occasion stripped the Lizards of the ball. Not only did this unit create scoring chances for the offensive group, they took advantage of their own opportunities to put the biscuit in the basket. Bocklet tallied two goals in the first half, Watkins scored one along with two helpers, and Jim Borell scored his first of the season in the fourth quarter. These are the players that do the dirty work on the field that keeps the opposing team off the scoreboard. If the midfielders don't need help from the long-poles that frees them up to aggressively go after their attackmen in the defensive zone. This is what gives the Outlaws the ability to play their aggressive, agitating style of play which materializes in turn-overs and scoring chances on the other end.
Jesse Schwartzman has continued his inspired play through the first half of the season. He held a potent Lizards offense to just 9 goals, bringing his goals against average down to 11.76; essentially second in the league. His 8 saves in the contest do not tell the whole story however as most of his saves came early in the game and were spectacular in their skill level. Several of these stops came after Denver goals and at points in the game when a Lizard score could have swung momentum in their favor. Also not on the stat sheet is the long outlet passes that saved the defense and d-middies from using their legs to clear.
If the Outlaws defense continues to play this style, and the offense does their job by piling on the goals and finishing their opportunities, the Outlaws will be a formidable match come postseason.
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