The Toronto Nationals, stacked with all-stars from both indoor and outdoor professional leagues, were no match for the team-oriented Denver Outlaws, who are characterized by disruptive defense and precision offense.
After building a nine-goal first-half lead, the Outlaws prevailed 15-8 on Saturday night to take sole possession of the Major League Lacrosse lead with a 5-1 record.
Before 8,216 at Invesco Field at Mile High, coach Brian Reese’s team won its fifth consecutive game.
“We’re playing a little more of a team game than we did our first game,” said Brendan Mundorf, whose hat trick moved him into a tie for the MLL goal-scoring lead with 19. “It comes from moving the ball and being unselfish.”
In a league in which assists are well-considered, all seven second-quarter goals were set up by passes that created open looks for shooters.
Former University of Denver star Matt Brown scored four goals on his first four shots, off passes from four teammates, just two days after being named an assistant coach at his alma mater for DU’s newly hired coach, Bill Tierney.
“I’m really pumped up about working with both Tierneys,” said Brown, referring to Bill and his son, Trevor, who will leave his job as Outlaws defensive coordinator at the end of the season to focus on DU.
In the meantime, Trevor Tierney’s defenders blocked shots and deflected passes, knocked balls out of pockets and dominated possession, particularly Matt Bocklet, a first-year defender, who led Denver with seven groundballs.
“It is the timely groundballs that made the difference,” Brown said.
In typical fashion, Denver defender Tom Ethington knocked the ball free and passed ahead to Mike Ward, who passed to Brown for a goal.
“We’re not lunging at guys but taking the body,” Ethington said. “And we’re getting great goaltending from Jesse (Schwartzman).”
The Nationals (4-2), including stars Colin Doyle, Brodie Merrill, Merrick Thomson, Geoff Snider, Gavin Prout and Jeff Zywicki, (Gary Gait was injured), were particularly vulnerable in transition and on shots that started with moves from behind the net.
Toronto 1 1 2 4 — 8
Denver 4 7 2 2 — 15
Toronto goals — Thomson 3, Levine, Hall, Zywicki, Snider, Doyle. Assists — Doyle 2, Hall, Merrill, Walters, Snider.
Denver goals — Brown 4, Mundorf 3, Sonke 2, Westervelt 2, Seibald, Hardy, Watkins, Langtry. Assists — Westervelt 4, Sonke 2, Mundorf, Ward, Langtry.
Goalkeepers — Toronto, Schneider 13 saves, Queener 7 saves; Denver, Schwartzmann 17 saves, Fullerton 1 save.
