While indicating the propensity for a return appearance to show off their championship trophy, the Denver Outlaws bid adieu to their hardy, rain-soaked fans with a gritty 12-7 victory Saturday night at Invesco Field at Mile High.
The final home game of the Outlaws’ fourth season marked the fourth consecutive year the franchise has led Major League Lacrosse in attendance average, at 10,127.
With two games remaining, at Long Island (5-5) and at Toronto (6-5), the Outlaws (8-2) already have clinched a berth in the MLL semifinals, to be held Aug. 22, and hope to return to the title game on Aug. 23. Last summer the now-defunct Rochester Rattlers defeated the Outlaws for the title.
“I hope we can bring the trophy back,” said coach/general manager Brian Reese. “They’re the best fans in the league and in lacrosse right now and in almost every sport. We want to bring them back a championship.”
Behind physical, opportunistic defenders and eight saves by goalkeeper Jesse Schwartzman, Denver grew stronger as the game wore on.
After tying Long Island in the opening minutes of the third quarter — Brendan Mundorf took a feed from Nate Watkins and flipped a behind-the-back bouncer — the Outlaws pushed ahead for an 8-6 lead, then maintained their intensity after a 25-minute lightning delay.
“I thought that was a turning point,” said Watkins, a defensive midfielder. “It is tough sitting there a long time and then coming out focused.”
While fans huddled on the concourse, team clown Brian Langtry provided locker room entertainment with his interpretation of rap music.
Five minutes after play resumed, Watkins drove to the net and dove across the crease, scoring his third goal of the night.
“I had lucky matchups,” said the former Maryland star who entered the game with only five goals. “I felt I could take advantage of them.”
Mundorf, the squad’s season goal-scoring leader, also scored a hat trick, increasing his total to 30 goals, tied for second in the league.
In the last meeting between these teams, on June 13, there were several scuffles, resulting in suspensions, a fine, and written warnings. This time, Langtry got under the Lizards’ skin. But Long Island’s Nicky Polanco gained a measure of revenge when a review of the tape excised his half-time expulsion and he and Langtry each served three-minute fighting penalties at the start of the second half.
Long Island 3 1 2 1 — 7
Denver 2 3 1 6 — 12
LI — Goals: Danowski 2, Goettelman 2, Peyser, Glynn; Pages, Assists: McDevit.
DEN — Goals: Mundorf 3, Watkins 3, Sonke 2, Sims 2, Langtry, Brown; Assists: Langtry 2, Mundorf 2, Watkins,
Goalkeepers— LI: Dougherty 10 saves; DEN: Scwartzman 8 saves.
