Andrew Pettit‘s goal put the New York Lizards ahead of the Chesapeake Bayhawks, 6-3, with 6:22 remaining in the second quarter. The next time theNew York team scored, it trailed 11-7 in the third, with no comeback in sight.
The Lizards (0-2) were no match for the defending champion Bayhawks (2-0), falling 18-13, on Sunday, July 19 at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, M.D.
Chesapeake pulled away on an 12-1 run across the second and third quarters. The Chesapeake players scored on 70 percent of their shots in the second after going a measly 2-10 in the first.
The Lizards struggled containing the Bayhawks offense after the first. Reigning league MVP Lyle Thompson led the game alongside Nick Mariano with three goals each. CJ Costabile converted two-point goals on both of his scores and led the day with five points. The trio scored or assisted on half of the goals made during the run.
Turnovers and penalties hurt New York throughout the contest, despite winning in the faceoff and groundball department. Its players spent 3:30 in the penalty area and committed 21 turnovers.
One of the Lizards few bright spots was Dylan Molloy recording a hat trick in the game’s opening seven minutes. The attackman scored the first three goals and sparked a four-point run for New York. His pass gave Nicky Galasso the assist after the score by Sean O’Brien.
But, Chesapeake scored quick and often when it found the net. Colin Heacock and Andrew Kew split the New York team’s 4-0 lead with goals in the quarter’s final minute. Isaiah Davis-Allen picked up the Bayhawks scoring one minute into the second, making it a 4-3 score. A pair of Pettit goals gave the Lizards the three goal lead back, but not for much longer. Thompson and Marino scored within 25 seconds of each other and kickstarted a 6-0 Bayhawks second quarter scoring run.
Nate Solomon‘s diving side-shot snuck past New York goalkeeper Austin Kaut and tied the game at 6-all, with less than three minutes to go in the half. Costabile gave Chesapeake the lead with a two-point goal from beyond the arc. Solomon wrapped up the quarter by converting a buzzer-beater off the assist by Costabile for the 9-6 lead at halftime.
The Bayhawks wasted no time scoring in the second half, with Kew scoring a behind-the-back goal off a team assist one minute in. Ryan Keenan added on to the run with a groundball score in-front of Kaut. Connor O’Hara finally ended the Lizards’ eight-goal skid with a score off the assist from Galasso.
However, Chesapeake remained on the gas pedal and went on another scoring run. Brendan Bomberry returned his team’s lead to five off an assist by Simpson while Costabile scored his second two-point goal of the afternoon. Marino extended the Bayhawks lead to 15-7 after rebounding a blocked shot from Thompson.
The Lizards outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter, 4-2, but could not overcome the large deficit. Galasso wrapped up the day’s scoring with a goal three minutes before the final whistle.
O’Hara led the team scoring four goals and earned a hat trick alongside Molloy. Dylan has recorded a hat trick in both games played this season.
Brian Corrigan got some action in between the pipes and matched Kaut with seven saves. Corrigan allowed four goals while his teammate surrendered 12. Brian Phillips finished with 16 saves and a .553 save percentage for Chesapeake.
Mark Andrejack won 14 of his 24 battles at the X while teammate Andrew Bracy went 6-8. Alex Spring led the game with eight groundballs while Tommy Wright followed him with six.
The Lizards will return to action on Tuesday, July 21 against the Denver Outlaws at 1 p.m. Every game this season will take place at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
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