Bainbridge Island vs. Mercer Island Game Recap

Islanders win possession with Howell on the face off.  He moves the ball up and on a Kaminsky shot, turns the ball over on the shot. Bainbridge takes possession, and begins pressing the ball with a pair of good shots by Knight and Fiore.

MI carries the ball over midfield and Greg Mahony sneaks a low left shot on Stevenson for a 1-0 lead MI.

Greg Mahony gets another possession and on a sweep he fires across body to the same hole he found before, and rings the bell for his second. MI leads 2-0 and has taken possesion on the next face-off, their third in a row. Mercer has another turn keeping their six minute possession time alive, but cannot convert. With a hard defensive ride, MI's sticks get it back and Frankel drives through three, but is dropped on the crease as BI moves the ball up top and goes to work. The Gilbreath brothers are working on the Mahony brothers, and strip the ball free, moves the ball across midfield and draw a trip on a Brazg check, to go man-up. With possession, Mercer gets the ball back on an MI offsides, which puts Masi in the box as well. Both boxes clear, and MI midfield strips the ball from Weisner.  Mahony takes a few steps to load the cannon and tears a shot past Stevenson making the count 3-0 and all Mahony scoring. Mercer defense seems to have steped it up a notch, to get the ball back in Kaminski's stick. He feeds Kevin Mahony but the shot goes out of bounds. BI clears the ball, has it picked off, and Brazg moves it up to his attack to kill the quarter with MI dominating possession and shots.

As the second quarter starts, BI comes out set in their 1-4 to start making some shots. With 10:27 left, they call a time out after retaining possession through a pile-up. MI grabs the ball and gets it to Kevin Mahony who sends his second and MI's fourth to the top corner with 9:30 left in the half.

BI picks up the ball but Brazg steals another to help keep possession for MI. With 8:15, MI calls a possession time out starting with the ball in Greg Mahony's stick, Mercer works the crease hard with cutters to set up the drive from up top. They turn it over to BI who fight for the ball on the ground and call a posession time out. BI makes a pair of shots, one hits pipe, and another saved by Schwartz.

The Mahony's have BI's number- Greg takes a sweep up top, and drives it top left making the score 5-0 MI. Bainbridge is going to have to shut off the Mahony brothers, as Delius makes a shot on Schwartz who makes a save but gives Forsythe an opportunity to score.

Brazg is playing tremendous defense, stealing the ball out of the air on a feed up top to get the ball to Kevin Mahony who feeds Kaminski for MI's final time out of the half with 3:25 left in the half. Kevin Mahony shoots right away, but retains possession, though Kaminski has his stick lifted by Colgrove to send it wide.

Picking the ball up on the side, BI drives down to Schwarz who makes a save on the ball and moves it up. His pass is intercepted by BI and stripped by Brazg who moves the ball up to Wettack who fends off a long pole at the sideline, and then another to get it in the box. BI gets the ball back fighting for shots on Schwartz who makes a sick save sending MI into halftime with the lead, the score 5-0 Mercer Island.

Bainbridge has 16 shots and 13 ground balls, while MI had 17 shots and 23 ground balls. Right now, this looks like the Mercer Island everyone knows. Masi and Delius have been noticebly absent from the score book.

Brant Howell taking the face off may be the key. Mercer has led face off possession nearly 3 to 1. MI gets possession, but throws the ball away giving Mercer possession at a time where slowing the momentum is key. Brant Howell clears the ball and BI has trouble with transition at the midfield, so Howell steps in to shoot unabated, and scores on his coast to coast effort. The score 6-0 w minute into the third.

Masi gives a nice bounce shot past Schwartz off a feed from Colegrove. With 9:50 left in the third, Bainbridge scores therir second on another feed from Colegrove to Fiore making it 6-2.

Mercer gets a 1 minute penalty, and allows Clayton Knight to get an outside shot past Schwartz and BI has scored the last three goals and all in the last 2 minutes.

Bainbridge takes the ball in from the wing and now seems to be shooting the same shots as the first half but scoring. On that note, Fiore takes another outside shot and scores with 7:52 left in the quarter. The spartans have won the last four face offs giving them possession time.

Mercer gets a clear, and a man-up for a push to keep the ball behind. Now, firing their third shot, we are all even. After stopping the ball with the Colegroves, BI scores again on a shot from Colgrove to Masi and the score is 6-5. BI has score the last 5 goals and has taken back the momentum.

Mercer gets the ball on sidelines, fights to clear it, and gets it to Howell drawing an offsides, and stopping the ball on a great shot on Stevenson. MI has to figure out a better man-up, getting one shot in 30 seconds has been a weakness for them.

BI connects Gilbreath to Gilbreath to move the ball down for a shot, but cannot convert. Trading possessions, BI slashes and will go man-down for one minute. Mercer gets a slash while fighting for the ball on the crease, and BI will get about 20 seconds of man-up. Mercer gains possession to finish the quarter, so with 2 seconds left on the penalty, they will not have to start without the ball in man-down. That was a crucial point in a tight game.

Releasing the penalty, Howell carries and goes for a shot as he draws a slash. Mercer will go man-up for a minute, and try to break ther zone. Mercer fires and Stevenson saves it, but BI is offsides, giving the ball back to MI for another chance, but MI cannot convert their power play. MI fires a pair of shots, one getting pipe, but Bainbridge will take the ball on a bad pass. MI calls a time out to get personnel straight, and now we are back to the action. Mercer will force BI offsides and get the ball back. Kevin Mahony starts but gives it to Christianson, who works all the way around the cage for a shot.

Turning it the other way on a save and Trent Burroughs feeds Delius for the score and we are tied with just over 8 minutes. Delius gets a personal and gives Mercer the opportunity and Greg Mahony fires another shot scoring the go-ahead, the first of the second half for Mercer.

Delius answers right back with 6:05 left in the game, and we are tied at seven.

Just like that, Mercer turns the ball over and James Gilbreath goes coast to coast to score number 8 for the Spartans. Right away, BI wins another face off, and goes down behind and Delius drives hard with a jumper hits the inside corner and the wind may have left Mercer as the score is 9-7 and just over 4 minutes remaining.

BI holds on the face and turns the ball over to Mercer. With that, they through it out, and give it back to BI. Mercer gets a break as AJ Ellis drives inside and dots the question mark and rings the bell. The score is 9-8 as BI trips Mercer giving the Islanders a 1 minute penalty and an opportunity to tie it up. That is exactly what Greg Mahony does. With 2:29 left, we are again tied. Mercer will have to hold the ball and the defense has to hold. Fiore gets the ball from Delius and BI goes ahead with a minute thirty left.

Christianson comes out of a pile with the ball and gives Mercer their possession time out with 47 seconds left to tie the game again. Kevin misses by inches as the shots start pouring in. Kevin beats his Gilbreath and fires a rocket into the net and WE ARE TIED AGAIN!! Overtime!!!

We will start with a 4 minute overtime-Sudden death. The fans are deafening for both teams, the stadium filled and on their feet. Chanting, chanting, BI gets possession and calls a time out with just 18 seconds expired. Schwartz makes a bouncing save he has no business saving to keep MI alive and BI turns it over to Mercer who move it to Kevin Mahony. Mercer has 16 seconds left on a push penalty, and will have possession again. Kevin Mahony feeds Brant Howell who feeds back to Kevin, he shoots and wins it! 11-10. Kevin Mahony had a hat trick and Greg had six on the evening. Ian OHearn says "There is a lot of parity in Washington Lacrosse, we played a great team, its a great rivalry, and it was a fun game."