Mercer Island vs. Vashon Game Recap
Starting the final game of the first round of playoffs, Mercer comes out firing. Firing two shots in the first minute and a half including a man-up opportunity garners nothing for the Islanders as Vashon gets possession on a Mercer penalty. Shooting into Schwartz's stick, the ball goes the other way. Kevin Mahony grabs the ball up top in the 1-4 and fires a rocket into the net with 9:05 remaining making the score 1-1. Just a minute and a half later, Kevin finds his second net at 7:55 unassisted on a pass from Ellis. Vashon hasn't had any possession time yet, and Mercer is working the Vashon defense from behind. Going from behind, Ellis rings in an unassisted with 6:05 left to play in the first quarter, Mercer executing well. Mercer gets the next possession as well, working with Kevin Mahony up top, he pump fakes with stick and head, then buries a cannon top left. Mahony gets another wing possession, and feeds Kaminsky for his first with 4:03 remaining in the first quarter. Vashon gets a possession and turns it over on the first shot to Mercer who gets it to Mahony. Mahony works against the grain up top with his split and shoots with no score. Vashon gets the ball back and faces a Mercer zone turning it over behind the cage as Mercer moves the ball to AJ Ellis who dunks it on the crease with 57 seconds remaining in the first. The score is MI 6, Vashon 0. Mercer's Taylor Dawson Finishes the quarter with a goal from the left wing, and the tally at the end of one is 7-0. Mercer is controlling the tempo, and Mercer is exploiting every opportunity. Vashon goes man-down off the face, and with 11:43 left to play. MI hits a top center rocket from- you guessed it- Kevin Mahony. AJ Ellis finds the same corner on a bouncer unassisted and we are 9-0 just 10:55 left in the second quarter. Mercer gets the face, and brings it down to Mahony who dances behind and drives the cage for another score, with 9:24 on the clock. Right after, Brazg snatches a face-off and hits Ellis for a dunk inside making it 11 just seven seconds later. Facing off, Brazg grabs another ball, and this time, takes a solo ride to the cage, and the score is 12. Mercer rings the bell for 13 on a feed from Kevin Mahony to Matt Wright for a great off-hand shot. The score, with 7 minutes, 13-0. Vashon finally gets a possession, and spends some time moving the ball, as Wilks dodges for a shot. Kimbrough gets another shot, but turns it over on a save and Greg Mahony breaks his defensemen's ankles on the way to his first tally of the night. With 5:03 left, Mercer leads 14-0. Vashon gets possession and threatens on several shots before getting a man-up opportunity to feed Nick Wilks up top and score their first with 3:30 left in the half. Vashon has another opportunity as they break the clear to get a pair of shots on Schwartz, but nothing sinks. Mercer takes back over, and shoots through to the end of the half. Mercer leads this one, 15-1. Mercer changes some personnel and gets Greg Mahony the ball to feed Kevin for number 16 with one minute expired in the half. Mercer is dominating the game, with another shot and goal on a Dawson feed to Burns for Mercer's 18th goal. Vashon has possession and another Mercer streaker takes the field, for what may be the last time. Mercer is served with a bench for the violation, and Mercer is two men down. Mercer gets the ball and calls a time out, but Brant Howell runs from midfield to cage, and scores number 19 on a beautiful overhand shot while MI is man-down. Vashon is still fighting as Kimbrough scores on a feed from Craighead to notch up another Vashon goal with 1 minute left in the third. Mercer has shifted their lines, and Vashon the same. The fourth quarter is back and forth on transition, as the game ends 19-2 Mercer in a dominating game against a tenacious Vulture team. High scorers were Kevin Mahony with five goals, and AJ Ellis with 5 goals. Mercer will travel to Bainbridge on Wednesday for the semi-final game. make sure you check out a few mroe pictures in the images gallery
