East comeback secures LeasePlan Cup
If there were any doubts over the players commitment to win the LeasePlan National Lacrosse League (NLL) All-Star Series, they were quashed in the second game at Hisense Arena tonight, with a series a bit hits and fights highlighting a one point win for the East over the West, 20-19.
The victory secured the East All-Star team the inaugural LeasePlan Cup, following their dominance in the first game last night.
Trading blows in the first period, neither team could get the winning edge, heading into the quarter time break all locked up at five goals apiece.
Rochester Knighthawk Shawn Evans opened up the scoring after just a minute of play for the East, and followed up with an impressive behind the back shot in the seventh minute. A spectacular through the legs goal from Calgary Roughnecks’ Dane Dobbie highlighted the quarter for the West.
With eight goals to make up from the first game on Friday night, the West turned up the heat, piling on the first six goals of the second term to take a 11-6 lead. Not to be outclassed, Evans responded once again for the East All-Stars scoring their first goal of the quarter in the eighth minute.
The class of the East offense, including All-Star game one MVP Mark Steenhuis and 2007 league MVP John Grant Jnr., responded to reduced the margin back to two goals at the main break (10-12).
The physicality reached fever pitch in the third term, with an all-Australian clash between Williamstown lacrosse player Wes Green and Eltham defender Keith Nyberg sending the pair to the penalty box.
With both teams adding five goals onto their tally in the first ten minutes of the third term, the goals dried up towards the end of the quarter as the tight checking of the defense began to dictate play.
Heading into the final term with a 17-15 lead, the West needed to expand on their lead to claim the LeasePlan Cup but the East were too good, winning the final term by three goals to finish the game 20-19.
A three goal effort by Grant in the final term secured the 35-year-old the MVP honours, finishing the final game of the series with six goals.
““We didn’t want to lose the game,” said Grant Jnr.
“We knew we had a bit of a jump in score from last night, but we wanted to win both and send those west boys home with a sad face.
“We did what we needed to do tonight.”
Over 7,000 people enjoyed the action-packed, fast flowing and hard hitting lacrosse action over the two games at Hisense Arena.