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2017 Champs!
2017-08-13
2017 Regular and Provincial Champions Grand River Attack
The 2017 OWBLL Provincials will certainly go down as memorable that saw more parity in the league and some surprises...
After a shaky start to the tournament Friday evening, with losses to Toronto and Arthur, the Attack re-grouped Saturday morning to win their final round-robin game 3-1 against rivals Turtle Island. This set the stage for the do-or-die quarter-final against Akwesasne, with the Attack prevailing 4-1 Saturday evening.
In the Sunday morning semi-finals, the Attack disposed of 2016 Champion Toronto Stars 5-2, while the Whitby Rush shut out the Arthur Aces 4-0.
The final Sunday afternoon was a coaching chess match behind stifling defense and superb goaltending. Deanne Pantin opened the scoring late in the first period, with assists coming from Joni Squire-Hill and Lindsey Smith.
In the second period the Attack built a 3-0 lead on two quick goals - an unassisted goal by Mekwan Tulpin at 11:32 and a marker by Squire-Hill, assisted by Lindsay John at 10:20. Taylor Milburn's solo effort got Whitby on the board at 2:53 of the second to make it 3-1 at the end of 2.
2 goal leads are notorious in lacrosse, and the pressure was on when Kaitlyn Swindells brought the Rush within a goal, assisted by Jamie Wright. The teams went back and forth with long possessions only to have furious scoring efforts turned away by punishing defenders and razor-focused goaltenders. This was one pressure-packed, intense and entertaining game!
Finally Lindsay John, on a nice feed from Lindsey Smith, restored the Attack's 2-goal lead at the 5:27 mark to loud cheers from the boisterous contingent of Grand River supporters. Despite a flurry of desperate attempts by the Rush in the last 5 minutes, they could not break the Grand River resolve, and the clock wound down to victory for the Attack.
Congratulations Grand River and Whitby for an excellent end to an excellent Provincial tournament!
In the Sunday morning semi-finals, the Attack disposed of 2016 Champion Toronto Stars 5-2, while the Whitby Rush shut out the Arthur Aces 4-0.
The final Sunday afternoon was a coaching chess match behind stifling defense and superb goaltending. Deanne Pantin opened the scoring late in the first period, with assists coming from Joni Squire-Hill and Lindsey Smith.
In the second period the Attack built a 3-0 lead on two quick goals - an unassisted goal by Mekwan Tulpin at 11:32 and a marker by Squire-Hill, assisted by Lindsay John at 10:20. Taylor Milburn's solo effort got Whitby on the board at 2:53 of the second to make it 3-1 at the end of 2.
2 goal leads are notorious in lacrosse, and the pressure was on when Kaitlyn Swindells brought the Rush within a goal, assisted by Jamie Wright. The teams went back and forth with long possessions only to have furious scoring efforts turned away by punishing defenders and razor-focused goaltenders. This was one pressure-packed, intense and entertaining game!
Finally Lindsay John, on a nice feed from Lindsey Smith, restored the Attack's 2-goal lead at the 5:27 mark to loud cheers from the boisterous contingent of Grand River supporters. Despite a flurry of desperate attempts by the Rush in the last 5 minutes, they could not break the Grand River resolve, and the clock wound down to victory for the Attack.
Congratulations Grand River and Whitby for an excellent end to an excellent Provincial tournament!