Florida Launch Lacrosse take off with win over the New York Lizards

Taking off with four goals in the first quarter, the Florida Launch held on to beat the New York Lizards 11-8 at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. Launch attackman Kieran McArdle had four goals in the game. McArdle, a rookie, leads Major League Lacrosse rookies in goal scored. The Launch (4-2) next play at home on at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20, at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton. For more information visit the Florida Launch Lacrosse website. McArdle led the initial first-quarter charge for the Launch with a goal and assist. Launch attackman Kevin Cunningham also had a goal and an assist in the first frame and provided the pass to score an assist on McCardle's fourth goal. McArdle, Cunningham and attackman Casey Powell, a goal in each of the first two quarters, helped give the Launch a 6-3 lead at halftime. The New York Lizards (3-2) never recovered after trailing 4-1 after the first quarter. The Lizards were led by middleman Matt Striebel who got open across the Launch defense for a goal and assist. In the third quarter, the Lizards evened things out by matching the Launch two goals apiece in the second,third and three goals each in the fourth quarter. But, it was too late for the Lizards who got off to a slow start. Launch goalie Brett Queener allowed only one goal in that first frame, and took advantage of a slow Lizards team to run out saves on three separate occasions to midfield where he passed to his offense. He was gritty too, yelling at teammates and even pleading with officials that he should have been given a save when a whistle stopped a play where Queener made a save. "Better give me credit for that save! That was a great save and I deserve credit!" yelled Queener. McArdle's fellow rookie middleman Chris LaPierre had a goal, Launch attackman Garret Thul had two goals and middleman Jordan Hall rounded out the scoring for Florida. The Launch travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a 7 p.m. match against the Charlotte Hounds on Saturday, June 14, and return in home play in a rematch against the Rochester Rattlers on Friday, June 20.

Lynn University Fighting Knights Men’s Lacrosse faces off for the first time in history

Senior attack man Joey Bacarella scored the first lacrosse goal in Lynn University Men’s Lacrosse history when he beat Wheeling Jesuit University goalie Joe Amsler in front of the net at the 8:37 mark of the first quarter to give Lynn their first ever 1-0 lead in their first ever game of NCAA Lacrosse, but Wheeling went on a scoring spree to take the game 14-5 in Boca Raton. Lynn University Men’s Lacrosse, also known as the “Blue & White” stopped the first shot attempt in school history when goalkeeper Taylor Ferrino made a save on a shot earlier in the contest with 13:21 remaining in the first quarter. Ferrino had 14 saves in the loss. Wheeling Jesuit University Cardinals Men’s Lacrosse would not be quiet for long, attack man Landon DelPrince made his way into the crease with 6:51 left in the first and fired a shot past Ferrino to tie the game at 1-1. At 2:40 in the first quarter, the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead, but Lynn freshman attack man Brian Kiel evened the game at 2-2 with his first ever collegiate goal with just over a minute left in the quarter. Middle man and fellow freshman Tyler Janvrin got the assist, his first of three in the contest. With 17 seconds left in the first, DelPrince invaded the Lynn defense again to give Wheeling Jesuit a 3-2 lead as the first quarter horn sounded. Lynn also nabbed 10 ground balls in the first 15 minutes of game play; a ground ball is equivalent to a rebound in basketball and leads to offensive possession for the attacking lacrosse team. The Cardinals also recorded the first ever penalty in Lynn University history when Wheeling Jesuit’s middle man Bryce Brochu got tangled up and knocked down a Lynn player at midfield. The penalty seemed to be the ignition switch to even more intense, aggressive play for Wheeling Jesuit. Lynn had zero penalties in the first half, but Wheeling Jesuit was rough and rowdy setting the tone with six penalties. The Cardinals shut-out the Fighting Knights 2-0 in the second quarter to take a 5-2 lead going into halftime. The halftime festivities included a Boca Jets 13-and-under exhibition. “I want eight goals in the second half,” Lynn Coach Brian Kingsbury told his players just before the third quarter started. But Wheeling Jesuit scored five out of six goals in the third quarter to push the game out of reach at 10-3 going into the fourth. The Cardinals took advantage of a winded Lynn team by incorporating the wheel play over and again on offensive possessions led by superb passing by the Wheeling Jesuit players. Tyler Johnson had two goals in the third for the Cardinals and DelPrince added his second of the game combined with winners by Aaron Gutentag and Brian Frank. Lynn got on the board late at the end of the third to avenge the shutout when Daniel Egan broke free for a scoring opportunity and connected past Amsler, who recorded eight saves in the game. In the final period, Wheeling doubled Lynn 4-2 on goals scored. The Cardinlas were led by Tyler Wickett’s two goals in the fourth a, Bryce Bochu and Jared Baranowski, who each had a goal apiece. Brian Kiel connected again for Lynn for his Fighting Knights leading second goal of the game and season, and also had eight total shots on goal, and Harrison Lynch scored Lynn’s last goal unassisted. The Lynn University Fighting Knights played their first game in program history at neighboring Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton while the finishing touches are being put on Brian Campbell Stadium at Lynn University. Brian Campbell Stadium opens on March 30, with a 12 p.m. game against Colorado Mesa. Next up for Lynn is a March 5, matchup against Notre Dame de Namur at 7 p.m., Pope John Paul II High School, 4001 N. Military Trail in Boca Raton. Admission is free.

Marin Cilic Wins 2014 Delray Beach Open by The Venetian Las Vegas Over Kevin Anderson in ATP 250 Thriller in Delray Beach

Marin Cilic’s tennis play at 2014 The Delray Beach Open by The Venetian Las Vegas® was sizzling hot! Yellow smoke was literally billowing off of each serve, forehand and backhand winner, that Cilic hit on the blue hard Plexipave courts of Delray. Cilic outlasted 2012 Delray Beach International Tennis Championships winner Kevin Anderson, 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (7-9) and a deciding 6-4, in a thrilling three-plus hour match to win the 2014 Delray Beach Open and according to the ATP Tour, $81,500 in prize money. Cilic also improved to no. 25 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Cilic was the seventh-seed in the tournament that featured 32 ATP players including John Isner, Tommy Haas, and Kei Nishikori, among other top-pro tennis players. To get to the finals, Cilic, of Croatia, bounced Germany’s Benjamin Becker in the first round, wild card Ryan Harrison 6-3, 6-4 in the second round, T. Gabashvilli 6-2, 6-3 in the third…and Big John Isner 7-6 (5), and 6-3 in the semi-finals. Fan favorite Isner, reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive year at the tourney. He was coming off of an ankle injury he suffered in Australia, and seemed to move very well on the Plexiplave once again in Delray. Throughout the tournament, Isner’s issue was his composure. The big guy, Isner is 6’9’’ often played far down in size compared to his competition, smacked tennis ball’s completely out of the stadium on Tuesday and Friday resulting in astonishingly, only warnings from the chair umpire. But, that’s understandable, because Big John Isner is fun to watch and likeable, and most likely if one of us had the chance to be the chair umpire, would have been awe of his athletic ability and probably not even issued the warnings. Isner though, struggled in the first set of each of his four matches played at the 2014 Delray Open. Isner came storming back in his first three matches at the tourney, often relying on a serve that pushed 138 M.P.H. but could only muster winning three games against Cilic in the semi’s. Eventual Champion Cilic built momentum over five straight days of play to take the Delray Beach crown, and is 18-4 in matches this year with two titles won. Bob and Mike Bryan won their third doubles title in the last six-years playing in the Delray tourney. The Bryan’s defeated F. Cermak and M. Elgin 6-2 and 6-3. Andy Roddick made his ATP Champions Tour debut for the American team and won three straight matches over Sweden’s Mats Wilander 6-3 and 6-3, Mikael Pernfors 6-3 and 6-2, and Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic 6-4 and 6-3. Prize money totaled $474,005 at The Delray Beach Open, a men’s pro-tennis ATP 250 tourney held yearly each February at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in beautiful Delray Beach, FL.