by The Florida Launch (Launch) concluded its 2015 series with the Ohio Machine (Machine) on Sunday, May 24, at Selby Stadium, losing 20-12. Both sides won on their home turf as the Launch won 15-12 at FAU Stadium 15 days ago.
Making his Major League Lacrosse debut, Lyle Thompson showed why he was the number one overall pick in the 2015 Draft with three assists and a goal for a team-high four points, tied with Kieran McArdle who had four goals. Also making his first appearance with the Launch, Miles Thompson had two goals and an assist for three points and Steven Brooks had three goals. Duncan Clancy and Sam Snow both logged one goal apiece.
Brett Queener got tagged with the loss, allowing 13 goals with 10 saves in 33 minutes protecting the net. Adam Fullerton came in for relief and saved eight shots while only allowing three goals in the remaining 27 minutes.
McArdle started the contest with the first goal early, but was responded by a Machine goal. Brooks had the first milestone moments in the opening stanza with his 100th professional goal, and added his 101 on his next attempted shot off a pass from M. Thompson for his first point as a member of the Florida Launch. Following an Ohio goal, L. Thompson scored his first goal for the final Launch score of the frame. Ohio scored two more before the quarter ended to retake the lead at 5-4.
The Launch were able to end the 5-0 run that the Machine had in the second with M. Thomson’s first goal of the season, followed by a Duncan Clancy score to cut the deficit to two at 8-6. The final goal of the half for the visitors came from Steven Brook’s to give the midfielder a hat trick; the Machine ended the half with a 3-0 run to go into the intermission up 12-7.
Ohio continued its offensive assault on the Launch in the third, scoring three more goals with one being a two-point goal in the first three minutes. As he did in the previous quarter, M. Thompson ended the Machine run with a goal and five minutes later McArdle scored to put his team into double digits with 10 goals.
McArdle clinched his second hat trick of the season in the final frame with his second-consecutive goal of the contest. Sam Snow recorded his first goal of the night following an Ohio goal. McArdle chipped in the final Launch goal of the game with less than four minutes left to play.
The road trip continues for the Launch when they to Gillette Stadium to take on the Boston Cannons on Saturday, May 30. Fans can watch live on ESPN3.com.
