In their first season (theoretically) back in Philadelphia, the Barrage find themselves with a losing (1-3) record after four games. As the regular season extends consists of only five total games, the next one is a must-win in order to have a playoff berth.
Brief Recap
In their most recent contest, the Philadelphia Barrage took on a top three team in the Boston Cannons; however, they fell apart in the fourth quarter which costed them the game. Veteran Attackmen, Mark Matthew, did not play in the second half but there were no season interrupting injuries reported. This season, the Cannons have shown a pattern of applying pressure in the third quarter and beyond which is exactly what put them on top.
This game was a good showing for certain members of the offense including rookie, Tyson Gibson, as this was the team’s closest loss ending in a score of 12-10. A stronger defensive front could have pushed this into overtime, but cleaner passing on offense would have given the Barrage more meaningful possessions.
Looking Forward
The Barrage will take on the winless New York Lizards in their final regular season game of 2020. While the Lizards have not yet found themselves in the win column, this will not be an easy battle for the Barrage. They’ll need to play a full sixty minutes to come out on top.
The Lizards have had close contests in each of their four losses, including an almost-overtime game against the Denver Outlaws who sit undefeated in first place. While the Lizards have fallen behind early, they fight back hard in the final minutes: exactly when the Barrage seem to struggle.
Should Philadelphia defeat the Lizards, they will move to 2-3 on the season. The Connecticut Hammerheads have two games remaining (Boston Cannons, Chesapeake Bayhawks); if both of these contests end in losses, then Philadelphia will move to the fourth seed in the playoffs that take place on Saturday, July 25th.
Game Information
Philadelphia will faceoff against the Lizards at 4pm. The game can be streamed on ESPN+. Check back in with Philly Sports Network as we follow the Philadelphia Barrage through the entire Major League Lacrosse season.
Photography Credit: MLL / Alex McIntyre
