August 11, 2009
Denver is Cannons' semifinal foe
by Staff Report/
The Cannons' price for squandering big leads late in their final two regular-season games? A date with the first-place Denver Outlaws at MLL Championship Weekend Aug. 22.
The Outlaws (9-3), Toronto Nationals (7-5), Long Island Lizards (6-6), and Cannons (6-6) will travel to Annapolis, Md., to vie for the league championship.
Denver was the fist team to secure a spot in the postseason and holds the top seed. Boston and Toronto had also already qualified for the playoffs entering the final week of play.
Last Thursday, the Washington Bayhawks (5-7) extended their playoff hopes into the weekend by erasing a five-goal fourth-quarter deficit and scoring the winner with three seconds remaining in regulation to defeat the Cannons, 14-13. However, their hopes were dashed when Long Island beat Chicago, 13-11, Saturday night at Soldier Field.
Long Island edged the Cannons for the No. 3 seed by virtue of its three wins over the Cannons this season. Boston was 1-1 against Denver this season. Denver won, 15-14, at Harvard Stadium in Week 2, but the Cannons had the last laugh on July 4 at Invesco Field at Mile High, winning, 17-16. Boston upped its winning streak to four games with a thrilling victory, but the Cannons ended the season losing three of their next four games.
The Outlaws will face the Cannons in the first semifinal at noon on Aug. 22. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2HD. The second semifinal, between the Nationals and Lizards, will begin at 3 p.m.
The winners will meet at 1 p.m. on Aug. 23. The championship game will also be broadcast live on ESPN2HD.
