2007 Major League Lacrosse season explained

The 2007 Major League Lacrosse season was the seventh season of the league. The season began on May 12 and concluded with the championship game on August 26, 2007.

General information

In November 2006, the Baltimore Bayhawks relocated to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Bayhawks. They played 5 of their 6 games at Multi-Sport Field and 1 at George Mason Stadium.

New venues in 2007

• The Boston Cannons moved their home games to Harvard Stadium.
• The Chicago Machine moved their home games to Toyota Park.
• The Philadelphia Barrage moved their home games to United Sports Training Center

New rules in 2007:

• Moved the two-point arc back to 16yd away from the goal. It had previously been 15yd away.
• Created the same stick dimension requirements as NCAA.
• Enforce “pull-strings” as making a stick illegally altered and thus cannot re-enter the game.

Chicago won for the first time in franchise history on June 2 defeating Denver. The Machine had lost a league record 13 consecutive games (including all 12 games in 2006).

The 2007 season was a record breaking season:

• On June 16, the Rochester Rattlers won a 27–26 (in overtime) game over the Denver Outlaws in the highest scoring game in MLL history at INVESCO Field at Mile High the teams combined for a total 53 goals.^[1]
• A MLL record crowd of 19,793^[2] watched the July 4 game between Chicago and Denver at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The previous mark was 15,981, set by a Los Angeles at Denver game in 2006.
• John Grant, Jr. broke the league's single-season points record with 71 points,^[3] while Spencer Ford set the single-season assists record 47.

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, 2ptGF = 2 point Goals For, GA = Goals Against, 2ptGA = 2 point Goals Against

Qualified for playoffs

Eastern Conference
Team	W	L	PCT	GF	2ptGF	GA	2ptGA
Philadelphia Barrage	9	3	.750	175	5	139	5
Rochester Rattlers	9	3	.750	208	5	153	10
	5	7	.417	169	2	179	2
Long Island Lizards	5	7	.417	156	6	162	8
Washington Bayhawks	5	7	.417	134	11	190	5
New Jersey Pride	4	8	.333	155	5	163	6

Western Conference
Team	W	L	PCT	GF	2ptGF	GA	2ptGA
Los Angeles Riptide	9	3	.750	190	5	138	5
Denver Outlaws	7	5	.583	190	7	174	12
San Francisco Dragons	4	8	.333	157	12	180	6
Chicago Machine	3	9	.250	162	7	218	6

Philadelphia finished first in the East over Rochester based on a better conference record (8–2 vs. 7–3).

Boston finished 3rd in the East based on combine record against Long Island and Washington: 3–1 (2–0 against Washington, and 1–1 against Long Island). Long Island finished 4th based on combine record against Boston and Washington: 2–2 (1–1 against Washington 1–1 against Boston) and Washington finished 5th based on combine record against Boston and Long Island: 1–3 (1–1 against Long Island and 0–2 against Boston).

All Star Game

July 8 at Harvard Stadium in Boston
Eastern Conference All Stars 19–12 Western Conference All Stars

MVP Matt Poskay (Boston) for the Eastern Conference^[4]

Playoffs

The 2007 NB Zip Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend took place August 25–26 at PAETEC Park in Rochester, New York

Semi-finalsAugust 25 @PAETEC Park, Rochester, New York
Philadelphia 13–12(OT) Denver
Los Angeles 15–14 Rochester

Championship August 27@PAETEC Park, Rochester, New York
Philadelphia 16–13 Los Angeles

Bracket

MVP: Matt Striebel (Philadelphia)

Awards

Award	Winner	Team
MVP Award	John Grant, Jr.[5]	Rochester
Rookie of the Year Award	Alex Smith[6]	Rochester
Coach of the Year Award	John Tucker[7]	Los Angeles
Defensive player of the Year Award	Brodie Merrill[8]	Rochester
Offensive player of the Year Award	John Grant, Jr.[9]	Rochester
Goaltender of the Year Award	Brian Dougherty[10]	Philadelphia
Sportsman of the Year Award	Greg Bice[11]	Los Angeles
Most Improved Player of the Year Award	Spencer Ford[12]	Los Angeles

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rochester Rallies For Overtime Win, 27–26. August 20, 2007. June 16, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010222/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=610. September 28, 2007. dead.
2. Web site: Outlaws Defeat Chicago In Front Of Mll Record Crowd . August 20, 2007 . July 4, 2007 . MajorLeagueLacrosse.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20070729083756/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=668 . July 29, 2007 . dead .
3. Web site: Grant Sets Points Record In Rattlers Win. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 11, 2007. August 17, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010301/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/index.html?article_id=775. September 28, 2007. dead. mdy-all.
4. Web site: Poskay Leads Eastern Conference To 19–12 Victory In Mll All-Star Game. August 20, 2007. July 8, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010115/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=677. September 28, 2007. dead.
5. Web site: Grant named 2007 Bud Light Major League Lacrosse Most Valuable Player. August 30, 2007. August 24, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010108/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=805. September 28, 2007. dead. mdy-all.
6. Web site: Alex Smith Honored As 2007 Cascade MLL Rookie of the Year. August 20, 2007. August 20, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010144/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=787. September 28, 2007. dead.
7. Web site: John Tucker Named 2007 Brine Coach of the Year. August 20, 2007. August 17, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010136/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=784. September 28, 2007. dead.
8. Web site: Brodie Merrill Repeats As Warrior Defensive Player of the Year. August 21, 2007. August 21, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010214/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=789. September 28, 2007. dead.
9. Web site: Grant Honored As 2007 Warrior Offensive Player of the Year. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 15, 2007. August 17, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010239/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/index.html?article_id=781. September 28, 2007. dead. mdy-all.
10. Web site: Brian Dougherty Honored As 2007 Warrior Goalkeeper of the Year. August 30, 2007. August 20, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010052/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=794. September 28, 2007. dead.
11. Web site: Greg Bice Honored As 2007 New Balance Major League Lacrosse Sportsman of the Year. August 30, 2007. August 22, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010028/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=793. September 28, 2007. dead.
12. Web site: Spencer Ford Named As 2007 Warrior Most Improved Player of the Year. August 20, 2007. August 16, 2007. MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010037/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=782. September 28, 2007. dead.