Defenders enjoy doing ‘ dirty work’
When he was drafted by the Ohio Machine two years ago, defenseman Matt McMahon had a pretty good idea what he was getting himself into.
“When I first joined the team, (it had) some of the best players to ever play the game, especially offensively,” he said.
He wasn’t wrong then, and he’s not wrong now. But as the Machine prepares to open the Major League Lacrosse season tonight at the Atlanta Blaze, a team known for its high-powered offense, it figures to get just as much production from its guys at the other end of the field.
They call themselves “The Faceless Men,” and they make up the Machine’s defense.
“We accept that and we want that because we are one unit,” veteran defender Steven Waldeck said. “When we get a stop you don’t see our names get up on the scoreboard, and we like that. We want to get the ball to the offense, let them score, let them take the glory and we’ll take care of the dirty work.”
Last season, the Machine finished second in MLL scoring with 209 goals (14.9 per game) and tied for second in fewest goals allowed with 183 (13.1 per game). Coach Bear Davis said the defense was at about 75 percent last season because it wasn’t able to field its first-choice roster until about midway through the year.
A team-record four players were named MLL defensive player of the week last year, including goalie Scott Rodgers, who also was named MVP of the league’s all-star game. He will lead a defense that returns every player from the end of last season. p.m. p.m.
“The style I like defensively is very aggressive,” Davis said. “We put the ball on the carpet a lot and I call it the equivalent of blitzing. We blitz almost every down and we’re in your face, and with that comes giving up goals. We understand you open yourself up.”
It’s a unit that will have to do some extra heavy lifting early thanks to some key missing offensive pieces. Reigning league MVP Tom Schreiber, who had a team-leading 60 points in 2016, will miss the start of the season while playing in the National Lacrosse League, and key midfielder Kyle Harrison is out for the first half of the year after having ankle surgery.
The loss of both players will be felt, but the defense is aiming to pick up the slack — especially after allowing 19 goals in a one-goal title game loss to Denver last season.
“Everybody defensively knows what it feels like to lose a championship in that fashion,” McMahon said. “You can look to the left and right of you on the field and know that guy knows how it feels and is working hard to produce a different outcome this year.”