The honeymoon is over for the Bayhawks.
After a 17-11 loss in the first game at Long Island, the 2005 Major League Lacrosse champions return home to Unitas Stadium to host the Chicago Machine Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Towson University.
Coach Scott Hiller said the team was short in the midfield offensively in the opener last weekend.
“We need some more offensive output,” Hiller said. “We will have Mark Frye back.”
Frye, in his sixth season as a midfielder for Baltimore, missed the home opener because he was on his honeymoon. “I have to let that one slide,” Hiller said.
Chicago, one of four expansion teams, opened with a 24-14 loss to the expansion Denver Outlaws. “They are looking for a win, and they got pretty beat up like we did,” Hiller said.
Hiller said that Baltimore needs to pay close attention to Chicago attackman Kevin Leveille and midfielder Doug Shanahan. Leveille played for Hiller last season in Boston, and he scored a record nine of his 39 goals in one game against the Bayhawks.
Baltimore midfielder Michael Mollot sees similarities between the two franchises. “[Chicago] is similar to us in experience,” Mollot said. “For an early-season game, it is pretty big.” Mollot pointed out that it is the last game before the college draft.
Mark Millon feels an obligation to the hometown fans. “Probably at home we feel like we have to win; [it is] not a must win, but it is a short season,” Millon said.
Chicago will bring some familiar names, and some home-grown lacrosse talent, back to Baltimore. Kevin Boland, a graduate of Gilman School and Johns Hopkins University, played two seasons for Baltimore. He was acquired in the expansion draft.
Chris Malone, a Timonium native and two-time All-American for the University of Maryland, will be in the midfield for Chicago.
Goalie Nicholas Murtha (Johns Hopkins) and midfielder Matt Florio (Towson) play for the Machine.
BACK AT HOME
» Coming into Saturday?s game, the 2006 Baltimore Bayhawks roster includes 14 players new to the organization and six players in their first season in the league.
» Baltimore is 2-3 all-time in games played in May. The franchise has never started a season 0-2.
» Chicago and the Denver Outlaws are the only expansion teams that the Bayhawks will play in the 2006 regular season.
