What a week it has been already! After cruising to our 7th straight win to close out the regular season, last Saturday, and watching Roberts Wesleyan lose to Mercy on Sunday (making us the 3rd seed for the ECC Playoffs), it was back to work on Monday, with Film and then Practice. We had a very sharp practice Tuesday morning at 6am, before the team got on the bus and headed to Rochester for Wednesday’s Semi Final against our nemesis, the Roberts Wesleyan Redhawks.

The Lions made this trip to Rochester, without Coach Bob. While they endured the seven hour bus trip north and west, I was having Hernia Repair Surgery! Just prior to going into the O.R., I asked the Doctor about the possibility of flying to Rochester the next day for a 5pm Game. He laughed. When he realized I wasn’t kidding, he shook his head and emphatically said “NO”.

The surgery went well and I am recovering nicely. I spent all day yesterday, moving around (it’s supposed to aide the recovery) and waiting for game time! When it finally began, there was trouble with the Livestream, causing me to follow via “Live Stats”. The Livestream Production continued to be sketchy throughout, what turned out to be an incredible game!

RWU controlled the game early, and held a 5 – 2 advantage after the first quarter. But the Lions began to settle in, and made it 5 – 4, before the Redhawks scored 3 consecutive goals to open, what would be the biggest lead of the game at 8 – 4, with 9:25 remaining in the 2nd quarter. Again the Lady Lions responded. This time with three of their own, making it 8 – 7, at the half!

The Redhawks surged to a 3 goal lead, at 12 – 9 with 6:18 left in the 3rd quarter. But again, Molloy answered, netting the next 4 goals and taking their first lead, 13 – 12, before RWU tied it at 13, just before the end of the 3rd.

The Lions scored 3 of the next 4 goals and led 16 – 14 with about 6 minutes remaining in the contest! The Redhawks closed it to 16 – 15, with just over 3 minutes to go. That is as close as they would get, as the Lions were able to control possession for most of the remainder of the game, coming out on top with a thrilling 16 -15 road playoff win!

Having to to watch this one from afar, was one of the more trying things I have endured as a coach. With the technical difficulties, we had one phone on Live Stats, the other had the sound from the Livestream, which we could not get on the computer or the TV, which we were casting to. It only added to the stress of the game itself. When the final buzzer sounded, I wished I was there with them, but man, was I proud of them!

I want to commend the Redhawks. It is easy to build up animosity for a team that has had the upper hand in a rivalry. I have a great deal of respect for RWU. They are a terrific, well coached program that has enjoyed great success in recent years. It is all of that success, that makes this Victory, that much sweeter. You cannot have truly great Victories, without Great Opponents! The Roberts Wesleyan Redhawks, are just that.

So, for the first time in Program History (it began in 2006), the Molloy Lions will play in the East Coast Conference Tournament Final, at 11am this Saturday at Mercy! This victory snapped a nine game losing streak against RWU! After a difficult early season, where we lost a number of close games, we have now won 8 in a row, and head for uncharted waters – The Conference Championship Game, with an Automatic Bid to the NCAA Tournament, on the line!

I will be back on the sideline for that one!

GO LIONS!