UNIONDALE, NY - If the Long Island Lizards can ever put together a complete game, the results could be scary.

For a second straight week, the team turned it on in the second half of the game and put the game away as they defeated the Washington Bayhawks by a score of 13-9.

After the Lizards struggled to obtain any kind of offensive rhythm through much of the first quarter, Steven Berger and Keith Cromwell took the team on their back in the second. Both players scored two goals in the period and carried the Long Island offense.

Cromwell, who would finish with two goals and three assists, wound up and powered two separate goals past Washington goalie Chris Garrity. Berger’s second goal was of the highlight reel variety as he split the Washington defense without the ball, cut through the middle and received a touch pass from Cromwell. He quickly stuffed the ball in the goal to give the Lizards a 7-5 advantage going into the second half.

The Lizards defense carried the team through much of the first quarter. Nicky Polanco led the unit with several takeaways early in the game, including one where he striped the stick out of the hands of league assist king Conor Gill’s hand.

Just like last week, the Lizards came out of the gate firing in the second half. Berger added a two-point-goal and midfielder Tim Goettelmann scored his second of the day within 33 seconds of the each other. Blake Miller would add his second of the day before half of the third period had expired.

Berger would finish with three goals, including the 2 pointer and one assist and was named game MVP.

“We needed to start finishing out shots,” Berger said of the early struggles. “Me and Crom[well]started scoring and got everyone else started a little bit. So, it was a good team effort.”

Attackman Frank Resetarits scored two goals and two assists in his Major League Lacrosse game for the Lizards. He is a recent graduate of the University of Albany.

“It Feels great to get a goal in my first game,” Resetarits said. “Feels good to break the ice.”

Chad Murtha entered the game as the top goalie in the MLL and did not disappoint. Murtha routinely turned the Bayhawks away. Together with the stellar defense, he held Washington to only nine goals.

“I don’t think that we played all that well as a team on defense,” Murtha stated. “Including me, I should have has a couple more saves and I threw the ball away.”

Murtha was snubbed from the all-star game despite his league leading stats, and was not happy about it.

“I think that names should be taken off the ballot, and statistics should decide it.” Murtha said.

Pete Vlahakis entered the game as the best face-off man in the league, winning 60 percent of all his draws. However, he struggled against Washington’s Kevin Frew for the second time this season. In fact, most of the game’s face-offs turned into rugby style scrums, but the officials were determined the let the players play.

The Lizards were defeated by the Bayhawks in Washington two weeks ago by a score of 18-15. At the time, Washington was riding a four game winning streak and appeared to be the team to beat in the Eastern Division with a mark of 4-1.

However, with the Lizards win tonight, Long Island will guarantee themselves at least a tie for first place with a 4-1 record. Philadelphia was tied with the Lizards at 3-1, and their game was in progress at the same time as Long Island.

Washington will fall to 4-3 and will be looking up at the two division leaders.

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