Aug. 24, 2007

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Six former Navy lacrosse standouts will look to lead the Los Angeles Riptide to the franchise's first Major League Lacrosse Championship when L.A., Rochester, Philadelphia and Denver converge at Paetec Park in Rochester, N.Y. this weekend to duke it out for the 2007 MLL title. Top-seeded Philadelphia and Denver will kick things off on Saturday at 2:00 pm in the first semifinal contest, followed by a 5:00 pm nightcap featuring the second-seeded Riptide against the hometown Rattlers. The winner from each semifinal will advance to the NB Zip MLL Championship Game slated to be played at 1:00 pm on Sunday and will be televised live on ESPN2.

2007 MLL All-Stars Mickey Jarboe (`00) and Graham Gill (`05) are among seven former Navy lacrosse players who are on the Los Angeles Riptide roster. Joining the two MLL All-Stars are Sean Donnelly, a member of Navy's Class of `92 who served five years as a member of the Civil Engineering Corps and is currently a real estate developer in San Francisco; Mitch Hendler (`05), stationed in San Diego as a Force Protection Officer on the USS VANDEGRIFT; Chris Pieczonka (`05), also stationed in San Diego as a Force Protection Officer on the USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN; Matt Russell (`06), an ensign in the Navy who is based out of San Diego and Jon Birsner (`06), who is a member of the team but is currently deployed.

In just their second year, the Riptide claimed their first Western Conference title with a league-best 9-3 record. Gill is the Riptide's top-scoring midfielder and ranks fifth in the MLL, scoring 38 points on 27 goals and 11 assists. Among all players and all positions, Gill is tied for 18th. In the last four games he has played, Gill has scored 14 goals and added eight assists, including a five-goal, three-assist day in the July 14 win over Denver.

Jarboe, who spent nearly seven years away from competitive lacrosse, finished the regular season leading the league in both goals-against-average (11.11) and save-percentage (.592). In addition, Jarboe was the two-time winner of both the MLL Goalkeeper of the Week and the Bud Light MVP of the Game awards this season.

Along with Jarboe, Donnelly helped spearhead a defense that was as stingy as they come, giving up a league-low 138 goals (11.5 gpg). In addition, the Riptide defensive unit held their opponent to just five goals for two consecutive games (July 14 vs. Denver and July 21 at Washington). In their 19-5 victory against Washington, the Riptide outscored the Bayhawks 15-1 in the second half, while the 14-goal win marked the largest margin of victory in L.A. franchise history.