Chicago survives Boston, returns to finals
Chicago Prowl chaser Matt Melton challenges the Boston Forge at the hoops in the MLQ Championship semifinals.
The Chicago Prowl narrowly escaped the Boston Forge by a score of 140-125 on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Benepe Cup finals after decisively claiming game one 165-70. With the sweep, the Prowl ensured that MLQ will have a new champion in 2024.
Chicago chaser Darien Murcek-Ellis started the scoring for the Prowl with two quick goals before teammate Liam Zach contributed to three scores of their own with an assist, a hockey assist, and a mid-range shot. The Prowl were moving the ball well, making the extra pass and supporting each other with perfectly timed cuts. Playing without a clear advantage in the beater game for the first time all year, the Forge struggled to guard the spaces behind the hoops. While chasers Athena Mayor and Sena Morimoto made key contributions for Boston, it was an uphill battle. Prowl seeker and former Boston practice squad player Nojus Ausra caught their second flag runner of the weekend to remove any doubt.
Game two was a much different affair, with intrigue from wire-to-wire. Boston started beater Max Havlin, who typically does not start, to match up with the Chicago starting pair of Ausra and Tad Walters. Forge chaser Will Richardson broke through the Prowl press on the first possession of the game to give Boston an early 10-0 lead, but the change did not seem to pay off, as Chicago responded with five unanswered goals. Chasers Ben Peachey and Ally Manzella continued to take advantage of the space behind the hoops, and Murcek-Ellis reached havoc on defense by disrupting passing lanes.
Just when Chicago looked to be in control however, Boston keeper Ian Scura rattled off a mini-run of fast breaks and mid-range shots and chaser Zach Doyle carried the momentum forward with the next line. Each had two goals, cutting the deficit to 10-20 points. Entering at seeker, Richardson then vaulted the Forge ahead 115-100 with a dramatic flag runner catch. Scura completed a hat trick off the restart to put Boston only two goals away from forcing a deciding game three.
Boston could not close though. Murcek-Ellis scored two goals, head coach and chaser Kennedy Murphy won a key loose ball, and Ausra and Walters played methodical mistake-free half-court possessions to come back and break Forge hearts.
The Prowl advance to the MLQ Championship finals for the second consecutive year. They will meet the East Division champion New York Titans, who they upset in the semifinals last season in an instant classic. Boston was eliminated with the loss.