PU graduates part of Barrage attack
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The first back-to-back championship in Major League Lacrosse history came with a pair of players who know plenty about winning – Ryan Boyle and Matt Streibel.
The Princeton University graduates were instrumental in helping the Philadelphia Barrage take a 16-13 title win over the Los Angeles Riptide on Sunday. Boyle scored two goals and had two assists, while Streibel took home Most Valuable Player honors when he scored all three of his goals in the fourth quarter to go with three assists.
”It’s sweet winning back-to-back championships,” Streibel said. “No one has done that before.”
It was the fifth title together for the duo that won an NCAA Championship at Princeton in 2001, the 2002 World Championship with Team USA and the 2004 Major League Lacrosse crown. Streibel also was part of the Tigers’ 1998 national title team.
”When you’re successful, you need a lot of breaks,” Streibel said. “You need to win one-goal games and you need to avoid injuries. The parity in this league makes it difficult because there’s an element of familiarity because you’re playing the same teams a lot. It requires discipline. I think that’s why it’s been difficult to repeat in this league.”
It certainly wasn’t easy for Philadelphia. They went 9-3 in the regular season and suffered one of their losses at the hands of last year’s other finalist, Denver, which the Barrage beat, 23-12, for the crown last year. Philadelphia reached the championship with a 13-12 overtime win Saturday over the Denver Outlaws, who feature Princeton graduates Trevor Tierney in goal and Josh Sims in the midfield.
”If you look at our season, we had a lot of games that were overtime games,” Streibel said. “We beat Long Island and New Jersey in overtime and we won the semifinals in overtime. A lot of guys are tough in a lot of different ways. (Brian) Spallina and Doc (Brian Dougherty), they’re tough, physical guys, but we’re also mentally tough. We’ve been around the block. When we get in a game like the one against L.A., they’re a great team and they’re going to make plays, and we had to stay mentally strong.”
Added Boyle of the keys to Sunday’s title win: “No. 1, is there’s a calm under pressure. When you’ve faced that many situations, your confidence tends to grow. You have a lot more poise. Playing with Matt for all four of these championships – one internationally and one in college and the other two (with Philadelphia) – we know what to expect from each other in these big moments.”
Streibel provided some final breathing room for the Barrage after the started the fourth quarter of the championship in an 11-11 tie. After falling behind by a goal, Streibel’s first goal of the game tied it, and his second gave the Barrage a 14-13 lead. He scored his third goal of the fourth quarter for a two-goal edge with 2:02 left before Jed Prossner scored Philadelphia’s final goal.
”Our time management was terrific,” Boyle said. “Late in the game, we had a time out and we had just got a man-up. I said, we’re going to get in a circle and get in this X play and then we’ll score. We chewed up 30 seconds, executed the play to a T and I hit Streibel and he had one of the best shots I’ve seen. It was a low to high shot that ripped the corner. That put us up by two. That was pretty much it. Prossner was able to deliver the last goal, but Striebel’s goal was the quintessential end.”
In doing so, both were showing what they bring to the Barrage. Boyle is the quarterback of the team.
”He’s the best at deciding when are we going to take chances,” Streibel said. “He’s so savvy about those situations. I’ve been playing with him long enough not to be a pain and respect him.”
Boyle finished the regular season third in the MLL in scoring with 26 goals and 31 assists. He had a goal and two assists in the fourth quarter of the semifinal win, including an assist with 59 seconds left to send the game to overtime. He scored one minute into the championship game to get the Barrage on the scoreboard early.
”Compared to Princeton, I’m a little more aggressive offensively,” said Boyle, who is co-founder of Trilogy Lacrosse with fellow PU grad Rob Lindsey. “Some of it is the nature of games and the nature of how Princeton operates. I’m allowed to be more aggressive and take some more chances. Regardless of what team I’ve been on, I’m known for taking charge of the offense and being the quarterback of the offense and scoring some goals.
”I’ve always been more of a distributor. I’m a little more of a goal scorer in the pros. My main thing is to get my teammates involved and create an offense that’s balanced. I find that’s more difficult to cover. The more teammates that are involved and touching the ball, the happier they’ll be and the more often you’re winning. I’m very conscientious of the defense as well. We try to help the defense, whether by slowing down if they’re tired or setting up rides to take as much time off the shot clock as we can.”
Streibel was third in scoring on the Barrage with 25 goals and 13 assists. He also recorded 104 steals, tops on the team. While Boyle will begin preparation for his fourth year in the National Lacrosse League with the New York Titans, Streibel will enjoy the MLL title while using his masters degree in creative writing recently earned from the University of Iowa to teach several classes. He is looking forward to the chance at a three-peat with Boyle and adding another title.
”That NCAA Championship was so long ago,” Streibel said. “They’re all so unique to the time and place. When you’re in college, lacrosse is something you commit more than your body and soul to in the four years you’re there. You have all these things and to win the championship, it’s a great mix of elation and excitement and relief that all that work was worth it.
”At the professional level, I think Boyle and I have been really lucky to be a part of the Barrage team. I can’t imagine playing with another group of guys and having as much fun. Winning championships in the professional ranks, it’s like a great hobby.”
It’s a hobby plenty of pros would like. Philadelphia just had a few players with a little more experience in winning, and that made the difference. Twice, the Barrage built three-goal leads only to see the Riptide answer back and tie it leading to a dramatic fourth quarter.
”Both teams were very resilient,” Boyle said. “A lot of teams in L.A.’s position wouldn’t have come back. We’d get a lead, and they’d come back. In a lot of cases, if we scored one or two more goals, we could have created some more distance.
”The game boiled down to a four- or five-minute game. With the personality and experience we have, we were very experienced. When it got down to that, we did a better job of executing. Our execution in the last five minutes was superb.”
Streibel saved his best for the last quarter, and his three goals were instrumental in helping the Barrage pull away for another title.
”In the fourth quarter,” Streibel said, “the game sort of opened up. They were tired and we were tired. They started having short sticks to come out and shut off me and Roy (Colsey). When I was able to get the ball and when Roy was, we were able to get space under people.”
And, just like old times at Princeton, finding a way to win in the end made all the difference for a pair of former Tiger standouts. Both Boyle and Streibel were named to the MLL All-Star team Thursday, but it’s not the individual awards that they were after.
”First and foremost, my goal going into every season, regardless of what team I play on, is always to win a championship,” Boyle said. “If you’re not in it for that, you’re in it for the wrong reason.”
Streibel added: “The things that made us successful at Princeton are definitely the things that make us successful now.”