Outlaws top Riptide to improve to 2-1

[Sonny]

DENVER, Colo. - Attackman Brendan Mundorf scored five goals and added three assists to lead the Denver Outlaws (2-1) to an 18-15 victory over the Los Angeles Riptide (1-2) in a Western Conference game at INVESCO Field at Mile High on Saturday evening.

After attackman Terry Riordan gave the Riptide a 1-0 lead with an unassisted goal midway through the first quarter, the Outlaws scored five straight goals over a 10-minute span to take a 5-1 advantage. Attackman Drew Westervelt scored two goals and had an assist during the run.

But, Los Angeles responded by scoring three straight goals over a three-minute span, which were all assisted by attackman Spencer Ford, to close the gap to 5-4 with 9:34 left in the first half. Denver midfielders Geoff Snider and Brian Langtry ended the period with back-to-back goals, giving the Outlaws a three-goal cushion at the intermission.

The Outlaws extended their advantage to 9-4 midway through the third quarter as midfielder Jeff Sonke and Mundorf scored goals just eight seconds apart. However, the Riptide responded by scoring four of the next five goals to narrow the gap to 10-8 with 16 seconds left in the period. Westervelt converted a Mundorf pass and beat the clock to score his third goal of the game with just one second left in the period.

Riordan scored a shorthanded goal just 26 seconds into the fourth quarter before Denver tallied five of the next six goals to take a 16-10 lead with 7:54 left in the stanza. Riordan tallied his fifth goal of the game with 7:24 left in the frame off a Ford assist. Midfielder Matt Hanna scored an unassisted marker less than a minute later before Los Angeles scored four of the last five goals in the game, but was unable to complete the comeback.

Westervelt was named as the Bud Light MVP after scoring four goals and three assists in just the second game of his brief MLL career. Mundorf added his eight-point outing while goalkeeper Trevor Tierney made 27 saves in the win.

Riordan led the Riptide in a losing effort with two goals and a game-high six assists while Riordan scored a season-high five goals.