MLL Weekly Award Winners (7/23/07)

[Sonny]

BOSTON, Mass. – Major League Lacrosse announced Monday its weekly award winners for the week ending July 22, 2007, according to MLL Commissioner David Gross. Denver Outlaws midfielder Brian Langtry has been named as the League's Offensive Player of the Week while Los Angeles Riptide midfielder Anthony Kelly was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week. In addition, New Jersey Pride goalkeeper Rob Scherr has been honored as the Goalkeeper of the Week while Rochester Rattlers midfielder Alex Smith received the Cascade MLL Rookie of the Week award for the second time this season.

Langtry scored four goals and added an assist to lead the Outlaws to a 15-13 victory over the defending MLL champion Philadelphia Barrage on Saturday evening. He was named as the Bud Light MVP for the first time in his MLL career and has scored 20 goals in eight games this season. It is his first career Offensive Player of the Week honor.

Meanwhile, Kelly helped the Riptide extend their team-record win streak to five straight games with a 19-5 victory over the Washington Bayhawks on Saturday afternoon. He won 19 of 28 face-offs and was honored as the Bud Light MVP for the first time in his career. In eight games this season, Kelly has won 48.7 per cent of the face-offs he has taken. This is the first weekly award of Kelly's career.

Scherr made a season-high 23 saves in helping New Jersey snap a two-game losing streak with a 19-15 victory over the Long Island Lizards on Saturday evening. He had 15 of those saves in the second half as the Pride won at home for the second time this season. Through nine games this season, Scherr ranks fourth in the MLL in saves and has a 13.75 goals against average, which is good for fifth in the league. He becomes the ninth different goalkeeper to earn the award this season.

Honored with his third weekly award of the season, Smith won 23 of 31 face-offs and had a team-high 12 ground balls as the Rattlers extended their win streak to seven straight games with a 17-11 victory over the Boston Cannons on Thursday night. The third overall pick in the Collegiate Draft, Smith currently is tied for second place in the MLL with 62 ground balls. Smith has also been honored as the league's Defensive Player of the Week once this season in addition to his two Rookie of the Week awards.