JULY 9, 2023
By Aidan Delehanty
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The DC Breeze clinched their seventh-straight playoff appearance over the weekend, completing a sweep of the Boston Glory with a score of 22-15.
The Breeze came out with a strong first quarter with multiple break points led by major blocks. Christian Boxley ended the quarter with a huge sky over the heads of two defenders to end the quarter at 8-5. The first quarter isn’t the only place Boxley shined, however. This was one of his best games this season with a season-high five goals.
Other major players in this game were Joe Merrill and the Manscapred MVP, Jonny Malks. Merrill was the best defensive player this game with a team-high four blocks. He also had one goal and one assist to lead their break efforts. Malks, on the other hand, had one of the best assist rates of the night with a stat line of four assists and three goals.
Despite the hot start, the game did come with its struggles once again, as the Breeze hit a lull in the third quarter and allowed the Glory to cut into the deficit in the final minutes. At the end of the third frame, only two points separated the two teams, as the Breeze led 16-14, after each team scored four goals in the quarter. Malks talked about this in a post-game interview when awarded with the Manscaped MVP award.
“We’ve noticed that as a trend throughout the season, that it’s a really long game and oftentimes, we find ourselves mentally lapsing or making a few mistakes that let the game get that close," Malks said. "Make sure that our mentality is there, so we don’t have those lapses and when we do make sure that we can bounce back with more fire.”
Another major storyline of this game was the ability of the Breeze’s roster to step up and fill the shoes of some open roster spots, with some of their teammates away at the World Under-24 Championships in Nottingham, England. Key members of the team that have been playing overseas are Benjamin Oort and Jacques Nissen for the O-line, AJ Merriman for the D-line, and Head Coach Darryl Stanley. However, the absence was not really felt on the field in their matchup with the Glory.
“Our greatest strength is our depth," D-line starter Alexandre Fall said. "Every player on this roster is super capable and likely to be a starter on most teams in the league. And even the guys who aren’t [regular starters], they’re bringing the energy, telling us what to do on the field and in our heads… Seeing them step up and prove that they got it too, and they are just as valuable as any of those guys who get rostered each week.
The players out at the World Under-24 Championships should be back for next week’s game and will hopefully add to the already blazing energy the team ignited in this game. With the playoffs in sight, the team looks ready to face any competition that stands in the way of a win.
Next week will be the Breeze’s last game on the road as they head up to the City of Brotherly Love to play the Philadelphia Phoenix (5-5). A win against Philly would clinch DC the second seed and the right to host the first round of the East Division Playoffs.
The final game of the regular season for the Breeze will be at home against the Toronto Rush (4-5) on Friday, July 21 at 7:00 PM. As always, it'll be played at the Catholic University of America’s Carlini Field. Tickets are available here.
