May 23, 2025
The San Diego Growlers (4-1) traveled cross-country to face the Carolina Flyers (0-3) for a first ever matchup in the newly aligned UFA South Division. This pivotal game had potential playoff implications as a tie-breaker and a win would give each team confidence and momentum moving forward.
Starting on offense, a Growlers red zone throwaway led to a Flyers break, as they marched the disc all the way down the field. San Diego responded with a Matt Miller assist to Jesse Cohen, then recorded a break score when Bryce Lozinski dished to Max Hume for the early 2-1 lead. Carolina bounced right back with a hold and then earned another break after defending a deep pass. The Growlers countered with smooth offense capped by a Travis Dunn to Oliver Artus connection, then another break after a timeout as Khalif El-Salaam assisted to Artus, 4-3. The first quarter see-saw concluded when Carolina held on offense, then capitalized on a throwaway for an eventual break score for the lead, 5-4.
Carolina held to begin the second quarter, then San Diego executed flawless flow down the field with an Artus to Cohen score. Both offenses found their groove on this windless night, with each team trading several goals. Cohen shined with 3 goals and an assist, while Marcel Osborne made two highlight reel catches. After another Growlers hold, Max Gibson intercepted a Flyers deep shot before time expired to keep the score within one, 12-11.
The Growlers picked up where they left off with a quick strike offense and were able to score with no issues, but the Flyers traded holds as well. At 15-15, Reggie Sung laid out for a huge block, San Diego called timeout, and Miller eventually found Osborne in the end zone for a key break score. More holding ensued, but the Growlers were unable to score on their last possession with the score tied at 17s.
San Diego took advantage of a Carolina turnover, and Stefan Samu threw deep to El-Salaam who caught the deflected disc for the break score. The teams traded and the Growlers had a great chance for another break and a two goal lead, but a Flyers block and hold tied the score yet again, 19-19. The teams continued to trade punches, with the Flyers' Allen Laviolette and Jacob Fairfax connecting all night. Meanwhile, Miller, Osborne, and Artus were constant forces and involved in every score. At 22-22, the Growlers threw a leading pass just out of reach which was blocked, and the Flyers called timeout and scored a critical break with just 41 seconds left. San Diego was calm, cool, and collected as they advanced the disc forward and with two seconds left, Osborne unleashed a high arching forehand blade to Jesse Cohen who was able to keep his feet inbounds for the tying score at the buzzer!
In overtime, the Growlers started on offense and worked the disc into the redzone, but a throwaway gave the Flyers possession and after a timeout, they notched a break score, 24-23. San Diego got back to their usual ways, with a Dunn assist to Artus to tie the game. The Flyers held, then the Growlers committed a throwaway which could have been fatal, but Artus saved the day with a hand block, then Miller found KJ Koo for the one-handed goal. Carolina had 1:05 on the clock to win the game, but an El-Salaam hand block caused the disc to fall to Samu, who then fired a flick to the endzone to Hume, but it was well defended and the score was still knotted at 25-25 with no time left.
The Flyers received the disc in sudden death double overtime and attempted to score on a deep huck to Fairfax, but Samu was in excellent defensive position and came up with a clutch block. The Growlers started advancing with quick passes most of the way up the field, and a couple of foul calls put the disc in El-Salaam's hands on the goal line. El-Salaam confidently stepped through the double team mark and flipped the disc to the corner of the endzone to Samu for the bookend finish and game winning score!
The Growlers were led by Jesse Cohen with a +9 performance (3 assists, 6 goals) and Oliver Artus with a +8 game (3 assists, 6 goals, 1 block). Travis Dunn (7 assists, 1 goals, 1 block) and Marcel Osborne (3 assists, 4 goals) were key offensive cogs as well with +7 performances.
The next day, San Diego would travel to Atlanta for the UFA Game of the Week in a rematch of another thrilling buzzer-beater finish a couple weeks earlier in the season.
