Coquitlam Adanacs dominated the Western Lacrosse Association individual awards but they are no longer dominating the Victoria Shamrocks.
Victoria evened the best-of-seven semifinal series at two games apiece via an 11-8 overtime victory Saturday at Poirier Sports Complex.
It marked the second straight win for the Shamrocks, who tripped Coquitlam 9-6 Friday on Vancouver Island, after the A's won the opening two games. Game 5 is set for Victoria's Bear Mountain Arena on Tuesday, with Game 6 back at Poirier on Wednesday, 7:45 p.m.
A's general manager Randy Delmonico was dismayed his team twice had the ball in the final 30 seconds of regulation time Saturday and coughed it up both times, only to watch PoCo Saints Jr. 'A' grad Derek Lowe score with two ticks remaining to knot the score 8-8 and force overtime.
There, the Shamrocks whipped in three goals in the 10-minute extra frame to win.
"When you have the game won and give it up like that it let's the air out of your tires," Delmonico groused. "They [Shamrocks] are also holding the ball a lot longer than we are. Our defence is on the floor too much and they're getting tired, and that's a problem. Face-offs and loose balls are so important and we're working on that."
Jason Jones and Dane Dobbie led the A's suddenly sagging offence with two goals each, with Coquitlam singles going to Kevin Olson, Damon Edwards, Ryan Johnson and Daryl Veltman.
On Friday in Victoria, Dobbie's three goals weren't enough in the A's three-goal defeat. Jones, Olson and Daniel McQuade were Coquitlam's remaining marksmen, as the Shamocks outshot the visitors by a lopsided 54-39 count.
Meanwhile on Monday, it was announced three Adanacs were named to the WLA first all-star team, including goalie Nick Rose, defender Bruce Murray and forward Dane Dobbie. Rose also nabbed the Commission Trophy as league MVP, along with the Leo Nicholson Trophy for Outstanding Goaltender.
Rounding out the select unit were Langley Thunder defender Brett Mydske, Nanaimo Timbermen forward Scott Ranger and Shamrocks forward Corey Small.
A's defender Brad Richardson was chosen to the second all-star squad, along with Nanaimo goalie Zac Boychuk, New Westminster Salmonbellies' defender Ian Hawksbee, New West forward Ilija Gajic, Langley forward Athan Iannucci and Victoria forward Jeff Shattler.
