If the L.A. Riptide want to keep their home record in good shape, they should stop inviting the Denver Outlaws to town.
The Riptide, who have not lost at home since Denver beat them in 2006, fell again to the Outlaws, 16-13, in front of 4,189 at Home Depot Center’s track and field stadium on Saturday night.
The Riptide, who also lost at Denver in their season opener, 22-12, went 6-0 at home last season, won the Western Conference and reached the Major League Lacrosse semifinals before losing to eventual champion, Philadelphia, 16-13, in Rochester.
But Saturday, Denver struck early and often, and even though the Riptide kept fighting back, they never held a lead in the game.
From what he calls a “pothole mess” field to the state-of-the-art Barton Stadium, Mike Law gauges the growth of the University of Denver lacrosse program. As standard bearer of that program, Law is the headliner of DU’s Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2008, featuring four individuals and the 1957-58 NCAA champion hockey team.
The Oct. 23 induction ceremony will be at the Westin Tabor Center.
Formerly of Regis High, Law competed from 1998-2001, earning all-league honors his last three seasons and becoming DU’s first lacrosse honorable mention All-American.
“It was pretty unbelievable and real exciting to be part of a growing program,” Law said. “And to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is amazing. It is a big surprise.”
While earning his law degree at DU, Law played for the local pro lacrosse teams, the Colorado Mammoth and Denver Outlaws.
DU’s heritage-era inductee is the late James “Jimmy” Bowen, a quarterback from 1953-55.
Women’s inductee Deshaune Running, a soccer defender, earned NCAA Division II player of the year honors in 1996.
The coaching inductee is Dan Garcia, the women’s gymnastics coach from 1981-98, who guided the Pioneers to two national titles.
