May 25, 2013 by Charlie Eisenhood in Preview with 0 comments
Many of the teams under .500 have big games this weekend as they claw back towards playoff hopes in the AUDL. The big guns are also matched up against some of those teams, which could make for blowout wins or wild upsets.
MIDWESTERN DIVISION
Minnesota Wind Chill (2-5) @ Madison Radicals (4-2)
The Friday night matchup between the Wind Chill and Radicals in Madison, home of this year’s College Championships, should be a raucous affair. Don’t let the records fool you; this game, like all of those between these teams, will be competitive.
Minnesota is eager to get back into the playoff conversation after they snapped a five game skid last week with a dominant win over the Mechanix. The Wind Chill have not yet won back-to-back games this season.
The Radicals are also coming off of a win against Detroit. They have defeated the Wind Chill in both of their meetings this season, but both games were close, 22-20 and 19-15. The Radicals continue to play without some of their star college talent, who will be playing with the Wisconsin Hodags in this weekend’s College Nationals.
Indianapolis Alleycats (2-3) @ Cincinnati Revolution (3-4) (x2)
The Alleycats go on the road for a rare Saturday/Sunday doubleheader against the Revolution. The Alleycats beat Cincinnati last week at home by seven — Keenan Plew was outstanding as Cameron Brock returned to the lineup.
This is a critical weekend for both teams as they jockey for position in the playoff race. The Alleycats, with two wins, can leapfrog the Revolution and took sole possession of third place in the Midwest. The Revolution could drop Indy to last place. Both teams can get back over .500.
This is the first time this season a team has played back-to-back games against the same opponent during a weekend. It’s always tough to beat an opponent once, it’s a lot harder to beat them twice.
Windy City Wildfire (6-1) @ Detroit Mechanix (3-5)
This looks like a big mismatch as the top team in the league comes into town to face a Detroit team on a four game losing streak, but the Mechanix are tough to beat at home, where they are 2-2. One of their wins came against the Radicals, one of the league’s top teams, who had beaten the Wildfire the day before.
Brodie Smith will be back in the lineup for the Wildfire after missing last week’s game against the Radicals due to a knee injury.
The Mechanix have fallen far in the league standings after starting the season 3-1 and then losing four straight. An improbable win against the Wildfire would have to earn them the label of giant killers.
EASTERN DIVISION
Rochester Dragons (2-4) @ DC Breeze (2-5)
The Dragons hit the road this week to take on the southern Atlantic Coast teams. Their first game comes against the DC Breeze on Saturday. The last time these teams met in Washington, they had an explosive double overtime game in which the Breeze came away with the victory on double game point.
The Dragons, who have been playing much better of late, will be looking to get revenge this week and continue their rise up the table.
Both teams are coming off of a loss — the Breeze to the Phoenix (a nailbiter 18-17 finish) and the Dragons to the Rush. This is quietly a very important game for these teams. With only two teams above .500 in the Eastern Conference (Toronto and Philadelphia), a win for either team puts them solidly back into the race for the third and final playoff spot.
Philadelphia Phoenix (3-1) @ New Jersey Hammerheads (1-5)
The Hammerheads and Phoenix will meet for the first time this weekend after their game two weeks ago in Philadelphia was postponed due to inclement weather.
This should be another easy win for the Phoenix over a Hammerheads team that simply hasn’t found a way to win games. New Jersey did take down Philly in a preseason matchup, but they haven’t been able to put together a solid game since week one against Rochester.
The Hammerheads have lost five straight and find themselves floundering and looking for a way forward against the Phoenix.
Philadelphia is looking to put more distance between themselves and the 3-3 Empire, who are on a bye this week.
New York and Toronto are off this week.
Rochester Dragons @ Philadelphia Phoenix
