Jan 27th, 2010

Ratcliff and Rabil Earn Weekly NLL Awards

The Washington Stealth went 2-0 last week with a 13-11 win at home against the Buffalo Bandits and a 16-15 road victory over the Calgary Roughnecks.  Both wins were due in large part to the play of Lewis Ratcliff and Paul Rabil.  As a result, they were named in the National Lacrosse League’s player of the week awards.

Ratcliff recorded 12 points (8g, 4a) and six loose balls in two games to earn the NLL Offensive Player of the Week award.  Against Buffalo, he scored two goals and assisted on another, while collecting a season-high six loose balls.  The following night in Calgary, where he spent the first six years of his NLL career, Ratcliff torched his former team with six goals and three assists.  He tallied a second-quarter shorthanded goal and also scored the game-winner with just 3:22 left in the game to lead the Stealth to a 4-0 start.

The big weekend propelled Ratcliff to the league lead in goals scored (12) this season.  He is also third in points (23) and 14^th in assists (11).

Rabil was named the NLL Transition Player of the Week for the second time in the young 2010 season.  He recorded nine points (1g, 8a) and seven loose balls in two games.  Against Buffalo, Rabil assisted on four Stealth goals, including the game-winner.  He also picked up four loose balls in the game.  In the big win over Calgary, he finished with a goal, four assists and three loose balls.  Once again, Rabil recorded an assist on the game-winning goal.

Rabil, in his second NLL season, already has 16 points (3g, 13a) on the season.  In his All-Rookie Team campaign a year ago, Rabil recorded 34 points (16g, 18a) in 16 games played.  He is ranked seventh among the 2010 NLL assists leaders.

Ratcliff, Rabil and the Stealth look to improve to 5-0 this weekend when they take on the Colorado Mammoth at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo.  The game is scheduled to begin on January 30 at 6:00pm PST and can be seen live on Altitude or on the NLL Network at NLL.com.