NLL Insider

Matt Lyons was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2007 NLL Entry Draft by Boston, and then selected No. 13 overall by Rochester in the dispersal draft.

In 2007, Lyons recorded 27 goals and 59 points in 18 games with Junior ‘A’ Orangeville in the OLA. In the playoffs, he then led the Northmen with 22 goals and 42 points in 15 games.

In Rochester, Lyons had a great camp and recorded two goals and three points in his first ever regular season professional National Lacrosse League (NLL) game. He now has four goals and six points in four games played.

Tell us about your NLL experience so far.
“It’s been good. I was playing in Junior with at most 1,500 fans, to then go into Buffalo and play in front of 19,000 my first game was crazy. To play in front of that atmosphere is so fun and exciting and so much more energetic and stuff, it was unreal.”

Have you learnt from playing with guys like Jr. and the Evans brothers?
“Oh yeah. Guys like Junior, the Evans brothers, Shawn Williams and Regy Thorpe and everyone on the team. It such a veteran team, I’ll do anything to learn… They’re showing you little tricks during practice and even during games, when you come off the floor they’re throwing hints at you and telling you what to do to get better. You just got to keep your ears open.”

Anything in particular you’ve picked up?
“At the start, coming from Junior, I wasn’t ready or used to the no look passes and stuff like that that all the good guys throw. That’s Shawn William’s main thing and he gave me the heads up, you’ve always just got to be ready for those passes when you’re cutting through the middle.”

What’s the best piece of lacrosse advice you’ve received?
“Basically, keep your stick in your hands and practice. You can’t get better if you don’t have your lacrosse stick in your hands.”

Do you feel like you hit a little slump after having a great start?
“No, I had a good start and then I went one game without scoring a goal but they just took me out to get Mat McLeod in a couple times. At the beginning of the year, he said we’d be rotating back and forth so Mat’s got to get his games in, too.”

And how about your relationship with McLeod. You guys have played quite a bit together in Junior.
“Yeah, we played three years together so we’re good buddies. It’s awesome coming to a city with new guys (to have McLeod here, too). Especially when the team’s as great as it is, and as many good guys as there is on the team, to have a best friend come with you to experience that with each other is awesome.”

Overall have you guys meshed there?
“For sure. Me, Maty and (rookie Andrew) Potter I think have all meshed here pretty well. All three of us went from being one of the top guys on our team in Junior and having the ball all of the time, to coming to this team and having the ball not that much. You’ve just got to learn your role, buy into it, accept that and work hard at it.”

As a team, do you guys feel in Rochester you’ve turned the corner after that 1-3 start?
“Yeah, for sure. Our team’s definitely a 5-on-5 team. When we’re 5-on-5 and playing our best there’s not many teams in this league that can play with us. But when we’re taking penalties left-right-and-centre and there’s not a good flow to the game, it’s anyone’s game. So we’ve just got to stay out of the box and play 5-on-5 like we can.”

Expectations of yourself this year?
“I just want to help out the team as best as I can, and learn as much I can. These guys are all great players so I’m just trying to pick up everything I can. I’m trying to be a sponge and soak it up.”

Do you know if you’ll be back in the line up soon?
“I’m not sure. I should be back in the line up soon, but it’s the coaches’ decision. I just go to practice and work hard, and try to make his decision harder.”

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