Gordie Purdie scores four goals to lead Lynbrook past Hewlett
Lynbrook's Gordon Purdie celebrates a goal during a game against Hewlett on May 6, 2015. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
For Gordie Purdie, shooting a lacrosse ball is a bit like geometry class. It's all about the angles.
Lynbrook's high-scoring attack, the son of Adelphi men's lacrosse coach Gordon Purdie, played the angles well Wednesday, scoring four goals in various fashion in a 7-0 victory over host Hewlett in Nassau B2.
Ryan Candel contributed two goals and two assists and Owen Daly added a goal and an assist as the Owls improved to 8-0 in league and 15-0 overall. Hewlett fell to 5-3.
"There's a different angle for each shot," Purdie said before offering a primer on the subject. "If the goalie comes out at you, you shoot a bouncer. If you're coming out from around the corner, go sidearm to increase the angle of the shot. If you're in the crease, shoot low-to-high to freeze him. If your shots are not going on goal, over-the-top is the safe bet."
Purdie scored goals 2, 3, 4 and 7 for Lynbrook, which controlled play throughout thanks to Daly winning all 11 faceoffs. Purdie scored in front with a dunk, went underhand from the crease, found the upper right corner with a perimeter blast and finished low-to-high in the slot.
"It came from watching my dad play indoor lacrosse with the New York Saints," Purdie said, referring to his father's 13-year career with the Nassau Coliseum tenants of the old National Lacrosse League from 1989-2001. "My dad never taught me the underhand shot. I learned that from watching other guys do it."
In addition to a mixed bag of stick tricks, Purdie also has myriad celebrations for his many goals. He has 38 goals (plus 34 assists) this season. "I do whatever comes to mind. I don't plan it," he said. "I have a lot of different ones. I've seen guys on TV in college games do some wild celebrations and I just copy them."
Purdie, who will play for his father at Adelphi beginning next season, clearly enjoys all aspects of the sport he learned from his father, who grew up in Australia. "You can tell he loves it," Lynbrook coach Bill Leighley said. "He's a gym rat. He's taken a million shots. I've given up trying to fix anything about his shot. He always finds a way to figure it out. He's part of a group that has played together since the ninth grade."
It's a group that is angling to go further than last year, when they won the Nassau B championship and a Long Island championship.
"It's a great feeling in the locker room and being around these guys," Purdie said. "At every practice and in every game, we're playing for a purpose."
