Overtime Playoff Drop In Buffalo; Swarm Bright Future Ahead

DULUTH, GA. (APRIL 30, 2024) – The Georgia Swarm’s season came to a close in a tense overtime battle against the Buffalo Bandits in a quarterfinal game held in Buffalo.

The Swarm dominated face-offs against the Bandits on Saturday night, starting the game with an aggressive offense. Brendan Bomberry kicked off the action with a left-sided shot just 26 seconds into the game, followed by Andrew Kew’s impressive give-and-dive goal from the top of the crease. The Swarm finished the first quarter with a 2-1 lead.

In the second quarter, Jeremy Thompson’s draw kickstarted the Swarm’s offense. Despite a strong defensive start and a key save by Dobson denying a shot by Byrnes, Buffalo managed to tie the game 2-2. However, Lyle Thompson’s skillful play resulted in the Swarm’s third goal. The back-and-forth continued, with Buffalo scoring twice and the Swarm answering with goals from Jeff Henrick and Brendan Bomberry, ending the first half tied at 5-5.

The third quarter saw the Bandits take the lead with two powerplay goals after a major penalty against Bryan Cole. Despite Buffalo’s offensive efforts, Kew’s powerplay goal kept the Swarm in contention. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Swarm trailed by one point but quickly equalized with Bomberry and Kew both scoring their third goals of the night.

A back-and-forth battle in goaltending ensued until Lyle Thompson’s goal put the Swarm ahead 9-8. However, the Bandits swiftly responded, tying the game and forcing overtime. Despite several possessions without a goal, the Bandits’ Josh Brynes sealed the victory with a long shot in overtime, ending the game 10-9 in favor of the Bandits.

Georgia Swarm ends their season with 10 wins and 9 losses (includes playoff game). Swarm placed 5th in the National Lacrosse League and were fortune to secure a playoff spot that hasn’t happened since 2019.The Swarm has a bright future as many sports writers wrote after the loss against the Bandits. The Georgia Swarm has a lot talent going into next year and making it an excited upcoming 2024-2025 season for this team.