by David Fink
Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Not much has gone right forTim Hormes or the Pittsburgh Bulls this season.
Hormes had been expected to blossom into a big-time goal-scorer in his second year in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. The Bulls thought that they had the right combination of speed, toughness and talent to take a serious run at defending champion Detroit in the National Division. Neither has happened.
But Saturday night, Hormes and the Bulls offered some evidence of progress on both fronts.
Hormes popped a pair of goals, including the game-winner at 3:10 of the five-minute, sudden-death overtime, as the Bulls (2-4) nipped the Boston Blazers, 10-9, at the Civic Arena.
“It has been rough for me and the team,” said Hornes, who now has six goals this season.
“We’re a young team, but we finally showed we could handle some pressure and win a tough game. I think we’ll look back on this as the turning point for us.”
With the victory, the last-place Bulls climbed to within one game of the second-place Blazers (3-3).
Hormes’ game winner cane on an end-to-end rush. His original idea was to cross midfield and pass to someone on the wing as soon as the Blazers attacked him. When they chose not to challenge him, he changed his plans. He darted quickly to the middle and began looking for a shooting alley.
Suddenly, Boston goalie Bruce Donaldson, a former Bull, made an unexpected move toward Hormes.
“He took a step out, and I saw an opening between his legs. I went for it,” said Hormes. “For a change, I made the right decision. I just kept the shot real low and hoped for the best.”
And that’s exactly what he got.
“What a terrific finish,” said Bulls coach Dennis Wey. “We’ve had to rethink our goals and shoot for a 4-4 finish because we didn’t mesh as well or as quickly as we thought we would.
“This gives us a lot to build on, though. We’ve played terrific defense—by far the best we’ve ever played here—and we took advantage of what goals scoring we got.”
Actually, the Bulls thought they had wrapped up the victory on Jeff Klodzen’s fluke goal at 7:38 of the fourth quarter.
Klodzen tried to hit a breaking Mark Gold with a long pass.
“I threw it too hard and too far; it was an awful pass,” said Klodzen.
But to his amazement, his 10-foot pass sailed right to the goal, handcuffed the stunned Donaldson and dropped into the net.
NOTES—The crowd of 8,497 was the largest in three home games for the Bulls this season. They averaged 6,823 for their first two…John Wilson, the Bulls’ leading scorer last year, broke out of his slump with three first-half goals, raising his season total to six…The Bulls will visit the Philadelphia Wings on Saturday night before finishing their season at home against Detroit on March 21.
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 2, 1992)