Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Daunting task awaits, but Buzz aiming high Team seeks to open OLA East semifinal with weekend sweep in tough environment by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor Sports HALTON TRANSMISSION "Connected to your Community" 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com 23 | Thursday, July 10, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com As the Oakville Buzz prepares for a pair of playoff games this weekend in an arena where it has lost its last five visits, you might think the Buzz would be happy with a split. Mike Bentivegna, however, doesn't see it that way. "(Setting the bar high) is the way we've done it all year," said the Buzz's first-year head coach, whose club will open its Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B East Conference semifinal series Saturday in Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory located along the borders of Ontario, Quebec and New York. "We're going up there expecting to win two games. "(The Indians) are a great team. I'll give them all the credit in the world. But we're going up there for two wins. We're not going up there to split." That seems like a tall order. The Indians have won 38 of their last 42 games overall at A'nowara'ko:wa Arena (known as the Oakville Buzz captain Colton Watkinson (in white) powers past a Newmarket Saints opponent during the teams' Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B first-round playoff series. Oakville won the best-of-five series, 3-1, and will face the Akwesasne Indians in the East Conference semifinals, beginning Saturday | photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog Turtle Dome). They've also claimed their last four post-season home games against the Buzz. It means opening the best-of-five series on the road -- the higher-seeded Buzz had the option of hosting the first two games, then playing the remainder of the series in Akwesasne the following weekend -- wasn't necessarily a no-brainer. Then again, the road has to go through Akwesasne at some point. Oakville was home for the first two games of its 2011 and 2012 playoff series versus the Indians, winning the opener before losing the following three games on both occasions. As high as Bentivegna's hopes might be, he said he's also prepared for the possibility of coming home in an 0-2 hole and having to win three in a row at Toronto Rock Ath- letic Centre. "I would feel comfortable having to win three at home," the coach said. "It's not what we want to do, but we can make adjustments, break down how we're being see Buzz on p.24 What's the HOTTEST Sport... ... and the COOLEST Game... For GIRLS? WOW!!! First-time Hornets born 2006 2009 (only) will have their protective equipment and professional fitting INCLUDED with registration fees! A $200 value (visit our web site for full details) Act now... and join us on the ice in September! OAKVILLE SOCCER CLUB Week Seven Photo Contest Winner: Photographer: Christina Siamalekas Age Division: Ladies Open Age Sponsored by: A Proud Sponsor of Oakville Soccer Club ICE HOCKEY! We're the biggest and best Girls' Ice Hockey Club anywhere! We invite you &your daughter to give us a try! Oakville Hornets Girls Hockey Association 905.337.8800 www.oakvillehornets.on.ca Member Ontario Women's Hockey Association