Brian Bendig scored three goals as the New Jersey Storm won its final home game of the season by holding off the Columbus Landsharks, 10-9, Saturday night at Continental Airlines Arena.

The victory gives New Jersey a sweep of the two-game season series. The Storm's first-ever victory came in Columbus, on 1 December 2001.

A low-scoring first half left the teams tied, 3-3, at intermission. No player scored multiple goals in the half, with Columbus' Daniel Dawson and New Jersey's Hanley Holcomb swapping first-quarter tallies, followed by matching strikes from Bill Greer and Steve Gloekner for the visitors and Cam Bomberry and Jamie Hanford for the home side.

In the second half, Bendig struck thrice for the Storm, with goals also coming from Kerry Susheski, Cory Leigh, and Bill Lefeurve, whose strike at 13:28 of the fourth quarter was the game-winner.

In the fourth quarter, which began at 8-5 in favor of New Jersey, Gewas Schindler, Columbus' leading scorer this season, and Jamie Taylor, projected future star in NLL, each awoke to score their only goals of the game. Kasey Beirnes and Kyle Arbuckle also scored in the Landsharks' four-goal fourth-quarter rally; they were the only 'Sharks to score more than once in the game.

New Jersey goaltender Matt Roik stopped 48 of 57 shots in the victory, which advances the Storm to 4-11 on the season and keeps alive the team's goal of catching up to New York, which finished its 5-11 season with a loss this evening, in the Eastern Division standings. The Storm gets its chance to do that tomorrow night at Ottawa in the season finale for both squads.

At the other end of the floor, Mike Miron posted 41 saves for Columbus, which finishes at the same 5-11 record the Storm is aiming for.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
Columbus Landsharks (5-11)            1  2  2  4  --   9
New Jersey Storm (4-11)               1  2  5  2  --  10

COLUMBUS LANDSHARKS           NEW JERSEY STORM
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Arbuckle       2 - 1     3    Bendig         3 - 0     3
Greer          1 - 2     3    Holcomb        2 - 1     3
Beirnes        2 - 0     2    Panetta        0 - 2     2
Schindler      1 - 1     2    Purdie         0 - 2     2
Dawson         1 - 0     1    Ca Bomberry    1 - 0     1
Gloeckner      1 - 0     1    Hanford        1 - 0     1
Taylor         1 - 0     1    LeFeurve       1 - 0     1
S Martin       0 - 1     1    Leigh          1 - 0     1
Steenhuis      0 - 1     1    Susheski       1 - 0     1
D Suddons      0 - 1     1    Nadelen        0 - 1     1
                              Reed           0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           57    Shots on goal           51
Saves made by (GA)      41    Saves made by (GA)      48
   Miron (10)        41          Roik (9)          48
   Levis (0)          0
Penalties                4    Penalties                5
Penalty Minutes          8    Penalty Minutes         10
Power Play Chances       2    Power Play Chances       1
Power Play Goals         2    Power Play Goals         1
   Arbuckle           1          Ca Bomberry        1
   Beirnes            1          
Shorthanded Goals        1    Shorthanded Goals        0
   Arbuckle           1          (None)
Loose Balls             84    Loose Balls            103
   Greer             14          Sombrotto         15
   Arbuckle          10          Purdie            11
   Beirnes            8          Nadelen            9
Faceoffs Won             4    Faceoffs Won            19
   Cousins      ( 4- 6)          Hanford      (19- 4)
   D Suddons    ( 0- 7)
   Greer        ( 0- 5)
   Beirnes      ( 0- 1)

 *** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH NEW JERSEY STORM ***