Unfortunately, the winless Wings found themselves banging their heads in WWF fashion as the Wings fell to the Rochester Knighthawks, 15-12, in Major League Lacrosse action last night before a crowd of 15,183.

Although the Knighthawks (1-2) hadn't won in their last seven games, dating back to last season, they were able to give the Wings their first 0-3 start since l992.

"I haven't been 0-3 in the last 24 years that I've played the game," Marechek said.

"We were a young team back then," Wings forward John McEvoy said. "We're going through that same thing now."

The game opened with Rochester's Dan Teat scoring after 59 seconds. Three minutes later, Knighthawks goalie Steve Dietrich collided with the Wings' Jim Rogers while trying to scoop up a loose ball. Play continued while Dietrich was down and Rochester's defense attempted to cover the open net. Rogers shot and tied the game.

Dietrich was led off the field with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will probably keep him out for the rest of the season. Backup goalie Derek General replaced him.

"Coach [Paul Day] said that I would probably play in one of our back-to-back games this week, but I didn't expect to play tonight," said General. "You never like to see anyone get hurt - it doesn't matter if it's an opponent or your own player."

Adam Mueller gave the Wings a 2-1 lead at 4:56. Both teams split goals before Rochester struck with four unanswered scores. The first quarter ended with the Wings trailing, 7-4.

Rochester added two more in the second, while the Wings remained scoreless throughout the 15-minute frame.

"We had some great chances." Wings coach Tony Resch said. "We just didn't shoot Well."

The half ended with the Knighthawks holding a commanding 9-4 lead, each goal coming from a different player.

The Wings came out strong in the third with goals by McEvoy, Marechek and Jake Bergey, but Rochester cooled the hot Wings with three goals of their own.

The Wings wouldn't give up. Marechek, Bergey, Michael Busza and Kevin Finneran tied the game at 12-12.

"We dug ourselves in a hole a number of times and worked like crazy to get out of them," Resch said. "We made plays to get us there but not get us over the hump."

The hump became a mountain with two goals by Chris Driscoll and one by Teat.

"We just let up," said Marechek, who had four goals and one assist.

Said McEvoy: "We have to play with a sense of urgency. We have to play like our backs are against the wall. We've always played that way in the past."

Last night was Resch's 35th birthday.

"I only wanted one present," he said. He didn't get it.