Professional PLL
06:00 PM
Jul 19
Phi
Den
Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The Premier Lacrosse League descended on Dallas for Week 7 and did not disappoint.
Dox Aitken scored four goals, Jeff Teat had two goals and four assists, Trevor Baptiste won 16 of 25 faceoffs in his return from injury and Jack Concannon made 12 saves to lead the Atlas to a 14-9 win over the Archers on Saturday.
The first-place Whipsnakes withstood a four-goal (five-point) surge by the Waterdogs and prevailed 9-8 thanks to Bryan Cole’s go-ahead tally with 3:38 remaining. The Whips were strong up the middle with standout performances by faceoff specialist Joe Nardella (14-for-19) and goalie Kyle Bernlohr (16 saves).
The Waterdogs survived a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Cannons, hanging on for a 15-14 victory Sunday. Trailing 15-9 with less than five minutes remaining, the Cannons scored two goals six seconds apart and three in the final two minutes to pull within one. Kieran McArdle led the Waterdogs with three goals and four assists.
Saving the best for last, the Chaos went punch-for-punch with the Redwoods and led from start to finish in a 14-12 win Sunday. Ryan Smith and Josh Byrne combined for nine goals and Dhane Smith had six assists to get the better of a matchup with no shortage of individual highlights (see “What We’re Watching” below).
The weekend also featured a Goals 4 Greatness clinic with Bridge Lacrosse, the youth program that produced Redwoods rookie Nakeie Montgomery, who scored two goals in his return to Dallas.
All smiles when you meet your heroes! Big thank you to @PaulRabil and Goals for Greatness for donating 2 goals and helping us get better! And, another thanks to Bridge alum/legend @naklemore for spending time with more than 30 members of our family! #bridgefamily #bridgefamilia pic.twitter.com/1amFBJcYa5
— Bridge Lacrosse (@bridgelacrosse) July 30, 2022
2. Taylor Moreno, Sam Apuzzo, Lizzie Colson and Amanda Johansen sit atop the Athletes Unlimited leaderboard after Week 2.
Apuzzo continued a torrid summer stretch by leading her team to another undefeated weekend, highlighted by a pair of fourth-quarter comebacks.
After a stunning rally Saturday in which it erased a five-goal deficit in the final 5:42 of regulation and defeated Team Moreno in the first-ever Athletes Unlimited shootout, Team Apuzzo exploded for four goals — including a 2-point blast by Charlotte North — in a span of 3:18 late in the fourth quarter to beat Team Arsenault 8-5 on Sunday.
Team Apuzzo went 3-0 for the week. Teams Arsenault, Johansen and Moreno each went 1-2.
3. Top-ranked recruit Joey Spallina put a bow on his historic high school career, scoring four goals and producing the top highlight with a spinning backhand goal in the Under Armour All-America Game.
One of nine Syracuse-bound seniors who starred for the North in its 22-16 win over the South at Johns Hopkins, Spallina added two assists to earn MVP honors. “I think the theme for our class is to bring ’Cuse back, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Spallina told Inside Lacrosse.
Stanford-bound Peep Williams had four goals and five draw controls to lead the North to a 17-11 win over the South in the girls’ Under Armour All-America Game.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Phil Shore’s feature on PLL pros Max Adler, Grant Ament and Michael Sowers managing the mental effects of mounting injuries.
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The Baltimore Sun on former UConn and current Athletes Unlimited women’s lacrosse player Sydney Watson’s relationship with her brother, Stevenson standout Corey Watson, who is an emerging star in powerlifting.
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Inside Lacrosse with an update from the European Box Lacrosse Championships in Hannover, where host Germany sprung a big win over the Czech Republic.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Redwoods-Chaos kept ESPN’s “SportsCenter” assignment desk busy Sunday. Just a smorgasbord of unbelievable highlights.
YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO DO HIM LIKE THAT CHARLIE! pic.twitter.com/L9xdJxH0r7
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) July 31, 2022
Same story, different day. Myles Jones is just too strong! pic.twitter.com/0iVQzSh0rs
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) July 31, 2022
FROM HIS KNEES!
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) July 31, 2022
A spectacular goal from @rsgarnz50. pic.twitter.com/J7FRgAe2yX
Josh Byrne, are you kidding me? pic.twitter.com/AoXAmkfQ4B
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) July 31, 2022