Dialed In: Your Lacrosse Fix for Monday, Aug. 14

Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:

1. Taylor Moreno repeats as Athletes Unlimited champion.

Sam Apuzzo won the battle, but Taylor Moreno won the war. Apuzzo’s team beat Moreno’s team 11-5 in the final game of the Athletes Unlimited season, but for the second year in a row Moreno edged out Apuzzo for the season-long individual points championship. Moreno finished the 12-game season with 1,679 points, just 12 ahead of Apuzzo’s 1,667.

The first two-time champion in Athletes Unlimited history.

Taylor Moreno takes the crown in back-to-back seasons @TaylorMoreno14 | #AULax pic.twitter.com/IH0HSDZ1Ox

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 14, 2023

Kady Glynn finished in third place for the season and rookie Abby Bosco came in fourth. Bosco was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and Mira Shane was named the Teammate of the Year.

2. Joe B. is a man of his word.

Following Kylie Ohlmiller’s six-goal performance on Saturday, Athletes Unlimited announcer Joe Beninati made good on an on-air promise – painting his face ala Ohlmiller.

A bet is a bet

After Kylie's record-setting performance yesterday, Joe Beninati donned a new look to call her game today.

What do you think of his new look?#AULax | #BeUnlimited pic.twitter.com/EJvqoAI4hU

— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 12, 2023

3. Archers pulling away in PLL.

The Archers now have a two-game lead atop the Premier Lacrosse League standings following a 13-5 win over Chrome on Friday in Denver. Tom Schreiber had four goals, including a two-pointer, in the victory. Earlier in the evening, two-time league champion Whipsnakes made it three in a row with a 12-10 win over Chaos behind a 17-save performance from Brendan Krebs.

On Saturday, former Denver stars Ethan Walker (3g, 3a), Eric Law (3g, 1a) and Trevor Baptiste (23 of 28 faceoffs) put on a show, but it was Walker’s Waterdogs team that beat Atlas 14-11. Another former Pioneer, Dillon Ward, made 15 saves in the win. Closing out the weekend, Charlie Bertrand had the overtime winner as the Redwoods beat the Cannons, 16-15, ending the Cannons five-game winning streak.

CHARLIE BERTRAND BURIES THE GAME-WINNER IN OVERTIME  @PLLRedwoods

(via @PremierLacrosse, ESPN+) pic.twitter.com/YcPEzT6Lbi

— TLN (@LacrosseNetwork) August 13, 2023

4. Could Michael Sowers and Jeff Teat have been teammates?

Michael Sowers and Jeff Teat are two of the best young attackmen in the sport and their careers have been intertwined since they first met up in the lead-up to the 2016 U19 world championship.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• A former Northwestern women’s lacrosse player has filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging that the school failed to protect her from a sexual assault that occurred in 2022.

• Could Baltimore land a PLL team? Johns Hopkins grad and PLL co-founder Paul Rabil weighed ion on the subject.

• The rich get richer. Boston College will add four transfers and seven new recruits for the 2024 season.

• Kayla Wood, currently a star in Athletes Unlimited and a U.S. national training team member, has joined the staff at Princeton.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Eric Law grew up just three miles from Peter Barton Stadium and has made a lifetime of memories on the field, and in Denver.

“It’s tough to put into words what this stadium, what this state, what this city and lacrosse mean to me.” @ELaw_15 grew up just three miles from Peter Barton Stadium. He speaks on what this city has given to him, and how he gives back. @PLLAtlas | @DenverCityLax pic.twitter.com/jhfNk7uv05

— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) August 12, 2023

WHAT’S ON TAP

• The 2023 USA Select boys’ rosters will be announced later today.

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