Sign up for the latest news & updates

© 2024 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.

Propelled by four 2-point goals, Redwoods outlasted Atlas 11-10 for their second consecutive win Saturday in the PLL Championship Series at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.

The game was defined by its physicality — the teams combined for nine and a half minutes of penalties — and its back-and-forth nature. Neither team led by more than two goals at any point.

While a Romar Dennis 2-point goal put the Atlas ahead 8-6 in the third quarter, a diving backhand effort on the power play by Ryder Garnsey (two goals, one assist) pulled the Redwoods back to within one. Sergio Perkovic and Myles Jones did the rest. They each tallied a 2-pointer in the fourth quarter. 

Perkovic’s second 2-pointer of the game, after a cross-field feed by Joe Walters, was his sixth in group play. That’s more than most teams.

Held scoreless for most of the afternoon, Jones broke through at just the right time to put the Redwoods ahead with 5:30 to play. “We’re shooting from the Perking Lot as we call as we call it,” Jones said in a postgame interview.

Timmy Troutner helped seal the win with back-to-back saves late on Paul Rabil and Eric Law. Troutner finished with 11 saves. 

While the third loss in a row for the Atlas drops them to 1-3, they should be encouraged heading into the single-elimination tournament by Trevor Baptiste’s resurgence at the faceoff dot. He won 15 of 20 draws to go with one goal and eight ground balls. 

Waterdogs Secure First Win 

In a battle of the PLL’s two winless teams, the Waterdogs needed overtime to claim their first victory in group play and team history. Zach Currier capped a hat trick when he converted a low-to-high shot that found the top-right corner one minute and 17 seconds into the extra period to claim a 10-9 win.

After losing their first three games by a combined four goals, the Waterdogs once again looked like they might fall short by a narrow margin. Christian Cuccinello (two goals, one assist) executed a textbook backdoor to put the Dogs ahead 9-8 with 1:18 to play.

However, Chaos midfielder Dhane Smith found a lane right through the center of the Waterdogs defense to score with 6.7 seconds remaining and knot the game up for the fourth time. It was his first goal of the Championship Series. 

With the game tied at 6 heading into the fourth quarter, a caused turnover led to a Patrick Resch goal in transition with 11:22 to play. The play was reminiscent of last season, when the Chaos’ up-tempo style of play propelled them to the No. 1 playoff seed. The Championship Series has been a different story.

Blaze Riorden still showed he is still in goalie-of-the-year form. His 21 saves (70 percent) kept the Chaos in the game despite the team getting dominated in the ground ball battle (47-24) and at the faceoff dot. Waterdogs duo Drew Simoneau (10-for-11) and Jake Withers (8-for-11) combined to win 82 percent of the draws. 

Waterdogs rookie goalie Matt DeLuca started his first PLL game. The Delaware product and second-round pick replaced Charlie Cipriano when they were down 13-3 to the Chrome on Friday night and before the Dogs almost pulled off a stunning comeback with a nine-goal rally that fell just short in a 13-12 loss. Deluca made 11 saves (55 percent) in his debut. 

With the win, the Waterdogs will face the Redwoods in the elimination tournament that starts Tuesday. 

Show of Solidarity

The PLL announced Saturday the league would dedicate the NBC broadcast between the Redwoods and Atlas along with the remaining games in Utah to the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Several players wore Iroquois Nationals shirts before and LaxStraps with the Iroquois Six Nations Flag during the game, before which was a moment of silence. 

"We now ask that everyone please take a moment of silence to honor the Indigenous Peoples of North America, and their enduring relationship to land — there have always been indigenous peoples in the spaces we call home, and there always will be,” PA announcer Chuck Lott said. 

At halftime Atlas midfielder Jeremy Thompson led a Land Acknowledgement.

PLL Standings

Whipsnakes (3-0) (+18)
Archers (3-0) (+4)
Chrome (3-1) (+5)
Redwoods 2-2 (-3)
Waterdogs 1-3 (-3)
Atlas 1-3 (-10)
Chaos 0-4 (-11)

TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE
ALL TIMES EASTERN

12 p.m. — Archers vs. Whipsnakes, NBC Sports