Waterdogs Win Lacrosse Title

Yep, you read that title correctly.

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) which features team names without cities, crowned their league champions last week as Waterdogs LC defeated Chaos LC 11-9 in Chester, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia) in front of over 14,000 fans at Subaru Park.

It was the Waterdogs' first title and spoiled Chaos' bid for a repeat.

Here is the game report from the PLL:

The defending champions hopped out to a quick lead in the first quarter with some quick strikes. Challen Rogers opened the party with a strike from distance before follow-ups from Byrne and Rees to make it 3-0 at the 8:20 mark. 

Connor Kelly halted the brief run, but Mac O’Keefe pushed the lead to 4-1 shortly after. But that would be the last goal Chaos saw until the five-minute mark of the second. 

Sowers got his first of the afternoon with 25 seconds left in the opening frame, and the ‘Dogs opened the second with a three-goal run of their own – Kieran McArdle had a pair while Ryan Conrad also added a tally. 

The 5-1 run daw the Waterdogs into the lead in the dying stages of the first half, however, Byrne got his second of the game to knot it at five going into the locker room. 

Physicality was high during the game, and the tone was set early on, as the two foes got into it at the end of the first quarter, with Byrne and Zach Currier in the middle of things.

Coming out for the second half, the Waterdogs continued their hot play. Conrad got his second goal of the game just 26 seconds into the third quarter. Sowers added another and Conrad completed his hat trick before a Jack Hannah marker made it 9-5. 

All the momentum was on the side of the ‘Dogs to start the stanza. However, Chaos had an answer. 

Rees made a statement with a 2-bomb from deep, skipping the heater past Ward to quickly bring the game within a score. Kyle Jackson capped off the third with a juice goal to give his team some confidence heading into the final 12 minutes of the season. 

The teams began to settle in during the back half of the third quarter and into the fourth. In a one-goal game, fans got to see a battle between two of the best goalies on the planet. But on this day, it was the Waterdogs’ netminder who shined brightest, making several key saves on Chaos chances in the fourth to shut the door. 

Chaos’ lone goal in the fourth came from the stick of Cloutier, who powered topside and rolled back to the crease to dump the ball over Ward’s shoulder. But Ethan Walker and Kelly were able to bury for their squad to maintain the one-goal advantage in the fourth. Chaos pushed for an equalizer, but another scrum put them on the back foot in the late goings. Chase Fraser and Chris Sabia came together, and both players were given unsportsmanlike conduct penalties – With Fraser’s being a two-minute unreleasable. With 2:35 remaining at the time, the Waterdogs were able to run down the clock and celebrate a championship victory. 

The Waterdogs finished fifth in the regular season standings with a 5-5 record then defeated Atlas 19-14 in the quarterfinals then knocked off the top-seeded Whipsnakes 11-10 in the semifinals.

With the championship game, the PLL has completed its fourth season.  The league continued to operate on a tour format without city-based teams.  The league made stops in Seattle (WA), Salt Lake City (UT), Denver (CO), Dallas (TX), Minneapolis (MN), Albany (NY), Boston (MA), Charlotte (NC), Fairfield (CT), New York (NY), Baltimore (MD), Washington (DC) and Philadelphia (PA).

2022 Regular Season Standings:

1. Whipsnakes (9-1)
2. Chrome (7-3)
3. Archers (6-4)
4. Atlas (6-4)
5. Waterdogs (5-5)
6. Redwoods (4-6)
7. Chaos (2-8)
8. Cannons (1-9)

Quarterfinals (at Boston, MA)

• Waterdogs 19, Atlas 14
• Archers 13, Redwoods 8
• Chaos 11, Chrome 3

Semifinals (at Washington, DC)

• Waterdogs 11, Whipsnakes 10
• Chaos 9, Archers 7

Final (at Chester, PA)

• Waterdogs 11, Chaos 9