Week 4 of PLL action is over and we had another week of great games that featured multiple 1 goal games that came down to the wire and a shoot out. Let's go.
Chrome vs Archers
The Chrome did the unthinkable again on Friday night and upset the only undefeated team in the league with a 8-7 victory of the Archers. This was a defensive battle and the Chrome defense did a great job of slowing down the hottest offense in the league. They were winning the one on one battles with the Archers dodgers and John Galloway stood on his head with 13 saves and a 68% save percentage. He was also hitting the outlet passes early creating some easy transition opportunities like we saw with Terefanko's assist to Morrill in the 2nd quarter. The Chrome offense was led by Collin Heacock who wad 4 goals on the night including the go ahead goal in the 4th with 13.8 seconds left. Long Island native Tommy Palasek also netted 2 goals for the Chrome offense and had a good game. The Archers offense was led by Tom Schreiber with 2 goals, and I also want to give SSDM Latrell Harris a shoutout for scoring a big hype goal off a face off to tie it up in the 1st.
The Archers would have a chance to bring the game into overtime after Heacock's 4th quarter goal, winning the ensuing face off and calling a timeout with 8 seconds left to draw up a play. They went with Connor fields to drive towards the net, but again the Chrome defense stood tall with their individual matchups and didn't allow Fields to do much but huck the ball into the middle with 2 seconds left. Schreiber was able to attempt an around the world shot, but could not force overtime.
Waterdogs vs Redwoods
The Redwoods stop their 2 game losing streak and defeated the Waterdogs 19-16 in a shootout on Saturday. This game was fast paced from the start and was extremely fun to watch with big runs from each team. The Redwoods would score first with Myles Jones trucking a defender at midfield and finding Ryder Garnsey on the doorstep. The Dogs would quickly answer with Kieran McArdle scoring off a Reeves assist. The Dogs went on a bit of a run in the first quarter with McArdle finding the net for a second time and assisting Ethan Walker for his first PLL goal who then assisted Currier for his first of the day. Connor Kelley would also join the scoring party with 1 goal and a 2 pointer from the logo to end the quarter. Jules Henningburg would score twice for the Woods and Jones grabbed another assist. Waterdogs up 7-3 and everything seems to be bouncing in their favor. Perkovic and Pannell would get the Woods rolling in the second, but Ryan Brown would score 2 quick ones for the Waterdogs and then Connor Kelly would find the net to increase the lead to 5. The Woods would end the half with a 5 goal run starting with Jones again finding Garnsey, Henningburg going airborn to get his 3rd, Matt Kavanaugh scoring, and then Perckovic ripping a 2 pointer of his own with 4.8 left on the clock for another last second 2 bomb. Game is tied 10-10 at half. The Redwood's would make a goalie change at half, benching Tim Troutner and putting in Jack Kelly. The Third quarter went back an forth between the two attacks that featured Connor Kelley scoring his 4th, a nasty backhand goal from Garnsey for his 3rd, and Currier matching that backhand about a minute later, a signature Kyle Harrison jump shot and another 2 pointer from Perkovic in the final minute of the game.
Redwoods up 15-13 and the Waterdogs now make a goalie change benching Dillion Ward and putting in Charlie Cipriano. The Waterdogs would bring the game within 1 three times in the fourth quarter, but every time the Waterdogs were about to tie the game, the Woods would score a cushion goal. Redwoods win 19-16.
Cannons vs Chaos
The Chaos defeated the Cannons 14-10 after trailing for most of the first half and holding the Cannons attack to 2 goals in the second half. Rehfuss scored the first two goals of the game and then the Chaos responded with Mac O'Keefe swimming over his defender and finishing inside followed by Ian MacKay picking up a garbage goal to tie it up. Josh Byrne would find Kyle Jackson on the crease for a goal and some punches are thrown afterwards causing a little scuffle to end the quarter. Chaos up 3-2. Rabil would find his first of the game and then Tilt Daddy Drenner would score a Power Play goal to give the Cannons the lead. Some nice ball movement and a couple one mores in transition led to an easy goal for the Chaos to tie, but then came King Rabil. Rabil would score his second goal of the day on a lefty alley dodge and with this goal he passed John Grant Jr. as all time leading goal scorer in professional lacrosse history. This clearly fired Rabil up a bit and he would go on to assist the next goal to Lyle Thompson. continuing their run, LSM Reece Eddy would score a two pointer in the last minute of the half. The Chaos were able to score a quick goal before the end of the half with Ian MacKay getting his second of the day. Cannons lead 8-5. In the second half the Chaos offense started to click and everything was bouncing their way. Blaze Riorden was making stuffs in close all day and pushing the tempo in transition which led to this beauty of a goal that had me thinking "This is the Chaos offense everyone was hyping up."
This stellar play by Riorden accompanied by Max Adler going winning 65% of the face offs helped the Chaos go on a 9-2 run in the second half. This is the second week we have seen the Chaos hold prevalent offenses to long scoring draughts and helping them secure a second straight win. Chaos win 14-10.
Whipsnakes vs Archers
The Whipsnakes secured 1st place when they defeated the Archers 15-14 on Sunday. The Archers looked better in the first quarter with Grant Ament scoring the first goal of the game and the Connor Fields and Ryan Ambler played the 2 man game perfectly with Ambler getting the goal. Zed Williams would score a 2 pointer to tie the game, but both teams were throwing the ball away more then usual. Game tied 2-2. After only seeing 3 goals in the first quarter, we had 12 in the 2nd and both teams would go on 4 goal runs. The highlight of the quarter was Grant Ament breaking his defenders ankles and ripping a low to high for a goal. Game tied 8-8.
The scoring continued in the 3rd quarter with Brad Smith scored the first 2 of the quarter and would score another in the 3rd, giving him a hat trick in 1 quarter. Zed Williams also scored for the Whips. Tom Schreiber scored the first goal for the Archers and assisted the next to Holman, we also got to see an insane back hand crease dive goal from Connor Fields. Whips up 12-11.The Archers would come out with a 3 goal run to start the 4th with Will Manny scoring a jumping quick stick, and then another #WillyStyle quick stick goal giving him 4 on the day. Tom Schreiber would score his second goal of the day after running around the Arch and ripping it lefty. The Whipsnakes would then go on a 3 goal run themselves starting with Matt Abbott and Mike Chanechuck tying the game with 2:27 left in the game. The Archers would win the next face off and call a timeout to draw up a play but they end up turning the ball over, giving the Whips a chance to call timeout and draw up a play for themselves. Adam Ghitelman would make a save giving them a fresh shot clock, and then Jay Carlson rips a jump shot off an inside curl to take the lead with 32 seconds left in the game. The Whips win the next face off and call another timeout to run out the clock. The Archers would cause a turnover and have Tom Schreiber running down the field with 10 seconds left, he forces the crease and the Archers couldn't pick it up for a clean shot. Whipsnakes win 15-14.
Chrome vs Atlas
The Atlas defeated the Chrome on Sunday and snapped the Chrome win streak when they defeated them 16-10. The Chrome jumped ahead early and won the first quarter 3-2 with Kevin Rodgers scoring twice for the Chrome, but then the Atlas started rolling in the second. Bucarro would start the scoring for the Atlas in the 2nd quarter and then Costabile who already had an assist, really turned it on. He drained a deep 2 pointer with a high bouncer, and then scores again after rolling off his defender and shooting another high bouncer. Costabile was also lighting it up on the defensive end and had a clean interception and pushed transition that lead to a Teat goal. Atlas up 8-4 at Half. Danny Logan would start the second half with a quick 2 bomb to brinf the Atlas up by 6 and it was not looking good for the Chrome. The Chrome would stop the 8-1 run and go on a 3 goal run of their own with Heacock, Wyle, and Manley scoring. Any momentum that the Chrome were building off the 2 D-pole goals in a row was quickly stopped when Romar Dennis hit a 2 pointer on the run showing off his range.
Atlas up 12-7 at the end of the 3rd. The Atlas held on to their lead with ease with Costabile continuing an excellent game with back to back goals again, and Romar Dennis gets his third goal of the game on a nice shake & shoot. Atlas win 16-10.