The PLL Championship. The season finale. Waterdogs versus Chaos. Hungry upstarts versus defending champs. It was the first championship without Whipsnakes, but the third in a row for Chaos.
All season the games were spectacular, and this one was no different. After a early lead by Chaos, the Waterdogs were crowned champions with an 11-9 victory.
“We’ve kind of had that same group of guys that we’ve been with since the bubble (which was the Waterdogs’ first year in the league as an expansion team),” said Kieran McArdle. “The journey has been a battle. But each year, we got better and here we are. We’re champions.”
The game was outside of Philly, at Subaru Park, the home of the underdog story. From Rocky to the 2018 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, Philly has always rooted for the underdogs. The Waterdogs were no different. The stadium rocked for them from before the game started until the game was long over.
Chaos led 3-0 by the 6:34 mark after three goals in span of 1:26. Connor Kelly got Waterdogs on the board but they trailed 4-2 after the first. Waterdogs paced themselves in the second, with McArdle scoring a pair and Ryan Conrad scoring once. Josh Byrne tied the game 5-5 before the half.
Waterdogs scored the first four of the third quarter for a 9-5 lead, including two more from Conrad. Matt Rees cut the deficit with a 2-point goal for Chaos, who then got a goal from Kyle Jackson. Waterdogs led 9-8 after three.
Ethan Walker scored the game winning goal 3:20 into the final quarter. Chris Cloutier and Connor Kelly traded goals to end the game. When the buzzer hit 00:00, the Waterdogs went nuts.
The championship was hyped up as a battle between two champion goalies – Last year’s MVP Blaze Riorden and NLL champion Dillon Ward. Ward, fresh off Colorado’s NLL championship, was up to the challenge. When was all was said and done, Ward edged out Riorden with a 62% save percentage and 13 saves to Riorden’s 61% and 17 saves.
And the PLL hyped up Michael Sowers before, during, and after the game. All eyes were on the Pennsylvania native who went to Upper Dublin. Sowers ended up with three points: a pair of goals one assist in front of a biased crowd who cheered endlessly for him. Sowers, who had shrugged off an injury from the week prior, was named the championship MVP.
“He’s one of the best lacrosse players in the world,” said Waterdogs’ head coach Andy Copelan. “And he’s only in his second year. This kid has a huge professional future.”
Also strong for the Waterdogs were McArdle (playing the game even though his wife was due with their baby soon) and Conrad. McArdle’s four points and Conrad’s hat trick were the offensive difference.
Chaos was led by Byrne’s two goals and Rees’ single and double-point goals.
As is typical in the PLL, emotions and sticks ran high. There was a lot of heavy hitting and hard shots. Two scuffles broke out. As in several of the games, the fans were kept on the edge of their seats. And as of now, fans will anxiously wait for the NLL to start until they can watch their PLL teams next year. And if the last few years are anything to indicate, there will be more excitement to come.
