2 months ago
Last Saturday night in Minneapolis, the Boston Cannons walked off the field with a win, a spot in the semifinals and one game standing between them and a trip to the U.S. Bank Championship.
Connor and Colin Kirst had plenty to celebrate. Then their family group chat started going off.
Their younger brother, CJ Kirst, was among the first to chime in.
"See you next weekend."
It was the Philadelphia Waterdogs attackman's way of saying congratulations.
#minneapolis #cannons #bank
Connor and Colin Kirst had plenty to celebrate. Then their family group chat started going off.
Their younger brother, CJ Kirst, was among the first to chime in.
"See you next weekend."
It was the Philadelphia Waterdogs attackman's way of saying congratulations.
#minneapolis #cannons #bank
2 months ago
The playoffs are kicking off this weekend in Minnesota.
All of that stuff that happened in the regular season? It doesn't matter now.
It just takes one win for a team like the Maryland Whipsnakes to feel dangerous after a losing skid. On the flip side, as hot as the Cannons have been, a subpar performance could send them packing. Which team will advance to meet the top-seeded Philadelphia Waterdogs in the semifinals?
In the Western Conference, the Outlaws and Redwoods are battling for the right to face two-time champion Utah Archers as both teams pursue their first-ever PLL **** le.
Six things to watch in this weekend's quarterfinal matchups:
#waterdogs
All of that stuff that happened in the regular season? It doesn't matter now.
It just takes one win for a team like the Maryland Whipsnakes to feel dangerous after a losing skid. On the flip side, as hot as the Cannons have been, a subpar performance could send them packing. Which team will advance to meet the top-seeded Philadelphia Waterdogs in the semifinals?
In the Western Conference, the Outlaws and Redwoods are battling for the right to face two-time champion Utah Archers as both teams pursue their first-ever PLL **** le.
Six things to watch in this weekend's quarterfinal matchups:
#waterdogs
3 months ago
(Inside Lacrosse Photo: Sean Sadayasu)
The throne is vacant; it's time to crown a new king.
The 2026 regular season has officially reached its conclusion, and we now know (well, we had a pretty good idea already) the six teams that will battle to raise the trophy just over one month from now at Sports Illustrated Stadium. As for this past weekend, the Waterdogs got their bye, the Outlaws may have gotten their goalie back, and the Redwoods' offense bounced back with a message to their Western Conference opponent.
Here's the Week 13 Wrap-Up:
Speaking of new kings, let's start with CJ Kirst, who set the single-season goal record with this effort against the New York Atlas on Saturday afternoon.
#inside #sean #waterdogs
The throne is vacant; it's time to crown a new king.
The 2026 regular season has officially reached its conclusion, and we now know (well, we had a pretty good idea already) the six teams that will battle to raise the trophy just over one month from now at Sports Illustrated Stadium. As for this past weekend, the Waterdogs got their bye, the Outlaws may have gotten their goalie back, and the Redwoods' offense bounced back with a message to their Western Conference opponent.
Here's the Week 13 Wrap-Up:
Speaking of new kings, let's start with CJ Kirst, who set the single-season goal record with this effort against the New York Atlas on Saturday afternoon.
#inside #sean #waterdogs
3 months ago
Philadelphia Waterdogs attackman CJ Kirst talks PLL playoffs, Rob Pannell's points record, and more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Philadelphia Waterdogs attackman CJ Kirst enters Saturday's regular season matchup with the New York Atlas at Subaru Park in Chester, PA, with the chance to break the PLL's all-time single-season goal record. Marcus Holman has held that record (30) since 2023. If Kirst doesn't get the record-breaking 31st goal on Saturday, he'll have the chance again on Sunday against the Maryland Whipsnakes in the regular-season finale.
Maryland, of course, has the all-time record holder for points in outdoor lacrosse, Rob Pannell. As Kirst told me, Pannell has been a mentor since his days at Cornell. Pannell was a Big Red lax legend over a decade before Kirst arrived in Ithaca.
I spoke with Kirst about Pannell's record that was set in July, and whether he's eyeing it, the PLL playoffs, and the Global Lacrosse Games ahead of his potentially historic weekend in the Philly metro.
RELATED: PLL star CJ Kirst's new Lax.com cleats give back to CityLax
#philadelphia #lacrosse #attackman
Philadelphia Waterdogs attackman CJ Kirst enters Saturday's regular season matchup with the New York Atlas at Subaru Park in Chester, PA, with the chance to break the PLL's all-time single-season goal record. Marcus Holman has held that record (30) since 2023. If Kirst doesn't get the record-breaking 31st goal on Saturday, he'll have the chance again on Sunday against the Maryland Whipsnakes in the regular-season finale.
Maryland, of course, has the all-time record holder for points in outdoor lacrosse, Rob Pannell. As Kirst told me, Pannell has been a mentor since his days at Cornell. Pannell was a Big Red lax legend over a decade before Kirst arrived in Ithaca.
I spoke with Kirst about Pannell's record that was set in July, and whether he's eyeing it, the PLL playoffs, and the Global Lacrosse Games ahead of his potentially historic weekend in the Philly metro.
RELATED: PLL star CJ Kirst's new Lax.com cleats give back to CityLax
#philadelphia #lacrosse #attackman
3 months ago
After Chaos faceoff specialist Justin Inacio suffered a right knee sprain in Carolina's 13–12 overtime win over the Boston Cannons and was ruled out for the team's doubleheader in Columbus, general manager Spencer Ford chose not to sign another faceoff specialist to replace him.
Ahead of Friday night's matchup with the California Redwoods — who boast one of the PLL's top faceoff men in TD Ierlan — he explained why.
"There could be guys who could come in and possibly win, but there is not one person who can come and be the whole package for us," Ford said. "Could they get us 40%? Could they be great in the pick game when TD is working to get a switch for [Chris Kavanagh]? Can they stop TD from going forward? He has hurt us at that and usually scores a big goal. Can he be great on offense and enable us to play fast in the 32[-second shot clock]?"
Ford and the Chaos feel more comfortable staying in-house at the stripe with a rotation of offensive and short-stick defensive midfielders.
Ty English, Christian Scarpello and Ray Dearth – who took the remaining 23 faceoffs after Inacio exited against the Cannons in the first quarter – will continue to take a majority of the faceoffs against the Redwoods and the Philadelphia Waterdogs this weekend.
#faceoff #inacio #specialist #great
Ahead of Friday night's matchup with the California Redwoods — who boast one of the PLL's top faceoff men in TD Ierlan — he explained why.
"There could be guys who could come in and possibly win, but there is not one person who can come and be the whole package for us," Ford said. "Could they get us 40%? Could they be great in the pick game when TD is working to get a switch for [Chris Kavanagh]? Can they stop TD from going forward? He has hurt us at that and usually scores a big goal. Can he be great on offense and enable us to play fast in the 32[-second shot clock]?"
Ford and the Chaos feel more comfortable staying in-house at the stripe with a rotation of offensive and short-stick defensive midfielders.
Ty English, Christian Scarpello and Ray Dearth – who took the remaining 23 faceoffs after Inacio exited against the Cannons in the first quarter – will continue to take a majority of the faceoffs against the Redwoods and the Philadelphia Waterdogs this weekend.
#faceoff #inacio #specialist #great
4 months ago
The Philadelphia Waterdogs will be without the backbone of their defense for at least the next three games.
Starting goalie Matt DeLuca was placed on injured reserve with a right adductor strain, forcing the Waterdogs to hand the crease to undrafted rookie Sean Byrne as they enter one of the most important stretches of their season.
While head coach Bill Tierney expects DeLuca to return this season, the timing of the injury creates uncertainty for a team still fighting for playoff positioning.
#waterdogs
Starting goalie Matt DeLuca was placed on injured reserve with a right adductor strain, forcing the Waterdogs to hand the crease to undrafted rookie Sean Byrne as they enter one of the most important stretches of their season.
While head coach Bill Tierney expects DeLuca to return this season, the timing of the injury creates uncertainty for a team still fighting for playoff positioning.
#waterdogs
4 months ago
Carolina Chaos defenseman Jack Rowlett has been placed on injured reserve after suffering an upper-body injury in the first quarter of Saturday's 10-8 loss to the Denver Outlaws that required the five-time All-Pro to be transported to the local hospital in Fairfield.
According to Dr. Paul Sethi, Medical Director at the PLL, Rowlett was diagnosed with both a cervical strain and a sternoclavicular strain on the left side of his body.
Rowlett will be reassessed heading into Carolina's regular-season finale against the Utah Archers on Aug. 7.
"He will be out the next two weeks, so three games," Chaos general manager Spencer Ford said on Monday. "[He is] in a lot of pain but will get better."
While on injured reserve, Rowlett will miss Carolina's game against the Boston Cannons on July 25, as well as the Chaos' back-to-back contests against the California Redwoods on July 31 and the Philadelphia Waterdogs on Aug. 1.
#july #reserve #body
According to Dr. Paul Sethi, Medical Director at the PLL, Rowlett was diagnosed with both a cervical strain and a sternoclavicular strain on the left side of his body.
Rowlett will be reassessed heading into Carolina's regular-season finale against the Utah Archers on Aug. 7.
"He will be out the next two weeks, so three games," Chaos general manager Spencer Ford said on Monday. "[He is] in a lot of pain but will get better."
While on injured reserve, Rowlett will miss Carolina's game against the Boston Cannons on July 25, as well as the Chaos' back-to-back contests against the California Redwoods on July 31 and the Philadelphia Waterdogs on Aug. 1.
#july #reserve #body
4 months ago
The Philadelphia Waterdogs' thrilling 15-13 victory over the California Redwoods on Friday might have been the Premier Lacrosse League's game of the year so far.
The bigger story, though, was Philadelphia proving its offense has reached another level — and that its new era has fully arrived.
For nearly two quarters in Chicago, the Waterdogs looked out of sync. California controlled faceoffs, capitalizing in transition and off of mistakes.
Head coach Bill Tierney even acknowledged during the ESPN broadcast that his team had drifted away from its game plan with too many self-inflicted mistakes.
Still, the Waterdogs never looked rattled.
The bigger story, though, was Philadelphia proving its offense has reached another level — and that its new era has fully arrived.
For nearly two quarters in Chicago, the Waterdogs looked out of sync. California controlled faceoffs, capitalizing in transition and off of mistakes.
Head coach Bill Tierney even acknowledged during the ESPN broadcast that his team had drifted away from its game plan with too many self-inflicted mistakes.
Still, the Waterdogs never looked rattled.
