Here’s my take after getting a first-hand look at the Premier Lacrosse League. (Spoiler alert: It was GREAT!)
The Premier Lacrosse League is a six-team league featuring over 120 of the world’s best lacrosse players. It operates on a tour-based model with all teams playing in the same city each weekend over the summer.
Last weekend I had an opportunity to attend the fourth stop on tour–games played at Homewood Field in Baltimore, Maryland.
I’d give the overall experience an ‘A.’ I’d like to thank Tyler Steinhardt and Julian Guliano for being gracious enough to make it possible.
From the moment I stepped into the Premier Zone (before Saturday’s first game), I could tell it that it was going to be a great day. The Zone, an interactive fan experience located just outside of the stadium, was rocking! The DJ was energetic and PLL blogger, RJ Kaminksy, was hyped. Everyone was very welcoming too–from those selling PLL merchandise to the guys from East Coast Dyes.
Players from were walking around interacting with fans, doing more than just signing autographs. They interacted meaningfully with fans–something you don’t always see in pro sports.
Atlas and Whipsnakes in action (photo, In Lacrosse We Trust)
Homewood Field is a small, intimate venue. My uncle (my partner that day) were able to get close to the action, which is a big plus for the PLL. The only negative was the 4-hour time difference between the end of the Chrome-Redwoods game and the start of the Whipsnakes- Atlas game.
Because of the time gap, I chose not to attend the last game, watching a broadcast instead. But, even with the difference in time, the Whipsnakes-Atlas game was a sell-out!
And I will say that watching a broadcast (rather than watching at the stadium) had one advantage. I was able to see just how quickly the media team converted game footage into highlights. They’re remarkable!
More than anything about the day, the lacrosse stood out. The PLL and its style of play are the best it gets.
Chrome vs. Redwoods: The Redwoods ended up grabbing the win, improving to 2-2 on the season, while the Chrome dropped to 0-4. Redwoods’ head coach Nat St. Laurent looks like a genius after making the first trade in PLL history–acquiring offensive threat Jules Henneberg from the Whipsnakes. Henneberg went off! He tallied five goals and three assists, asserting himself as the best player on the field. The Redwoods were fun to watch in transition. Even goaltender Tim Troutner came out of goal and notched an assist. My takeaway on the Chrome: make a splash trade on defense. It’s needed to get the stop troops going.
Homewood’s at capacity! (photo, PressBox Baltimore)
Whipsnakes vs. Atlas: The Whipsnakes stayed undefeated (4-0), beating Atlas (1-3), 15-10. Paul Rabi had a breakout game with two goals and two assists. And Trevor Baptiste, who dominated from the faceoff X, even scored a two-point goal. But the Atlas let the Whipsnakes hang around, and they went in sicko mode (s/o Travis Scott) in the fourth quarter. Ryan Drenner, who has been clutch as of late, tallied a goal that got the Whips’ offense going again, and they never looked back, scoring nine goals in the fourth to get the win.
Women’s PLL: It was nice to see the women’s pro lacrosse league perform on a stage like Homewood! It was my first experience with the league and I was impressed. Kylie Ohlmiller and Taylor Cummings balled out for the Command, showing why they are the best duo in the league. Dempsy Arsenault had a promising game for the Brave, demonstrating her ability to be up there with the likes of Ohlimiller and Cummings.
Archers vs. Chaos: The Chaos took this one 14-13 to improve to 3-1. Despite the one-goal differential, this game didn’t seem close. Chaos’ head coach Andy Towers is a fiery guy and (because I was standing behind the Chaos’ sideline) I could feel his energy and the impact he was having on the team. Goalie Blaze Riorden played outstanding lacrosse, notching 21 saves. He also set up many long pole goals in transition. Connor Fields continued to show why he should be named an All-Star. He notched multiple goals and was a reliable creator on offense. Despite being down 10-4 at halftime, I was surprised when the Archers pulled goalie Adam Ghitleman in favor of backup Drew Adams. Adams played well, I thought.
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Overall, it was a great experience! I can’t wait to watch more games over the coming weeks. Kudos to the Premier Lacrosse League!
The PLL knows how to do it right!
