🏆 PLL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS

The PLL Championship returns to Philadelphia this weekend, as the Maryland Whipsnakes and Utah Archers are set to clash at Subaru Park on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

The game will be broadcast on ABC and streamed live on ESPN+.

The Whipsnakes are making their fourth PLL Championship appearance in six seasons after defeating the New York Atlas in a thrilling semifinal matchup that went to overtime. The Archers, on the other hand, are looking to claim back-to-back league titles after dominating the Carolina Chaos in the semis.

The PLL will also be announcing End-of-Year Awards on Friday night and holding a Street Lacrosse event in Philadelphia on Saturday. Keep scrolling for some PLL Championship predictions…

Individual Matchup to Watch: Archers attackman Connor Fields vs. Whipsnakes Defenseman Matt Dunn. Fields is one of the flashiest unassisted goal-creators in PLL history. Earlier this season, he scored the unquestioned “Goal of the Year” while being covered by Dunn, who may be the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Dunn definitely remembers that play and should be tasked with shutting down Fields on Sunday. Fields had a hat trick in Utah’s 16-11 win over Maryland on July 6.

Game-Defining Position Battle: Goaltending. Archers goalie Brett Dobson and Whipsnakes goalie Brendan Krebs have history. They met several times in college, including the 2022 MAAC Championship Game. Krebs (Manhattan) ended Dobson’s (St. Bonaventure) college career in that game. Dobson was a little stingier than Krebs during the 2024 PLL regular season, but both goalies have been red hot so far in the playoffs.

Maryland’s X-Factor: Face-off specialist Joe Nardella. The Whipsnakes had the No. 1 face-off specialist in the league this season, as Nardella posted a 67.5 percent win rate at the stripe. Those extra possessions will go a long way, if he is able to win the battle with Archers face-off specialist Mike Sisselberger on Sunday.

Utah’s X-Factor: Defenseman Graeme Hossack. In last year’s championship game, Hossack laid an open-field hit that reverberated through Subaru Park. It was the most memorable play of the game, and it sent a powerful fourth-quarter message. Hossack may be the most feared enforcer in the PLL. Watch for him to lay his body on the line when the Archers need it most.

Final Score Prediction: Archers 12, Whipsnakes 10. Utah will start fast and build a decent lead by halftime. Maryland will claw back into the game in the second half, but the Whips’ comeback effort will fall short and the Archers will win by two goals.

Game MVP Prediction: Archers goalie Brett Dobson. Utah’s netminder is dialed after nearly posting a shutout against the Chaos in the semifinals. Dobson had 18 saves and was named MVP of the Championship Game last year; Utah is counting on a repeat performance from him on Sunday.

Reply to this email with your predictions for the 2024 PLL Championship matchup!

🧱 Virginia Lands Top Goalie in 2026

Earlier this week, TLN helped break Hunter Mezzatesta’s commitment to the University of Virginia. Mezzatesta is a five-star recruit by NLF Rankings and listed as the No. 1 goalie in the Class of 2026 at Inside Lacrosse.

Mezzatesta is from Yorktown, N.Y., and plays club ball for Express North. Virginia’s recent success under head coach Lars Tiffany helped Mezzatesta make his decision.

“When you go to [NCAA Championship Weekend] and see the same team over and over again, that means something,” Mezzatesta told Inside Lacrosse. “When Virginia wins it multiple times, that definitely means something.”

Virginia has appeared in four out of the past five Championship Weekends, and the Cavaliers won it all in both 2019 and 2021. Last season, they made it to the semifinals before falling to Maryland, 12-6.

🤔 Brennan O’Neill No. 1 Pick…Again?

Brennan O’Neill has the potential to be picked No. 1 overall for the second time this year, as the Denver Outlaws’ star rookie is rumored to be the top target for the Philadelphia Wings, who own the first pick in the 2024 NLL Draft.

We’ve not seen much of O’Neill in the box game, but it’s not difficult to imagine his skillset translating to the indoor version of lacrosse. He’s big, athletic and has an exceptionally strong left hand.

“One reason why I love box lacrosse so much is because of how well it translates to the outdoor game,” O’Neill said in a video for Legacy Lacrosse LI back in 2021. “Between catching the ball in tight spaces, shooting on a small net with a big goalie, the physicality and the overall speed of the game, it makes you a much more complete player once you get to the outdoor field.”

It will be interesting to see whether O’Neill goes No. 1 overall again. If he does and ends up thriving in the NLL, it will only solidify his growing reputation as a generational lacrosse talent.

🔥 Brett Dobson’s Top Three Shooters

A new episode of the Mitchell Pehlke Lacrosse Show is out now on our YouTube channel, and the guests are Archers midfielder Tom Schreiber (pregame) and goalie Brett Dobson (postgame). In this episode, Dobson reveals his top three shooters.

Dobson named recently retired Philadelphia Waterdogs midfielder Jake Carraway, plus two current Maryland Whipsnakes midfielders — Mike Chanenchuk and Ryan Conrad — as his final three.

“To be honest with you, I was kinda happy when Carraway retired,” Dobson joked.

Dobson will have to face the other two shooters, Chanenchuk and Conrad, when his Archers take on the Whipsnakes in the PLL Championship game on Sunday.

Check out the full episode by clicking play on the video above!