Sports
Who wins the PLL championship? Key stats, matchups, X factors for Outlaws-Atlas
The 2025 Premier Lacrosse League championship is upon us. The final matchup represents the two best teams in the league this summer, as the New York Atlas face the Denver Outlaws.
There is no shortage of star power, as both teams dress rosters loaded with college icons and future Hall of Famers. Coaches Mike Pressler (New York) and Tim Soudan (Denver) both make their PLL championship debuts.
If the two teams’ regular-season matchup is any clue, we’re in for another classic. They met Aug. 2 in the Mile High City, and the game was won by Denver in overtime,13-12.
Who will hoist the trophy on Sunday?
Jump to: Broadcast details
Kessenich’s keys
Playoff stats
Denver Outlaws vs. New York Atlas
Sunday | 12:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN
Injury report
Outlaws: None to report
Atlas: None to report
Quint Kessenich’s keys to the game
The Atlas are looking to win their first PLL championship, and are fortified by specialists Trevor Baptiste (FOGO) and goalie Liam Entenmann.
New York’s attack trio is dominant. Connor Shellenberger, Jeff Teat and Xander Dickson display uncanny chemistry and skill level.
Teat, the 2024 MVP, and Shellenberger, the favorite to win the award this summer, both eclipsed 40 points in the regular season.
Shellenberger sent the regular-season game with Denver into overtime with an isolation goal with 15 seconds to play. He produced a ho-hum five points in the semifinal win over the Philadelphia Waterdogs.
Dickson roams the slot area, and has filthy wrists to finish in a crowd.
New York has dangerous players at the midfield position too, in Bryan Costabile and Matt Traynor. Both require attention and are primary threats to score off the dodge. Reid Bowering, a lefty with savvy, sets roadblock picks and is a wizard from in tight. Traynor, a rookie from Penn State, had four points in the semifinals. Costabile has arguably been the most efficient and dangerous midfield dodger in the league this season.
Generally, the defense relies on Entenmann to make stops. Pay attention to Gavin Adler, who will likely draw the Pat Kavanagh assignment in this game. When the two teams met in August, Adler held Kavanagh pointless.
Meanwhile, Michael Rexrode will be in charge of marking Brennan O’Neill. Defensive midfielder Danny Logan is the best in the league at his position.
The Outlaws shrugged off a 30-day layoff to dispose of the upstart California Redwoods in the semifinals, shutting California down for a 20-minute stretch along the way. Denver leads the PLL in shot attempts per game at 45, and they play fast.
Denver has an impressive group, including four Tewaraaton Award winners: Brennan O’Neill, Jared Bernhardt, Pat Kavanagh and Logan Wisnauskas. That’s like an NFL team having four Heisman winners in the same huddle.
The Outlaws acquired Kavanagh in an offseason trade with Boston, and the 2024 Notre Dame graduate leads the league in touches and shots this season. His point production has tripled in year two.
Brennan O’Neill unleashed the fury in the semis, with eye-popping goals worthy of a superhero and six points total.
O’Neill had two goals on nine shots while being covered by Michael Rexrode in the August matchup. Overall, he is averaging 4.3 points per game since the All-Star break. He is tough matchup at 6-2 and 220 pounds.
Bernhardt had the overtime game-winner in the Outlaws’ victory, and is the smoothest and fastest ball carrier in the league. He runs at a speed that most can’t handle. Bernhardt was signed on June 2 after pursuing an NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. His addition — and Logan McNaney in goal — has put Denver in position to grab glory.
Specialists Luke Weirman (FOGO) and McNaney both played at Maryland and have a track record of performance in big games; McNaney played in four NCAA title games for the Terps, and Weirman went 54% against New York in the August matchup.
McNaney went 8-1 as a starter this season, and leads the league in clean save percentage. Those clean saves allow Denver to transition from defense to offense quickly.
Denver has a vicious transition offense, with long-stick midfielder Jake Piseno and defensive midfielder Ryan Terefenko spearheading the end-to-end rushes. Terefenko effectively stays on the field and creates mismatches with well-timed picks to change matchups.
The Outlaws’ defense is a veteran crew, with close defenders J.T. Giles-Harris, Jesse Bernhardt and Mike Manley.
As my X factors for this game, I’ll highlight midfielders Justin Anderson, Graham Bundy Jr. and Dalton Young. Of course, I also have to acknowledge the Tewaraaton quartet; when slept on, they typically find production.
Postseason leaders
Outlaws
Leading scorers:
1. A Brennan O’Neill | 6 P
2. A Pat Kavanagh | 3 P
3. M Jared Bernhardt, M Dalton Young | 2 P
Faceoff:
Luke Wierman | 57.9%
Goalie:
Logan McNaney | 11, 64.7 SV%
1:14
California Redwoods vs. Denver Outlaws: Game Highlights
California Redwoods vs. Denver Outlaws: Game Highlights
Atlas
Leading scorers:
1. A Connor Shellenberger | 5 P
2. A Jeff Teat | 4 P
3. A Xander Dickson, M Matt Traynor | 4 P
Faceoff:
Trevor Baptiste | 60.0%
Goalie:
Liam Entenmann | 18 SV, 69.2 SV%
1:35
Atlas beat Waterdogs to reach PLL championship game
New York Atlas defeat the Philadelphia Waterdogs 13-11 to advance to the PLL championship.
The mighty defending champions are slumping at the worst possible time, and Toronto is one win from a championship after a 6-1 win Wednesday night in Game 5.
Source link
The Hoyas have several challenging opponents on their nonconference slate, and Coach Ed Cooley thinks his team is ready to compete.
Source link
A promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer died on Thursday after being struck by a ball, with his family saying they were “utterly devastated”.
Ben Austin was in the nets with a helmet on before a Twenty20 game in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck while facing a ball-throwing device.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
“We are utterly devastated by the passing of our beautiful Ben, who died earlier on Thursday morning,” his father, Jace Austin, said in a statement.
“This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers — going down to the nets with mates to play cricket.
“We would also like to support his teammate, who was bowling in the nets. This accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with him and his family as well.”
Austin was an emerging bowler and batter, considered by his Ferntree Gully Cricket Club as a “star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man”.
Deaths in cricket are rare.
The most recent high-profile one in Australia came in 2014 when Test star Phillip Hughes was killed when hit in the neck by a rising ball during a domestic Sheffield Shield game.
His death stunned Australia and the world cricket community, sparking an outpouring of grief and ushering in stronger protocols around concussion and better safety equipment.
Cricket Victoria chief Nick Cummins told broadcaster ABC there were similarities between the two tragedies.
“The ball hit him (Austin) in the neck in a similar accident that Phil Hughes suffered 10 years ago,” Cummins said.
Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said his heart “was broken” and lessons needed to be learned.
“Clearly there are things we have to learn from this,” Baird told reporters. “But right now we are concerned about the family and trying to support them in every way.”
US’ Carter’s Q3 FY25 sales edge down 0.1% to $757.8 mn
Hyundai, Kia Enhance Green Vehicle Lineup In Japan
Egypt’s textile & apparel imports from Turkiye rise 7.7% in H1 2025
-
Entertainment1 week agoJohn Grisham unveils his first-ever mystery, “The Widow”
-
Fashion1 week agoThe North Face and Cecilie Bahnsen launch second collaboration
-
Tech1 week agoThis Smart Warming Mug Is Marked Down by $60
-
Politics5 days agoTrump slams ‘dirty’ Canada despite withdrawal of Reagan ad
-
Sports1 week ago
These five NBA players could be ready for an all-star breakthrough
-
Sports1 week agoWomen’s World Cup: Pakistan’s campaign ends with South Africa loss
-
Tech1 week agoForget SEO. Welcome to the World of Generative Engine Optimization
-
Tech1 week agoSperm From Older Men Have More Genetic Mutations