The New York Atlas secured a hard-fought victory over the Philadelphia Waterdogs, winning 13-11 in a Premier Lacrosse League semifinal matchup Monday. The game took place at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, and featured standout performances from both teams as they battled for a spot in the championship.
Connor Shellenberger led the way for the Atlas (8-3), contributing one goal and four assists. Xander Dickson added four goals, while Matt Traynor also tallied three goals and one assist. Jeff Teat chipped in with one goal and three assists, showcasing his playmaking ability. Reid Bowering rounded out the scoring effort with two goals and an assist.
Goalkeeper Liam Entenmann was instrumental for New York, making 18 saves to keep Philadelphia’s attack at bay during critical moments of the game. Trevor Baptiste dominated faceoffs throughout, helping maintain possession for his team.
For the Waterdogs (4-7), Ben Wayer stood out by scoring two crucial two-point goals and also added two assists. CJ Kirst contributed two goals and an assist, while Michael Sowers also added two scores. Kieran McArdle provided offensive support with two assists alongside Connor Kelly’s assist.
Jimmy Freehill added another rare long-pole score that kept Philadelphia competitive late into regulation, but it wasn’t enough against New York’s balanced offense.
Despite their efforts defensively, including eight saves from goalkeeper Matt DeLuca, the Waterdogs couldn’t overcome key turnovers or capitalize consistently inside six-on-six scenarios where normal field goal opportunities were limited.
New York advances to face the Denver Outlaws for the championship at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 14 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
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