Eduardo Curros – Western Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
The Utah Archers (1-1) were back at it again in Week 3, facing the resurgent California Redwoods (2-0). The Archers were looking to get back on track after a last-second loss the Boston Cannons in Week 2. Meanwhile, the Redwoods had an opportunity to start the season by beating all three of their in-conference rivals in their first three games of the season. Behind hat tricks from Matt Moore and Tom Schreiber, the Archers won 12-11 to hand Redwoods their first loss and tighten up the Western Conference standings, as they move in to a first-place tie with California.
Archers come out firing in first quarter
The Archers offense would launch to five consecutive goals to start the game. Matt Moore scored unassisted at 2:33, then scored again with help from Connor Fields at 5:42. Cam Wyers then scored off a Mike Sisselberger pass at 5:53. Mac O’Keefe, with help from Grant Ament at 6:43, and Tom Schreiber off a pass from Dyson Williams at 7:50 gave Utah a 5-0 lead. TD Ierlan unassisted at 7:55 got Redwoods on the board. Andrew McAdorey would score at 11:26 to cut the Archers lead to 5-2 after the first quarter. Dylan Molloy and Josh Balcarcel each scored unassisted for the Redwoods at 2:09 and 4:45, respectively. Schreiber’s second goal at 11:31 pushed Utah’s lead to 6-4. However, Sam Handley fired a 2-pt goal off a feed from Molloy at 11:58, to tie the game 6-6 going into the half.
Archers hold on to give California first loss of season
Schreiber would connect with Moore to score at 2:55, then Sam King scored unassisted at 7:08 to give the Archers a two-goal lead. Ryder Garnsey got the only goal of the quarter for Redwoods off a pass from Molloy at 11:50 to cut Archers’ lead to 8-7 after three quarters. Chris Kavanagh scored at 0:45 of the fourth quarter to tie the game. King’s 2-point goal with help from Schreiber at 2:43 put Utah up 10-8. Redwoods responded with Sam Handley at 4:12 and Molloy from Ierlan off the following faceoff at 4:18 to tie the game at 10. Sisselberger and Schreiber would put Archers up 12-10 with goals at 4:27 and 5:08. Bertrand scored unassisted at 6:53, but California would not find the back of the net again, falling 12-11.
Curros’s Corner
Redwoods: Molloy (2g, 2a); Handley (1g, 1 2-pt g); Ierlan (1g, 1a); Bertrand (1g, 1a); Garnsey (1g); Kavanagh (1g); McAdorey (1g); Balcarcel (1g)
Archers: Schreiber (3g, 2a); Moore (3g); King (1g, 1 2-pt g); Sisselberger (1g, 1a); O’Keefe (1g); Wyers (1g); Fields (1a); Ament (1a); Williams (1a)
With 12 saves in the game, Archers goaltender Brett Dobson became the third-fastest player in PLL history to reach 400 career saves (28 games). Chayse Ierlan finished with 13 saves for California.
Ierlan (12-21 FO, 5 GB) and Sisselberger (10-22 FO, 7 GB) dueled to a virtual tie on the day.
