The Premier Lacrosse League season is quickly approaching the midway point of the 2023 season. After this weekend’s game, we will officially be halfway through the season and the playoff race will officially be in full swing.
This weekend’s slate brings big opportunities to build momentum heading into the home stretch and generate momentum ahead of the PLL All-Star break.
Here are the players to watch in each game of week five.
Waterdogs LC vs. Whipsnakes LC
Waterdogs: Ryland Rees (LSM)
Head coach Andy Copelan’s unorthodox faceoff strategy has yielded back-to-back wins in spite of disastrous results at the faceoff stripe. The play of Zach Currier and Eli Gobrecht has played a big part in limiting the damage on faceoffs, and Rees is a big factor in that conversation as well.
Waterdogs also need a strong performance from Rees in settled defensive sets. Tucker Dordevic is the runaway favorite for PLL Rookie of the Year, and Rees will be tasked with slowing down the Whipsnakes star man in the midfield.
Whipsnakes: Will Manny (A)
Matt Rambo is still questionable, and the Whipsnakes need their other attackmen to fill that playmaking role. Manny is having a strong debut season for the Whips, and he filled in well as a supplemental creator for the offense.
The future Pro Lacrosse Hall of Famer dished three assists in last week’s loss to Archers, and he’ll play a leading role once again this week whether Rambo can go or not.
