By Emily Vojtech

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) hosted two very competitive Quarterfinal playoff games at TCO Stadium in Eagan, on Saturday, August 23, for a stadium filled with enthusiastic lacrosse fans. TCO Stadium holds 10,000 seats, and the stadium was near capacity for most of the evening. The games were also broadcast live on ESPN+. 

The first game of the night was between the Philadelphia Waterdogs and the Maryland Whipsnakes. That game was followed by a matchup between the California Redwoods and the Carolina Chaos. The four teams were competing to continue their season, and the winners would advance to the next round of the PLL playoffs. 

Fans were supporting each of the four teams that traveled to Minnesota. Many fans had team apparel on or waved team flags to cheer on their favorite PLL team. Many young fans attended the game with their youth, high school, or traveling club teams.

The PLL made sure to tie in aspects of Minnesota lacrosse before, after, and in between games. The inaugural Minnesota Hall of Fame inductees were honored on the field during halftime of the first game. 

In between the two games, there were two traditional lacrosse games put on by Twin Cities Native Lacrosse while John Hunter answered questions about traditional lacrosse, explained the rules, and the history of the game. There were participants of all ages coming together and enjoying the traditional game. 

During halftime of the second game, True Lacrosse Minnesota youth players competed in a scrimmage on the field. They showed off their skills while representing their club team. 

Minnesota lacrosse fans had so much to enjoy and be excited about throughout the night. With lacrosse being one of the fastest-growing sports in Minnesota, there are many fans from all over the state. 

“They are knowledgeable fans, they were going crazy…(talking about fans at TCO Stadium). It was cool to see. When interacting with them, everyone was nice,” Ryder Garnsey with the California Redwoods said. 

TCO Stadium is a favorite location for many of the PLL players and coaches. “Minnesota is always one of my favorite venues. I would put this crowd against Chicago or Boston,” Chaos Captain Jarrod Neumann said. The teams travel across the United States, holding games in various cities such as Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, and more. “The energy was fantastic. The facility itself is great,” Roy Colsey- Head Coach- Carolina Chaos stated.

California Redwoods Head Coach Anthony Kelly also shared his thoughts about playing in Minnesota. “I’m a Midwest guy from Ohio. Seeing fans being here for both games was exciting. A midwest guy seeing midwest people show up was awesome.” 

Final Scores
The Philly Waterdogs defeated the Maryland Whipsnakes 14-12 in the first game of the evening. The Maryland Whipsnakes were then eliminated from the playoffs, as the Waterdogs head to the semifinals. 

In the second and final game of the evening, the California Redwoods beat the Carolina Chaos with a final score of 14-12. The Chaos were eliminated, and the Redwoods’ season will continue to the semifinals. 

The semifinal games will take place on Monday, September 1. The next games will take place in Philadelphia at Subaru Park.  Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+. For more information about the PLL and the playoffs schedule, visit: https://premierlacrosseleague.com/schedule.