PLL and WLL Week 9 brings playoff pressure to Fairfield

Week 9 of the 2026 Premier Lacrosse League season lands at Rafferty Stadium in Fairfield, Connecticut, with four PLL games, one WLL game and very little room for casual strolling.

ESPN reports that the three-day slate can be watched through the ESPN App and the PLL streaming hub. The weekend opens Friday with two 4-3 PLL teams, California and Maryland, followed by a WLL matchup with championship stakes.

Friday starts with Redwoods vs. Whipsnakes

The California Redwoods meet the Maryland Whipsnakes on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, with both teams sitting at 4-3. According to PLL notes cited by ESPN, Redwoods faceoff man TD Ierlan enters the weekend with 507 career groundballs, three behind Chris Eck for 10th place on the league’s career list.

California has activated Chris Fake from the PUP list ahead of the game, after his last appearance came June 5 against the Atlas, according to the injury report. The Redwoods will be without Finn Thomson, Dante Bowen, Cole Kastner, Wes Berg and Arden Cohen.

Maryland has its own milestone watch. ESPN reports that Rob Pannell has 654 career points, three shy of Paul Rabil’s all-time mark, though Pannell is listed as questionable with a left hamstring issue. The Whipsnakes also list Shun Ito, Matthew Paolatto, Joseph Nardella, Payton Rezanka and Colin Squires as out.

WLL math gets spicy under the lights

The Boston Guard face the Maryland Charm on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Boston is 0-2, Maryland is 2-1, and the WLL championship picture could shift fast.

According to the PLL’s playoff odds cited by ESPN, the Guard can still advance, but the size of a win matters: a one-goal victory would put their chances at 17%, while a win by five or more would lift them to 46%. Boston has been without Charlotte North since she tore her Achilles tendon on June 6.

For the Charm, the path is cleaner and harsher. ESPN reports that Maryland clinches a WLL Championship place with a win and is eliminated with a loss by two or more. Rookie goalie Jenika Cuocco leads the WLL with a 58.3% save rate after a nine-save showing against New York.

Saturday brings Chaos, Outlaws, Archers and Waterdogs

Carolina Chaos, 3-4, play the Denver Outlaws, 3-3, on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. ESPN notes that only 31.3% of Carolina’s shots this season have been assisted, the lowest rate in the PLL. Jack Rowlett is questionable with a right quad injury, while Denver attackman Pat Kavanagh is questionable with a right foot issue.

Denver’s Brennan O’Neill enters the weekend with 94 career points, putting him near 100. Goalie Logan McNaney leads the league in clean save percentage at 54%, according to PLL statistics cited by ESPN.

At 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, the Utah Archers, 3-4, face the Philadelphia Waterdogs, 4-2. Week 9 is Indigenous Heritage weekend in the PLL, and ESPN reports that Utah coach Chris Bates had the Archers play their annual game of Baggataway during the week.

Utah allows a league-low 9.0 goals per game, but Philadelphia’s CJ Kirst is rolling. ESPN reports Kirst leads the PLL with 20 goals and ranks fourth with 22 points. Half of his goals have been assisted and half unassisted.

Atlas and Cannons close the weekend

Sunday’s finale has the New York Atlas, 3-4, against the Boston Cannons, 3-4, at 3 p.m. ET. ESPN reports the defending champion Atlas would move from a 49% playoff chance to 70% with a win, while a loss would drop them to 28%.

New York faceoff man Trevor Baptiste has been activated from the PUP list. Atlas coach Mike Pressler told the PLL that having Baptiste back against Boston is “going to be a big plus.”

The faceoff battle could be a headliner on its own. Baptiste leads the league at 60.8%, while Boston’s Andrew McMeekin is second at 59.6%. The Cannons also bring the PLL’s top-scoring offense at 12.9 scores per game, with Marcus Holman sitting second on the career goals list at 376, behind John Grant Jr.’s 393.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.