Philadelphia Waterdogs eliminated from the 2024 playoffs, another victim of the new Philadelphia franchise curse
Philadelphia fans know heartbreak well. We’ve seen the Eagles lose three straight NFC Championships, then watched Tom Brady secure a three-peat while our quarterback vomited. The Sixers’ “Process Years” brought hope, but Sam Hinkie’s exit left the team in crisis for a decade.
The Flyers faced five losing seasons after the 1967 NHL Expansion before the “Broad Street Bullies” took over, winning two Stanley Cups in three years from 1973-1976.
Yet, they haven’t won since 1975. The Nationals relocated from Syracuse and, with a new city and nickname, won a title as the Philadelphia 76ers with Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 but waited ten years for their next finals appearance, winning in 1983.
We won’t even talk about the 2001 NBA Finals appearance because that was the first time I ever cried over a sports team. These were the last major championships until the 2008 Phillies and the 2017 Eagles. The rabbit hole is still deep; I can go further, I promise.
Philadelphia’s MLS snub in 1996 was tough. The city had teams like the Atoms and Fury in the NISL but no MLS team until the Union, who recently lost the MLS Cup to LAFC in penalty kicks.
The Philadelphia Soul, an indoor football team owned by the rockstar duo of Jon Bon Jovi and Ron Jaworski, became the city’s most successful expansion franchise, winning three Arena Bowls in 13 seasons.
With two weekends left in the Premier Lacrosse League regular season, the Philadelphia Waterdogs are out of the playoff picture. After losing in Maryland’s Homecoming Weekend, Philly sits at 1-7, last in the PLL. Coach Bill Tierney’s transition from college to pro has been rocky. Despite his legendary status, the team struggled under his guidance this season.
Regardless, I will never count out one of the most legendary figures in lacrosse who’s seeking to become the first head coach to win at the collegiate and professional levels. So do not worry, Philadelphia Waterdogs. We’ve all been here before; luckily, the fans will remain locked in if the effort is there.
Philadelphia Waterdogs Key Issues in 2024
1. Struggles at the Faceoff X
Bill Tierney only put a faceoff specialist on his roster in Week Four, which surprisingly is their only win thus far. Something had to change after Whipsnakes’ Joseph Nardella went 31 for 31 on faceoffs and beat the Philadelphia Waterdogs in overtime during the final game of Philly’s Homecoming Weekend. Rookie Alec Stathakis, thrown into a “Baptism by Fire,” held his own through five games. Winning 52 of 110 attempts (47% win rate), the undrafted rookie from Denver has yet to record a point but flashed the potential of an impact player—just not this season.
2. Goalie Troubles and Tough Transition Defense
Dillon Ward’s had a streaky season, starting in his first week when the Utah Archers quickly went up 5-0. He’s also sustained some great stretches, like in Week Four against the Chaos and partially against the Outlaws. Last week, the Whipsnakes 5-0 opening avalanche became the final straw that broke Bill Tierney’s back. He pulled Ward in the early 2nd quarter in favor of Matt DeLuca, but things didn’t get much better as Maryland extended their lead to 9-0 at halftime.
DeLuca ended with 12 saves and 12 goals allowed, good for an even 50% save rate after being thrust into that high-octane, physical contest. The Whipsnakes went up 11-0 with 7:08 in the 3rd quarter and scored once more with 9:40 left in the game on a Mike Chanenuck rip. Philly’s long poles and short-stick defensive midfielders were burnt toast all game as the Whipsnakes scored 7 of their 11 goals on shorty matchups.
3. Defensive Mishaps: Ball Watching and Bad One-on-One Defense
Can a team lead the league in caused turnovers, make the fewest, and be a playoff contender? For the Waterdogs, the answer was a resounding NO in 2024. This week, the Whipsnakes utilized their two-man game to exploit the Waterdogs’ need to slide exceptionally early.
Short-stick defensive middy Matt Whitcher ended the All-Star break with a league-leading 3.8% shot rate as the closest defender. In the last two weeks, he’s been on the receiving end of opposing teams exploiting short stick matchups and allowed five goals in isolation situations.
It’s not only Whitcher but also the Waterdogs’ bruiser defender, Ben Randall who’s struggling lately. Rookie Brennan O’Neill of the Denver Outlaws beat Randall for an unassisted hat trick plus one assist. Also, there are not one or two guys here, but the entire team is ball-watching on almost every dodge, leading to open two-point attempts and 16 unassisted goals of 24 allowed in the last two weeks.
4. Offensive Shooting Struggles Leads to “Hero Ball”
Given their struggles at the faceoff dot, you would think the Philadelphia Waterdogs offense runs efficiently and quickly to score goals off of saves in transition or get into a set immediately after a clear. But as a team, they hold the league’s:
- Lowest shooting percentage (22.8%)
- 2nd lowest two-point shooting percentage (12.4%)
- 2nd-to-last total points at 86 (one and two goals combined)
Michael Sowers and Ethan Walker are the only two players with 20+ passes in two of three games since the All-Star Break (Sowers has 20+ in all three).
The Upper Dublin product has five goals and three assists but seven turnovers during that span, while Walker has three assists and a goal with just one turnover. Just like the goalies, the offense gets hot and cold, mainly cold to start games, and with the lack of a faceoff presence, the task of making a comeback is daunting.
That is where I notice a lot of “Hero Ball,” or dodging and re-dodging your defender until you find some angle for a shot. Close games in the fourth quarter are a nightmare for Philly after they have lost four one-goal games. But their play in the fourth quarter is so far from what the fans are used to seeing from the offense.
Against the Atlas and Cannons, the Waterdogs let a tie game heading into the 4th quarter slip away without a single goal in the final 12 minutes. During the second half against the Atlas and the first half against the Whipsnakes (so one full game combined), the Philadelphia Waterdogs shot 1 for 40, with their only goal being a two-pointer from a long pole off a faceoff.
But as difficult as it was to be a Philadelphia Waterdogs fan this season, this club’s grit and “never say die” attitude create hope for the future of this franchise.
The Waterdogs head to Denver before finishing the season in Salt Lake City, and we may get to watch some rookies, like first-round pick Matt Brandau, AJ Mercucio, and Michael Boehm, get extended time. We also may see Matt DeLuca begin to start at goalie moving forward if Dillon Ward continues to struggle.
With young staples like Michael Sowers, Jack Hannah, Ethan Walker, Jake Carraway, Marcus Hudgins, and Alec Stathakis, Bill Tierney has the chance to build back an elite program his way and become the first coach to win a collegiate and professional lacrosse championship.
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