Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/14/24 – From Staff Report
The defending champion Utah Archers face the Maryland Whipsnakes Sunday (3 p.m. on ABC) at Chester’s Subaru Park in the Premier Lacrosse League championship.
The game will feature many local players and coaches.
A win for Utah would make the Archers the only team to win two titles and two straight titles besides the Whipsnakes, who won the crowns in 2019 and 2020.
Maryland Whipsnakes
Attackman TJ Malone, a Haverford School and Penn State grad who Friday was named the league’s Rookie of the Year. Malone tied for third-best in the PLL for points (37) and fourth in the league in assists with 18. Seven years ago Malone was a JV player for Haverford School, six years ago he was the Phillylacrosse.com Co-Player of the Year and five years ago he wa sa freshman on a Penn State team that reached the Final Four at Lincoln Financial Field. Two years ago he again was in the Final Four at the Linc and almost led the Nittany Lions to their first final appearance. He was a two-time collegiate All-American. Malone received his second straight USILA Lacrosse All-American honor in 2024 at Penn State, this as a Second Team All-American. He was previously named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. Malone led the Big Ten in points with a career-high of 61 from 32 goals and 29 assists.
Attackman Matt Rambo, a La Salle College grad, was the 2017 Tewaaraton Award winner for the national champion Maryland Terrapins and helped lead the Whipsnakes to the PLL titles in 2019 and 2021. He has 12 goals, 6 assists this year.
Midfielder Levi Anderson, a St. Joseph’s University alum, helped the Hawks to the NCAA tourney this year and had the game-winner for the Whipsnakes in the PLL semifinals. He has 9 goals,4 assists.
LSM Stephen Zupicich is a Villanova grad.
Utah Archers
Head coach Chris Bates, also head coach at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware, former head coach at Episcopal Academy, Princeton and Drexel
Assistant coach Tony Resch, also the assistant head coach at La Salle College High and former coach of the Philadelphia Barrage and Philadelphia Wings
Midfielder Ryan Ambler, an Abington grad and Archers captain, who was a three-time all-Ivy League selection at Princeton. He has 8 goals and 5 assists.
Attackman Mac O’Keefe, who played at Penn State, still holds the record for most goals in Division I history with 213. He has 19 goals, 24 points this year.
Attackman Matt Moore, a three-time All-American at Garnet Valley, three-time All-American at Virginia and a two-time national champion, was a PLL All-Star in 2022 and 2023.
Midfielder Grant Ament, a key member of Haverford School’s undefeated 2015 squad and an All-American for Penn State’s 2019 Final Four team, he was a first-team All-Pro in the PLL in 2021 and has 15 goals and 13 assists this year.
Faceoff specialist Michael Sisselberger, a Southern Lehigh HS and Lehigh University grad, was third in the league in win percentage (58.4), going 149-106. Sisselberger set the NCAA record in 2021 for faceoff percentage, winning 225-of-283 faceoffs for a 79.5 mark. He was a First-Team All-American that year and an Honorable Mention pick in 2022.
SSMF Piper Bond, a Penn grad, was a PLL All-Star this year.
