The Philadelphia Waterdogs defeated the Boston Cannons 13-10 on Monday at Zions Bank Stadium, securing a spot in the PLL U.S. Bank Championship against the Denver Outlaws on Sept. 20. The Waterdogs’ victory was fueled by strong performances from their rookie class and goalkeeper Sean Byrne.
Despite an early struggle, Philadelphia’s defense stabilized thanks to Sean Byrne, who made 14 saves while allowing 10 goals in his first PLL playoff appearance. The Cannons scored their first two goals, but then missed 18 of their next 19 shots over a 19-minute span. Byrne, who wasn't drafted, has started the last six games for the Waterdogs after Matt DeLuca was injured.
Six rookies made their playoff debuts for Philadelphia, collectively scoring seven of the team’s 13 goals. Kyle Lewis led the rookies with a hat trick, becoming the 17th rookie in PLL history to achieve this in a playoff game. CJ Kirst and Kyle Lewis both accomplished this feat. Josh Yago added two goals and an assist, while Matt Collison and Silas Richmond each scored once. Michael Sowers noted the team wasn’t surprised by Lewis’s performance, stating, “I think for us, we weren't surprised by what Kyle did today…We knew it was only a matter of time before he broke out. And honestly, he probably already has.”
CJ Kirst scored with 1:58 remaining, ending a 4-0 Cannons run and securing the win for Philadelphia. Sowers explained the strategy, saying, “It's kind of a simple equation: just find him…We needed him in that moment, and he stepped up as he always does.” This will be Philadelphia’s third Championship appearance in the last five seasons and their first since Bill Tierney became head coach in 2025. Sowers, who led the Waterdogs to a title in 2022, expressed relief at returning to the championship, noting the team’s ability to overcome adversity: “We found so many different ways to win games…We faced adversity today. There were so many highs, so many lows. But yet again, we had the confidence to go out there and play our game.”
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