It was a struggle throughout Week 1 for the offense of the Archers in Albany, NY.

For the majority of Sunday’s matchup with the Chrome, they looked out of sorts. It wasn’t the usual high-volume offense we’ve become accustomed to, however, the Archers were without their most dangerous weapon from a year ago in Grant Ament. 

From the jump, the Archers tried 2022 fourth overall pick Matt Moore at X to start the game, but when he struggled, the Archers looked to undrafted rookie Connor DeSimone for a shot in the arm.

Chrome head coach Tim Soudan showed faith in his defenders to win their one-on-one matchups, and they did just that for the majority of the first half – even holding the Archers scoreless in the second quarter. But in the second half, the Archers began to click by using their speed and quick ball movement to draw slides and open lanes for skip passes and cuts.

The timetable for Ament’s return is unclear, leaving the Archers with a hole up front that they’ll need to mitigate to open the 2022 season. 

“His long-term health is clearly the most important thing for us,” Archers' head coach Chris Bates said. “We want to get him back. If we need to be conservative, we will. We’re still in a little bit of a wait-and-see phase.”

Ament had a league-high 22 assists and 35 points last season, earning a nomination for the Jim Brown Most Valuable Player Award while taking home the Eamon McEneaney Attackman of the Year Award. Ament has been described as a waterbug. He’s got the rare ability to be able to make world-class plays while operating at top speed. The acceleration and shiftiness he displays make him a matchup nightmare. His highlight-reel underhand skip passes are simply jaw-dropping and he thinks the game at a level higher than almost anyone in lacrosse, making Ament a threat every time he has the ball. 

When looking at Ament’s absence, the obvious question is how the Archers can make up for his production every week. 

“I still think we need more time, honestly. Guys have been successful through training camp, but coach has done a good job of floating us and keeping it even where we’re playing up top and playing behind,” Will Manny said on Sunday. “There’s no replacing Grant…It’s our job as veterans and leaders to just watch the film and take a deep breath. I think you’ll see a much more put-together Archers' offense next week with our sets.”

You’ll never get a team’s story from a box score, and the Archers’ first game is the perfect example. While there are some bright spots to look at, there are also some challenges facing the team going forward. Let’s take a look at some of the major talking points following Week 1.

DeSimone’s Strong Debut

Bates and the Archers tried out a different look at attack from their pre-season scrimmages, employing undrafted rookie Connor DeSimone as the initiator from X during a majority of their offensive sets. 

The Johns Hopkins product was one of the most impressive players at Archers’ camp from all indications, and he showed very well in his PLL debut against the Chrome. 

With a pair of goals and two assists, he showed that he’s here to stay in the PLL and can make an impact within this offensive unit. 

“I think it’s the always attack mentality that Coach Bates has instilled into the Archers,” said DeSimone post-game about what allowed him to step in so quickly and succeed. “We’re constantly on the move and constantly looking for our spots. There’s never a dull moment. You’re always attacking and looking for that next opportunity, whereas college is a little more methodical. With 52 seconds, you have to pick and choose your spots. 

“If there’s an opening with an opportunity, you have to take advantage of it.”

The Archers used Ament’s absence to their advantage. Chrome opted to pole Tom Schreiber and the wing attackman the majority of possessions, leaving DeSimone with a short-stick from X. 

He looked to drive his defender topside and find a shot with his hands-free. He used the speed advantage on his first goal, blowing past SSDM Mike Messenger to get an open look at Sean Sconone.