For the second time this season, the Waterdogs beat the Whipsnakes 11-10. The teams first met in Week 5, where the Waterdogs became the first and only team to hand the Whipsnakes a loss all season behind. In Week 5, McArdle also scored the game-winning goal with under two minutes to play.

In net, Dillon Ward posted historic numbers, saving a season-high 17 shots on 63%, his second-highest save percentage of the season. His best save percentage, 67%, came in Week 5 against the Whipsnakes. Kyle Bernlohr had eight saves on 42%.

“Ward has won at every single level,” McArdle said. “From junior to senior, to NLL championships, to world games and in the MLL. He’s battle-tested. Nothing rattles him.”

In the first quarter, Mikie Schlosser went down with a lower extremity injury and left the game on crutches. Michael Sowers also tweaked his hamstring but stayed on the field. It was tough for the Waterdogs, as Sowers scored the team’s first three goals and was then locked down the rest of the game.

Despite being somewhat restricted, Sowers occupied the Whipsnakes’ defensive leader, Matt Dunn, all game, giving space for other Waterdogs to create offense.

“Back at Fairfield, it was almost the same thing,” McArdle said. “Guys went down. You go through those experiences throughout the season. When playoffs come, you remain calm. Your leaders step up. You have to grind it out, and that’s what we did today.”

In the first half, the Whipsnakes ran, scoring a few goals in transition. They tamed Zach Currier, holding him to zero points, until the second half, where he opened scoring eight seconds into the third quarter to bring the Waterdogs back within one.

Matt Rambo then scored to give the Whipsnakes a two-goal cushion. Just when it looked like the Whipsnakes would run away with it, the Waterdogs scored two goals to tie it at seven.

They were tied twice more in the fourth quarter, at eight and 10.

For the Waterdogs, Walker scored two goals. Currier, Whitcher and Ryan Conrad each had one. On the Whipsnakes, Smith, Rambo and Zed Williams each netted two.

At the stripe, Jake Withers went 11-for-23 on 48% and Joe Nardella went 13-for-24 on 54%. Nardella won most clamps, but Withers and the Waterdogs put up a fight on the ground. The wings were involved in nearly every faceoff.

“That’s Team Canada’s faceoff unit, so there’s a ton of familiarity there,” Waterdogs coach Andy Copelan said of his line.

In the second half, the Waterdogs moved Currier from Michael Erdhardt’s side of the wing to the opposite side.

“I made a decision at the end of the second quarter to stick with a side and we’d go out there and scrap,” Ehrhardt said. “With those guys, it’s going to be a three-on-three battle every time. The two great faceoff guys. Joe does a great job getting the ball out. The Waterdogs’ wings are so good. Currier doesn’t give up.”

Withers grabbed five ground balls to Nardella’s two. Currier picked up four and Ehrhardt nine.