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Redwoods-Chaos Preview

By Lauren Merola | Aug 14, 2021

The Redwoods and Chaos each suit up for their second game of the weekend with the playoffs on the horizon. Both have clinched a postseason berth and look to move up in the standings.

In their all-time meetings, Chaos leads Redwoods 3-2. This season, Chaos is 1-0 against the Redwoods, holding the Woods scoreless in the second and fourth quarters in Week 3.

Stripe Scare

TD Ierlan went down with a lower-body injury in the second half of the Redwoods’ Friday night matchup against the Whipsnakes and didn’t return to the game. Ierlan is 65% at the stripe and leads the league in ground balls with 79.

Max Adler posted a winning faceoff percentage against the Archers on Friday night, winning 11-of-21 (52%) and picking up six ground balls. Similar to the rest of the Chaos squad, Adler seems to have found his stride and will take the stripe Sunday with momentum on his side.

If Ierlan cannot go, the Redwoods will turn to rookie Charlie Leonard (Notre Dame) for the first time this season.

X’s and O’s

This matchup pits a loaded Redwoods offensive arsenal against a stifling Chaos defense.

As Josh Schafer wrote in the weekly preview, the Redwoods preferred style of dodge, the isolation dodge, is Chaos’ defensive strength.

On the season, the Redwoods scored 100 goals, caused 53 turnovers and picked up 268 ground balls. Rob Pannell leads the attack with 28 points (13G, 15A) and Myles Jones is behind with 27 points (12G, 15A).

Jones is a machine. At 6’5”, 260 pounds, Jones is both strong and quick, zipping his way through the midfield and drawing doubles for the quick dish. There’s nothing he can’t do, and with four goals and three assists in the Redwoods loss to the Whipsnakes Friday, he’ll garner plenty of attention from the Chaos’ defense.

On the season, Chaos scored 89 goals, caused 69 turnovers and picked up 254 ground balls. Jack Rowlett has 12 caused turnovers and 14 ground balls, Johnny Surdick has 11 and 17, and Jarrod Neumann has 9 and 16.

Who Ya Got?

Despite the teams’ equal records, fans overwhelmingly picked a Redwoods victory over Chaos by 82% in PLL Pick ‘Em.

DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Redwoods as a -1.5 favorite over Chaos.

Ramifications

Both teams need the win if they plan to stay above .500 and get a top playoff seed.

A Redwoods win would turn gears heading into playoffs, but a loss puts the team at a momentum-threatening 0-2 on the weekend heading into playoffs.

Chrome, however, could head into playoffs on a momentum-building 2-0 on the weekend with a win over the Woods.

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