The Whipsnakes were able to take their second win of the season against the rival Chaos, coming out with a 14-12 victory in Fairfield on Saturday night.

The pair of teams went shot for shot in the first half, combining for 16 goals through the first two quarters of play. 

The two-time PLL champions hopped out to a quick 4-1 lead in the first, capped by a pair of goals from Matt Rambo. 

A Zed Williams marker split goals from Chase Fraser and Josh Byrne to make it 5-3 after one. Both teams would get some punch in transition from unlikely sources. Mark Glicini buried a bouncer on the run to make it 8-6. However, the Whipsnakes countered with a short-stick defensive midfield goal of their own, as Ty Warner stepped into a shot from distance and stuck it to widen the gap back to three. 

“It was good to be back after three weeks. We knew that team was gunning for us and the first time we played them, they didn’t have all of their cats. But it was a good win tonight,” Warner said following the game. “I thought the offense played very well, scoring 14 goals. We did just enough on defense. After a three-week stretch like that where we were off, can’t complain about the effort tonight.”

The Whips went into the half up 9-7, and they were able to match a pair of goals by Chaos with two of their own in the third quarter. Challen Rogers looked to have completed a hat trick with a diving shovel shot on the crease, but a challenge from Jim Stagnitta eventually overturned the goal, keeping the Whipsnakes out in front 10-9. Rambo netted his third goal of the night to push the lead to two after 36 minutes. 

Chaos made a final push to knot the game in the fourth. Mike Chanenchuk would open the scoring in the final frame, but back-to-back markers from Fraser and Chris Cloutier. But 12-11 is as close as they would get.

Joe Nardella and Keegan Khan answered to put the game on ice. The Whips went on to take the game 14-12. 

“That was an important game for us and we came out of the gates and started slow,” Chaos goalie Blaze Riorden said post-game. “After they got out to that lead, it was back and forth. So to think that the first six minutes of the game kind of lost it for us at the end, it definitely stings a little bit. Especially when we know our backs are against the wall and the season is diminishing. 

“...It stings. But we’ve gotta flush it and move on.”

Sitting at 5-1 on the season, the Whipsnakes have jumped back into first place in the standings, They will leave Fairfield with at least a top two spot. 

On the opposite end, Chaos moves to 1-5 on the year with the loss. They’ll be trying to avoid back-to-back losses when they take on the Redwoods on Jul 31 in Dallas.