2024 PLL Goalie Gear Setups
By Coach Damon
September 11, 2024
This Sunday, September 15 the Maryland Whipsnakes will take on the Utah Archers for the 2024 PLL championship.
Archers and Brett Dobson are looking for back to back titles.
Before that, let’s have a look at the goalie gear each netminder used this season.
If you like these types of posts, here are a few more for your viewing pleasure:
Let’s get into it. Click here to jump to specific goalie:
- Brett Dobson – Archers
- Blaze Riorden – Chaos
- Austin Kaut – Chaos
- Colin Kirst – Cannons
- Brendan Krebs – Whipsnakes
- Owen McElroy – Outlaws
- Jack Kelly – Redwoods
- Liam Entenmann – Atlas
- Tim Troutner – Atlas
- Matt Deluca – Waterdogs
- Dillon Ward – Waterdogs
Brett Dobson – Utah Archers
Lots of talk about Blaze being the best goalie in the league, but the Archer’s Brett Dobson is sure giving him a run for his money.
In the semifinals, he nearly did the impossible, coming 52 seconds away from achieving a shutout.
Dobson is sponsored by Warrior so he’s decked out head to toe in their gear.
- Head: Warrior Nemesis QS
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: 1 nylon, 1 straight across, 1 U
- Gloves: Warrior Nemesis QS goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: Warrior Nemesis
Mr. Wanderful has twisted up a few of Dobson’s wands this season:
Watch Dobson’s near perfect game here:
Blaze Riorden – Carolina Chaos
Blaze continued his dominate ways in the 2024 season posting a league leading 59.4% and will likely win another goalie of the year award.
He also scored another coast to coast goal.
He has a sponsorship with both StringKing (you’ve seen his ad, right?) and Unequal.
Unlike most goalies nowadays who prefer the attack length shaft, Blaze does have a little length to that shaft.
- Head: StringKing Mark 2G
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Goalie length
- Shooters: 2 straight across
- Gloves: STX Surgeon RZR2 goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: Unequal Chest Pad
Here is an example of Blaze dominating the semifinal game vs. the Cannons:
Austin Kaut – Carolina Chaos
- Head: Warrior Nemesis 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: 1 nylon, 2U’s
- Gloves: Maverik Rome goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: Warrior Nemesis
Blaze suffered an injury this season and Chaos backup Austin Kaut got some starts which lands him in the 2024 PLL goalie gear post.
The Penn St. grad has some experience filling in admirably for an injured Blaze having done it before.
Save edit from week 2 featuring Austin Kaut:
Colin Kirst – Boston Cannons
- Head: STX Eclipse 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: 1 (super low) straight across
- Gloves: Maverik Max goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: STX Shield 600
One of my favorite goalies to watch, Colin is an awesome dude and loves the sport of lacrosse.
He also rocks the lowest single shooting string known to goalies.
I’ve seen some pics of Kirst earlier in the season using the ECD Impact goalie head but he definitely moved over to the STX Eclipse 3 later in the year.
Brendan Krebs – Maryland Whipsnakes
- Head: STX Eclipse 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: Ghost pocket (no shooters)
- Gloves: Maverik Max goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: STX Shield 600
Brendan Krebs wears number 0 for the Whipsnakes in remembrance of his number of total high school starts.
This Saturday he’ll make his first ever PLL championship game start.
High school starts: 0. Pro championship game starts: 1.
Krebs is the first goalie on this list to use the ghost pocket, a.k.a no shooting strings.
Many goalies like the feel of no shooters and if your pocket is strung well with a great channel, the shooters are really an accessory. For what its worth, not having extra strings in the pocket makes it a tad lighter too.
Here is Krebs in the PLL quarterfinals:
Owen McElroy – Denver Outlaws
- Head: STX Eclipse 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: 2 straight across
- Gloves: Maverik Max goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: STX Shield 600
The 2 time goalie of the year at Georgetown took over the starting role for the Denver Outlaws this season and posted a 52% save percentage.
He helped the Outlaws advance to the quarterfinals where they lost 1 goal game to the Whipsnakes.
Jack Kelly – California Redwoods
- Head: STX Eclipse 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Goalie length
- Shooters: 1 nylon, 1 straight across, 1 U
- Gloves: Warrior Nemesis Pro goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: STX Shield 600
I’ve been watching goalie Jack Kelly ball out for so long I thought he was a lot older.
But at just age 29, Kelly is still well in his prime manning the nets for the Redwoods.
The 2018 World Championship gold medalist averaged 11.7 saves/game and saved the ball at 48.9% this season.
Like the other older goalie on this list (Blaze), Kelly also goes with the longer goalie length in his shaft, bucking the trend of the young goalies to use the attack length.
Here’s a save edit featuring Jack Kelly from this season:
Liam Entenmann – New York Atlas
- Head: STX Eclipse 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack length
- Shooters: ghost pocket
- Gloves: STX Surgeon RZR2 goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: Warrior Nemesis
The pro chapter of Liam Entenmann’s career started strong!
After taking over from Tim Troutner mid season Entenmann finished with the 2nd highest save percentage in the league at 58.7%.
Here’s the save edit from Entenmann first start:
Tim Troutner – New York Atlas
- Head: ECD Impact
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Goalie length
- Shooters: 2 straight across
- Gloves: STX Surgeon RZR2 goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: Maverik Max EKG
After signing with the Atlas during the off season, the previous Redwoods goalie earned the team’s starting in the early part of the season.
Troutner is sponsored by ECD and uses their head as his weapon of choice. Only goalie to use this wand.
Also the only goalie to sport the Maverik Max EKG chestie from what I can tell.
Save edit with Tim Troutner:
Matt Deluca – Philly Waterdogs
- Head: STX Eclipse 3
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: Ghost pocket
- Gloves: STX Surgeon RZR2 goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: STX Shield 600
Big Matt Deluca took over the starting role from Dillon Ward after he was injured mid season.
If you’ve never met Deluca or watched him present at the Lacrosse Goalie Summit, he’s one of the awesome guys in our sport.
This nomination doesn’t surprise me at all:
Deluca goes with the ghost pocket, but I’ve also seen him toss a single shooter into this setup:
Dillon Ward – Waterdogs
- Head: Warrior Nemesis QS
- Mesh: 12 Diamond
- Shaft: Attack Length
- Shooters: 2 straight across
- Gloves: Warrior Nemesis QS goalie gloves
- Chest Pad: Warrior Nemesis
At age 33, Wardo is the oldest goalie of this group but he’s still going strong.
That is until an injury sidelined him.
Like fellow Canadian Brett Dobson, Dillon Ward is also sponsored by Warrior and uses all their gear in his setup.
Here’s the save edit from the game he got injured:
Conclusion
There you have it. All the gear the top professional goalies are using for the 2024 season. Let’s recap.
Goalie Head
- STX Eclipse 3: 6
- ECD Impact: 1
- Warrior Nemesis QS: 2
- Warrior Nemesis 3: 1
- String King Mark 2G: 1
No surprise that the industry standard STX Eclipse 3 tops this list. Provding max stiffness and great light weight its a perfect option for youth as well as pros.
Mesh
12 Diamond mesh: 11
Clean sweep for the 12 diamond. It’s the best of both worlds and the option of choice for all pro goalies.
Shaft
- Attack length: 8
- Goalie length: 3
While the longer goalie provdies some advantages, I’m 100% for the lightness and quickness of the attack.
Blaze, Troutner, and Kelly however prefer some length.
Goalie gloves
- STX Surgeon RZR2 Goalie Gloves: 4
- Maverik Max goalie gloves: 3
- Maverik Max pro goalie gloves: 1
- Maverik Rome goalie gloves: 1
- Warrior Nemesis QS: 2
Props to Kaut for hanging onto the Maverik Rome gloves. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Most goalies are going with STX latest model of goalie gloves.
Shooters
- Ghost pocket: 3
- 1 nylon, 1 straight across, 1 U: 2
- 1 straight across: 1
- 2 straight across: 4
- 1 nylon, 2 U’s
Lots of goalies like the no shooter setup and then the simple 2 straight across also popular setup.
Chest Pad
- Unqueal: 1
- STX Shield 600: 5
- Warrior Nemesis QS: 4
- Maverik Max EKG: 1
I had to take some guesses on the chesties since its not always easy to find a pic of the goalies with the exposed chest pad. However STX Shield 600 is the most common chesties guarding the pros.
Hope you enjoyed that 2024 PLL gear setup post.
As always if you see any errors, let me know via the comments down below.
Until next time, Coach Damon
PS – What’s your goalie gear setup? Let me know in the comments.
P.S. – Ready to take the next step? Here are 3 powerful ways I can help you:
1.
Join the Lax Goalie Rat Academy
Unlock your full potential inside the premier training program for lacrosse goalies. Get exclusive access to technique tutorials, drills, mental game strategies, lacrosse IQ development, and direct coaching from Coach Damon. Join 400+ goalies who are leveling up their skills and confidence.
2.
Master the Goalie Parent Role
Being a goalie parent is harder than playing the position. That’s why I created the Lacrosse Goalie Super Mom/Dad course — designed for parents with zero lacrosse experience who still want to support their goalie. You’ll learn how to train them (yes, really), but more importantly, how to guide them through the emotional highs and lows of the game.
3.
Get in front of 11,000+ lacrosse enthusiasts
Promote your brand, product, or service by sponsoring the Lax Goalie Rat newsletter. It's the easiest way to get noticed by a passionate and highly targeted community of lacrosse goalies and coaches.
I don’t think Austin Kaut was using a nemesis 3 it looks like the Nemesis QS Lite