The New York Atlas looked in complete control at halftime. Forty-eight minutes later, they walked off the field with another gut-punch loss.

Holding an 11-8 lead at the break, the Atlas went ice cold after halftime and watched the Boston Cannons storm back for a 15-13 victory Sunday, July 19, at Rafferty Stadium in Fairfield.

For Greenwich native Xander Dickson, it spoiled what had been one of the marquee weekends of the Premier Lacrosse League season.

"It is just the best place to play," the Brunswick School graduate told WTNH before the game, as Atlas fans packed the stands and turned Rafferty Stadium into what felt like a home game.

The momentum flipped in a hurry.

After controlling possession and building a three-goal cushion before halftime, New York was blanked in the third quarter while Boston ripped off a game-changing run. The Cannons' defense clamped down, erased the deficit and never looked back.

Boston rookie defenseman Will Donovan drew the tough assignment against reigning PLL MVP Connor Shellenberger and helped take the Atlas' offense out of rhythm. On the other end, Mikey Weisshaar delivered the breakout performance of his young career with his first PLL hat trick, while Marcus Holman's two-point goal just before halftime kept the Cannons within striking distance before their second-half rally.

The loss dropped the Atlas to 3-5, leaving little room for error as the playoff race heats up.

Dickson has been one of New York's most reliable offensive weapons this season, totaling 15 goals and 18 points through eight games after returning from a devastating broken leg suffered in the 2025 PLL Championship. He spent nearly eight months rehabbing before making his return this spring, a comeback chronicled in the PLL documentary Unfinished.

Now the Atlas head west for Week 10 in Denver, looking to regroup before the postseason chase slips even further away.