Lacrosse periods. Understanding Lacrosse: Rules, Equipment, and Gameplay Essentials

What are the key components of a lacrosse field. How long does a standard lacrosse game last. What equipment is required for lacrosse players. How do penalties work in lacrosse. What is the main objective of a lacrosse match.

The Lacrosse Field: Dimensions and Key Areas

The lacrosse field serves as the battleground for this fast-paced sport. Understanding its layout is crucial for players and spectators alike. A standard lacrosse field measures 110 yards in length and 60 yards in width. The goals are positioned 80 yards apart, with 15 yards of playing area behind each goal. White lines demarcate the boundaries, creating a clear playing surface for the athletes.

At the heart of each end lies the goal, a six-foot square structure situated within a 9-foot radius circle known as the crease. This area is of particular importance, as it influences various aspects of gameplay and strategy.

Field Variations for Younger Players

For younger players, particularly those in the 8U and 10U categories, the field dimensions are modified. These smaller field sizes are designed to accommodate developing lacrosse and athletic abilities, ensuring a more manageable playing area for these age groups.

• 8U: Plays without a goalie and uses a smaller goal size
• 10U: Utilizes a reduced field size compared to standard dimensions

These adaptations allow young players to develop their skills progressively, preparing them for the full-sized field as they advance in age and ability.

Game Duration and Structure in Lacrosse

A standard lacrosse game is structured to provide an exciting and balanced competition. The total game duration is 48 minutes, divided into four quarters of 12 minutes each. This format allows for intense bursts of play followed by brief recovery periods.

Quarter Breaks and Halftime

Between quarters, teams are granted a two-minute break, allowing for quick strategizing and rest. The halftime break is more substantial, lasting 10 minutes. This extended break provides teams with an opportunity to regroup, make tactical adjustments, and prepare for the second half of the game.

An interesting aspect of lacrosse is that teams change goals after each quarter. This practice ensures fairness by neutralizing any potential advantages or disadvantages associated with field conditions or positioning.

Overtime Rules

In tournament play, if the score is tied at the end of regulation time, the game may proceed to sudden death overtime. This high-stakes format adds an extra layer of excitement to competitive matches. However, it’s worth noting that in general league play, games typically end in a tie without overtime periods.

Player Positions and Field Placement in Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a team sport that requires a diverse set of skills and roles on the field. A standard lacrosse team fields 10 players, each with specific responsibilities and positioning requirements.

Player Breakdown

• 3 Attackmen: Focused on scoring goals and creating offensive opportunities
• 3 Midfielders: Versatile players who contribute to both offense and defense
• 3 Defensemen: Primarily responsible for protecting their goal and disrupting the opponent’s offense
• 1 Goaltender: The last line of defense, tasked with preventing goals

Field Positioning Rules

Lacrosse employs strict rules regarding player positioning to maintain balance and strategy on the field. At all times, each team must have:

• 3 players on the offensive end of the field
• 4 players on the defensive half of the field

Failure to maintain this distribution results in an offside penalty, adding an extra layer of tactical consideration to player movements and substitutions.

Variations for Younger Age Groups

As with field dimensions, player numbers are adjusted for younger age groups to accommodate their developing skills:

• 10U: Plays 7v7, including a goalie
• 8U: Plays 5v5 without a goalie

These modifications allow for a more manageable game experience, encouraging skill development and participation among younger players.

Essential Equipment for Lacrosse Players

Proper equipment is crucial in lacrosse, not only for optimal performance but also for player safety. Each piece of gear serves a specific purpose, contributing to the overall effectiveness and protection of the athlete.

The Lacrosse Stick

The primary tool of the trade is the lacrosse stick. It’s used for catching, carrying, and throwing the ball, making it an extension of the player’s body. The design and specifications of the stick can vary based on position and player preference, within the limits of official regulations.

The Lacrosse Ball

The lacrosse ball is a critical component of the game. It’s smaller and heavier than a baseball, typically made of white India rubber. The ball’s characteristics influence the speed and dynamics of the game, requiring players to develop precise control and handling skills.

Protective Gear

Safety is paramount in lacrosse, and players are required to wear several pieces of protective equipment:

• Headgear with faceguard: Protects against head injuries and facial impacts
• Mouth guard: Prevents dental injuries
• Shoulder pads: Offer protection for the upper body
• Gloves: Protect hands and improve grip
• Protective cups: Essential for male players
• Arm guards: Shield the arms from checks and impacts

Goaltender-Specific Equipment

Goaltenders have unique equipment requirements due to their specialized role:

• Chin protector: Offers additional facial protection
• Chest protector: Shields the torso from high-velocity shots
• Special goalie stick: Designed with a larger head for improved shot-stopping ability

Interestingly, goaltenders are not required to wear arm guards or shoulder pads, allowing for greater mobility in the crease.

Understanding Penalties in Lacrosse

Penalties play a crucial role in maintaining fair play and safety in lacrosse. The sport recognizes three main categories of fouls, each with its own set of consequences and impact on gameplay.

Technical Fouls

Technical fouls are considered less severe infractions. They include:

• Interference
• Illegal screening
• Holding
• Warding off
• Pushing
• Withholding the ball from play
• Offside
• Crease violation

The penalty for a technical foul varies depending on ball possession. If the fouling team has possession, they lose the ball. If the opposing team has possession, the offending player serves a 30-second penalty.

Personal Fouls

Personal fouls are more serious infractions that often involve physical contact or unsportsmanlike behavior. Examples include:

• Illegal body checking
• Slashing
• Cross-checking
• Tripping
• Unnecessary roughness
• Unsportsmanlike conduct
• Use of an illegal stick or gloves

Personal fouls result in a loss of possession and a time penalty for the offending player. Depending on the severity and intent of the foul, the penalty can be one, two, or three minutes.

Expulsion Fouls

The most severe category is the expulsion foul, which involves striking anyone connected with the game. The consequences for an expulsion foul are significant:

• The offending player is suspended for the remainder of the current game
• A three-minute penalty is served by a substitute player
• The suspended player is also banned from the next contest

Man-Down Situations and Goal Scoring

When a team is playing in a man-down situation due to a penalty, the penalized player is typically allowed to return to the game if the opposing team scores a goal. However, this rule doesn’t apply if the referee has called a non-releasable foul, in which case the full penalty time must be served regardless of goals scored.

Core Objectives and Gameplay Dynamics in Lacrosse

The fundamental objective in lacrosse is straightforward: each team aims to score goals by propelling the ball into the opponent’s goal while simultaneously preventing the opposing team from scoring. This simple premise gives rise to a complex and dynamic game filled with strategy, skill, and athleticism.

Ball Handling Rules

One of the defining characteristics of lacrosse is the prohibition on touching the ball with hands or arms. The only exception to this rule is the goaltender, who is allowed to use their hands when within the crease area. This restriction necessitates mastery of stick skills for all field players.

Players advance the ball by:

• Carrying it in their stick
• Throwing it to teammates
• Batting it with their stick

Out of Bounds Rules

When the ball goes out of bounds, possession is typically awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball left the field. However, there’s an important exception for shots on goal. If a shot goes out of bounds, possession is given to the player nearest to the ball when it crossed the boundary line. This rule is designed to encourage offensive play and shooting attempts without unduly penalizing the attacking team.

Modified Rules for Younger Players

In the 8U and 10U age groups, additional rules are implemented to foster skill development and teamwork:

• A set number of passes must be made before a shot can be taken
• Some leagues require a certain number of completed passes before the ball is considered “hot” or eligible to be shot at the goal

These modifications encourage passing, team play, and strategic thinking among younger players, laying a foundation for more advanced tactics as they progress in the sport.

Advanced Lacrosse Concepts: Rides, Clears, and Face-offs

As players and teams develop their skills, they encounter more nuanced aspects of lacrosse strategy. Understanding concepts like rides, clears, and face-offs is crucial for advancing in the sport and appreciating its tactical depth.

Rides and Clears

The terms “ride” and “clear” refer to specific situations that occur when possession changes hands:

• Clear: When the defensive team gains possession in their own end, they attempt to move the ball to their offensive zone. A successful transition is called a “clear.”
• Ride: If the offensive team prevents the defensive team from successfully clearing the ball, they are credited with a “ride.”

These situations create dynamic transitions that test a team’s ability to quickly shift from defense to offense and vice versa. Successful clears and rides can significantly impact the flow and momentum of a game.

Face-offs: Restarting Play

Face-offs are a crucial element in lacrosse, used to restart play after goals and at the beginning of most periods. The process of a face-off is carefully regulated:

1. Two opposing players stand on their defensive side of the centerline.
2. Their sticks rest on the ground along the center line, with both hands on the stick.
3. Neither player nor their stick can contact the opponent or the opponent’s stick.
4. The stick heads must be far enough apart for the official to place the ball between them on the ground.
5. When the official blows the whistle, players can attempt to direct the ball using their stick.

Face-offs require a combination of strength, speed, and technique. Winning face-offs consistently can provide a significant advantage, as it allows a team to control possession and dictate the pace of the game.

Strategic Implications

Mastering rides, clears, and face-offs can dramatically influence a team’s success:

• Efficient clears maintain offensive pressure and prevent easy scoring opportunities for opponents.
• Effective rides disrupt the opponent’s rhythm and can create turnovers in advantageous positions.
• Dominating face-offs allows a team to control possession, potentially leading to more scoring opportunities and defensive rest.

Coaches often dedicate significant practice time to these aspects of the game, recognizing their potential to swing momentum and influence outcomes.

LACROSSE 101

The Field: The lacrosse field is 110 yards long and 60 yards wide. Goals are 80 yards apart with 15 yards of playing area behind each goal. Boundaries are marked by white lines.

• NOTE:  8U and 10U play on smaller field sizes as they are developing lacrosse and athletic abilities.

The Goal: The goal is six feet square and sits in a 9-foot radius circle. This area is known as the crease.

• NOTE:  8U plays without a goalie – goal size is smaller than a typical lacrosse goal.

The Game: The game is 48 minutes long divided into 12 minute quarters. Teams change goals after each quarter. There is a 10 minute break at halftime and two minutes in between quarters. For some tournaments, in case of a tie at the end of regulation play there is sudden death overtime.  General league play ends in a tie.

The Players: Each time has ten players on the field, divided as follows: three attackmen, three midfielders, three defensemen, and one goaltender. Each team must have three players on the offensive end of the field and four players on the defense half of the field at all times or off-sides results.

• NOTE:  10U plays 7 v 7 including Goalie.  8U plays 5 v 5 with no Goalie.

Equipment: The principal piece of equipment is the lacrosse stick. The ball is smaller and heavier than a baseball and is made of white India rubber. Headgear, with faceguard and mouth guard, is mandatory for all players. Shoulder pads, gloves, protective cups and armguards are also required. Goaltenders also use a chin and chest protector – and they use a special stick. Goaltenders are not required to wear arm guards or shoulder pads.  ELA will loan Goaltender equipment if needed.

Penalties: There are three types of fouls: technical, personal, and expulsion. Technical fouls are those of a less serious nature such as interference, illegal screening, holding, warding off, pushing, withholding the ball from play, offside, crease violation, and pushing.

1. A technical foul results in loss of the ball or a 30-second penalty if the other team is in possession of the ball. Personal fouls are those of a more serious nature such as illegal body checking, slashing, cross-checking, tripping, unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct, and use of an illegal stick or illegal gloves.
2. A personal foul results in loss of the ball and either a one, two, or three-minute penalty depending on the severity and intention of the foul.
3. An expulsion foul is the striking of anyone connected with the game. The penalty shall be suspension from the rest of the game and a three-minute penalty to be served by a substitute. The suspended player is also suspended from the next contest. If a team is playing in a man-down situation, the penalized player is allowed to return to the game when the opponents score a goal unless the referee has called a non-releasable foul.

Object of the Game: Each team scores by causing the ball to enter the opponent’s goal while preventing the other team from doing the same. The ball may not be touched with the hands, except by the goaltender when in the crease. The ball is kept in play be being carried, thrown, or batted with the stick. If the ball is carried, or thrown out of bounds, the ball goes to the other team at that point. The exception is a shot at the goal; the ball goes to the player nearest the ball when it went out of bounds. This rule is designed to not to unduly penalize a team for trying to score.

• NOTE:  8U and 10U rules require a set number of passes and/or completed passes before a ball is considered “hot” or able to be shot at the goal.

Rides and Clears: When the defensive team regains possession of the ball in its own end, it will attempt to return to the offensive end of the field. If the defense successfully moves the ball into the offensive zone, they are credited with a clear. If the defense does not successfully complete a clear, the other team is credited with a ride. Each time the defense attempts to return the ball to the offensive zone, either a clear or ride is credited.

Face-off: After most goals and at the beginning of most periods, play is resumed with a face off. The players facing shall stand on the same side of the centerline as the goal each is defending, with their sticks resting on the ground alone the center line. Each must have both hands on their stick. Neither player nor his stick can be in contact with the opponent or his stick. The walls of the stick must be far enough apart so that the ball can be placed between them on the ground. When the official sound his whistle to start play, each player may attempt to direct the course of the ball by a movement of his stick in any manner he desires.

W&L Men’s Lacrosse Falls to Lynchburg in ODAC Title Game, 16-6

LEXINGTON, Va. – Second-seeded Lynchburg rode a tremendous defensive effort and six points from junior attackman Kyle Lewis to a 16-6 victory over top-seeded Washington and Lee in the ODAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship game.
 

The Hornets (16-2) set the tone early, jumping out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and posting a 9-1 lead at the break.  Lynchburg limited W&L (11-5) to just six shots in the opening half, while junior attackman Ryan Kenney tallied three goals and one assist before the intermission.
 
The Generals opened the third period with two goals in the first 48 seconds to pull within 9-3.  Junior midfielder Tommy MacCowatt (New Vernon, N.J. / Delbarton) scored man-up from senior attackman Austin Hudson (Baltimore, Md. / Gilman) at 14:27 and senior attackman Stuart Greenspon (Aldie, Va. / Episcopal) scored unassisted at 14:12.
 

However, the Hornets closed the penultimate quarter with five straight tallies for a 14-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter.  The Blue & White fought to the end, scoring three times in the final 2:41 of the game, but it was too little, too late.
 
Lynchburg finished with a 43-22 advantage in shots and a 33-27 edge in ground balls.  The Hornets also took 14-of-25 faceoffs and forced 25 Washington and Lee turnovers.
 

Greenspon led the W&L offense with three goals and one assist.  Hudson added one goal and one assist, while senior Jack Taylor (Baltimore, Md. / Saint Paul’s) played all 60 minutes in goal, registering nine saves.
 
Greenspon, Taylor and sophomore defenseman Harris Hubbard (Daniel Island, S.C. / Bishop England) were all named to the ODAC All-Tournament team.
 
Lewis posted three goals and three assists, and Kenney tallied four goals and one assist to lead the Hornets.  Sophomore Patrick Moore played the first 56:35 in goal and recorded seven saves.
 
Lynchburg will receive the ODAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, while Washington and Lee’s season ends at 11-5 overall.
 

Men’s Lacrosse Hangs On to Beat Clarkson, 12-11

Story Links

Next Game:

at No. 1 RIT

4/14/2021 | 3 p.m.

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men’s lacrosse team returned to action for the first time in nearly two weeks on Saturday at Higgins Stadium and the Bombers came away with a tight, 12-11, victory over Clarkson University. Ithaca is now 3-1 on the season and 1-0 in the Liberty League, while Clarkson drops to 2-4 overall and 0-1 in league play.

Ithaca led by as many as seven goals in the game and withstood a second-half rally from Clarkson. Despite 11 goals scored by the Knights, Connor Thornton put up a career day for IC, as he made 22 saves.

The Bombers got off to a hot start, taking a 4-2 lead after the first quarter. Connor Brumfield scored the game’s opening goal at the 11:38 mark and then Clarkson tied things up less than a minute later.

IC scored the next two goals behind tallies from Willy Wright and Jake Erickson to build a 3-1 edge. Wright found the net off an assist from Erickson with 7:25 to go and then Erickson was on the receiving end of a pass from Kyle Savery at 4:59.

Clarkson closed to within a goal with 3:11 left in the quarter, but Brumfield distributed an assist from Erickson past the Knights’ goalie in the waning seconds for the 4-2 count.

In the second quarter, IC ran off three straight scores from John Sramac, Drew Turner and Blake Eischen to establish a 7-2 advantage midway through the period. Clarkson ended the run with 2:51 remaining in the half to send the game to a 7-3 score at intermission.

The Bombers came out firing in the third quarter and scored three times in six minutes to go ahead, 10-3. Erickson and Sramac, along with Connor Till tallied goals during that stretch. The Knights would answer with three straight of their own by the 2:13 mark to come back to within a 10-6 score. IC and Clarkson traded goals to close out the third period, as Brumfield secured his hat trick.

The Knights’ goal with 45 seconds remaining in the third kick-started a four-goal run into the fourth quarter and Clarkson came back to within a score at 11-10 with just over 10 minutes to play.

Neither team could find the back of the net for the next eight minutes until Brumfield received an Erickson pass and beat Clarkson’s goalie with a behind-the-back rip with 2:55 left, giving the Bombers a two-goal edge at 12-10.

Clarkson scored the final goal of the contest with nine seconds to go to put pressure on the ensuing faceoff. Clarkson won that faceoff but didn’t have enough time to score.

Demetri Lowry had five groundballs and five cause turnovers for IC, while Connor Caiazza had seven groundballs.

Ithaca heads to No. 1 RIT next Wednesday, April 14 for a 4 p.m. matchup.

Physical demands of female collegiate lacrosse competition: whole-match and peak periods analysis

[6/5] Denver Uses 10-Goal Third Quarter to Beat [16/20] Villanova 17-10

Story Links

Next Game:

at Georgetown

4/17/2021 | 10 a.m. MT

Fox Sports 2

ESPN Denver 1600

DENVER  – The [6/5] University of Denver men’s lacrosse team scored double digits in a quarter for the first time since 2011, using a 10-goal third quarter to pull away from [16/20] Villanova 17-10 on Saturday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
 
Inside the Box Score:
Nine different Pioneers scored on the afternoon, including three hat tricks and five multi-goal games. Jack Hannah completed his 10^th career hat trick and his sixth this season. Jackson Morrill finished with his 20^th career hat trick and his fifth of the 2021 campaign. Lucas Cotler capped the hat trick trios with four points on three goals and a helper.
 
Earning his third start of the season, JJ Sillstrop finished with three points on two goals and an assist. Ted Sullivan also had a three-point afternoon on two goals and an assist.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Jack Thompson was impressive in cage for the Pioneers, finishing with 12 saves to nine goals allowed. The double-digit save performance was the fifth of his season and the seventh of his career. Jack DiBenedetto led the team with four caused turnovers, while captain Colin Squires added two CTS and picked up five grounders.
 
Denver started slow at the faceoff dot, but the faceoffs were key to the Denver offensive spurt in the third quarter. Alec Stathakis led the way with a 10-of-16 afternoon with nine ground balls, while TD Ierlan went 8-for-14 from the dot with five grounders.
 
First Quarter:
The two teams traded body blows in the first 30 minutes, with Denver ultimately taking a 6-5 lead into the intermission.
 
Villanova scored from 70-yards on the 10-man ride to take the early lead, but Sullivan answered with his first of two on the day, and Zach Hutchko spun his defender around behind the cage to give Denver the 2-1 lead after the first quarter.
 
 Second Quarter:
The second quarter featured a little more offense, but the same back-and-forth nature, as the two teams split the eight goals in the quarter four apiece.
 
Sillstrop pushed Denver ahead 3-2 with 10:11 to go and Hannah scored three goals in a 3-1 run to give Denver its first two goal lead of the day at 6-4 with 2:01 to play before recess.
 
Third Quarter:
The flood gates opened in the third for the Pioneers, as they outscored the visitors 10-3 in the stanza. Sullivan’s second and Morrill’s first of the day made it 8-5 with 10:35 to go. Two Patrick Daly goals for Villanova sandwiched around Morrill’s second tally of the day made it 9-7 Denver with 8:08 to go.
 
Denver ended the quarter on a 7-1 run that included a 5-0 spirt in 1:57. Stathakis scored off the faceoff seven seconds after Daly’s goal, and Sillstrop’s hat trick goal made it 11-7. Eric Overbay scored for the Cats to cut it to 11-8 before Denver’s scoring surge. Morrill completed his hat trick with 4:10 to go, followed by Kyle Smith’s tally 10 seconds later. Just 46 seconds after Smith’s goal, Cotler found twine to make it 14-8. Alex Simmons got on the scoresheet 22 seconds after that, and Cotler’s second of the quarter ended the spurt with 2:13 to play.
 
Fourth Quarter:
Cotler’s hat trick goal capped what was an 11-3 run in the first 15:57 of the second half. Villanova added two more to close out the game and draw within seven at 17-10.  
 
Significant Stats:

• Ethan Walker was unavailable for Saturday’s game, breaking a streak of 65-consecutive starts for the Peterborough, Ontario, native.
• Jackson Morrill stretched his point streak to 67 games, ranking first nationally in the active streak.
• Denver’s 10-goal third quarter was its highest-scoring quarter since an 11 goal quarter against Jacksonville on March 5, 2011.
• The Pioneers had three players finish with hat tricks, the 26^th time Denver has had that since the start of the 2014 season (fourth this season).
• 5+ different multiple goal scorers for the third time this season and the 19^th time since the start of the 2014 season.

 
Up Next: The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team, presented by Your Front Range Toyota Stores, will head to Georgetown next weekend for a 10 a.m. MT faceoff. The game will be broadcast nationally on Fox Sports 2, and will be on the radio locally on ESPN Denver 1600.
 
For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.
 
DONATE:
Fans interested in making a donation to the Pioneers Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will transform the lives of our student-athletes by giving them the first-class resources needed to excel in the classroom, in competition and beyond. Thank you for Building Pioneers for Life!
 
– 5280 Together –
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 17 of DU’s NCAA Division I sports.
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Mercer Falls to Bellarmine, 9-7, in Season Opener

Next Game:

Lenoir-Rhyne

2/6/2021 | 4:00 PM

MACON, Ga. – For the first time in 327 days, the Mercer men’s lacrosse team took the field as it hosted the Bellarmine Knights. The Bears led at halftime, but ultimately fell, 9-7, in the season opener.

Mercer’s contest with Bellarmine was the first NCAA Lacrosse contest of the 2021 season and one of two games scheduled for today. Utah will battle Denver Saturday afternoon.

The Bears’ (0-1) Ashton Wood wasted no time putting the home team in front. The Preseason All-Southern Conference selection won the opening faceoff, raced down field and sent his shot past the Knights’ Ian Reilly only seven seconds into the game. Daniel Shumake attempted to put the Bears ahead by two goals less than five minutes in, but his shot was saved, and the Knights took possession, working their way downfield to challenge  Colin Kelley. Kelley made his first save of the day with 10:04 left in the first quarter, but Bellarmine eventually knotted the score at one with 5:29 left.

Bellarmine (1-0) netted its second goal of the morning when Kyle Playsted sent went one past Kelley prior to the horn sounding on the opening quarter, and after one, the Knights led, 2-1.

Collin Stewart played a role in all three second quarter goals for the Orange & Black, scoring less than a minute into the period and assisting on Will McCarthy’s goal after 2:20, which put Mercer ahead, 3-2. Freshman Taylor Dooley found his way into the scoring column with 7:13 until the intermission with the assist coming from Stewart. The Bears’ back line held Bellarmine scoreless in the period and survived a scare when Luke Legnard shots caromed off the crossbar. After 30 minutes, Chad Surman‘s Orange & Black held a 4-2 advantage.

The momentum shifted towards the visitors from Kentucky in the third quarter as they scored four unanswered goals to take a 6-4 lead with 3:18 remaining in the period. Stewart stopped the bleeding for Mercer with a goal off a pass from Parker Junod, and with 87 seconds left Patrick Marks converted to tie the contest at six heading into the final quarter. 

Mercer was unable to take advantage of a 60-second extra man opportunity to start the fourth. Bellarmine scored with only 12:38 and 10:30 remaining in the game to take an 8-6 lead before Nick Rockefeller made it one-goal contest only seconds after the seven-minute mark. Trailing 8-7, the Bears surrendered one final goal to the Knights and came up empty on each of their final three shots, dropping the contest by a 9-7 score.

Stewart led the Bears with two goals and a pair of assists. Mercer held a 31-29 advantage in shots and placed 17 shots on target compared to 15 for the Knights. Wood was nearly automatic, winning 18-of-19 face-offs. Mercer had 31 miscues while Bellarmine had only 22. The visiting Knights held a 17-14 advantage in caused turnovers.

NOTABLES

• The game was the first official contest of the NCAA Lacrosse season and one of two on the schedule for opening day.
• Stewart has scored goals in six of his eight career appearances.
• Stewart now has five career assists. Three of those assists happened in first collegiate game last season vs. Florida Tech.
• McCarthy attempted a game-high 10 shots.
• Six different Bears found their way into the scoring column while four players recorded an assist.
• Mercer allowed Bellarmine to win just one face-off attempt. The previous low for an opponent was Furman’s three during the 2018 campaign.
• The Bears doubled the Knights in ground balls, 40-20.

UP NEXT
The Bears’ second game of the season is set for February 6 against Lenoir-Rhyne at Five Star Stadium at 4 p.m.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Men’s Lacrosse, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerLacrosse (Twitter) and @MercerMensLacrosse (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
 

Second-half surge leads Men’s Lacrosse past Colorado College, 19-13, in NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals

Next Game:

Tufts

5/23/2021 | 2:00 PM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT attackman Larson Sundown (Basom, NY/Akron) totaled five goals and an assist while Dawson Tait (Ottawa, Ontario/Mother Teresa) compiled a game-high seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) to lead the Tigers past visiting Colorado College, 19-13, in the NCAA Division III Tournament Quarterfinals, Saturday.
 
Tied, 10-10, with 6:01 left in the third quarter, RIT (12-0) finished the quarter with four unanswered goals before pulling away with a 5-1 fourth-quarter run to put the game out of reach.
 
RIT will take on Tufts in the tournament semifinals on Sunday (May 23) at 2:00 p.m. The Jumbos advanced past York (Pa.), 17-7, in the afternoon’s other semifinal hosted by RIT.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Sundown opened the scoring off a nice feed from Ryan Barnable (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) 34 seconds into the contest before Matt Weichers slung a seven-yard shot into the net at 11:13.
• Colorado College midfielder Luca Lietti put the visitors on the board at 9:59 with the first of his three goals, before RIT attackman Quinn Commandant (Rockwood, Ontario/The Kiski School) scored from the left wing to kick off a 3-1 run which yielded a 5-2 lead.
• Lietti found the net with 33 seconds left in the first period before teammates Jack Haims and Noah Beecher scored to tie the game, 5-5, with 11:18 on the second-period clock.
• RIT re-took a two-goal lead with 7:26 left in the second after back-to-back RIT goals by Spencer Bell (Fairport, NY/Fairport) at 8:17 and Tait, but Colorado College re-tied the game with goals by Elliot Nelson at 5:02 and Jacob Smith with 4:15 left in the half.
• RIT called timeout with :04 on the clock during its final possession of the half before Ryan Rosenblum (Limerick, PA/Spring-Ford) beat the horn on a 15-yard shot past a screened goalie with a tenth of a second on the clock for an 8-7 lead.
• Sundown scored his third of the game to give RIT a 10-8 lead with 10:15 on the third-quarter clock, but Colorado College scored twice in less than a two-minute span to knot the game, 10-10, at 6:01.
• Weichers scored a 12-yard shot on a run down the right wing at 5:03 to kick off RIT’s decisive run.  
• Commandant got free for an eight-yard strike at 2:23 before Tait scored at 1:24. Tait found Sundown open on the right post for an easy finish with :04 on the clock as the Tigers carried a 14-10 lead into the final period.
• Marley Angus (Oakville, Ontario/Holy Trinity) collected a rebound on the crease and scored seven seconds into the fourth for a five-goal RIT lead.
• Haims halted the 5-0 RIT run with a goal at 9:07, but goals by Weichers and Sundown in a 28-second span put the home-standing Tigers up, 17-11, with 7:03 remaining.
• Tait and Mozrall extended RIT to its largest lead of the game, 19-11, with 3:15 to play.  

GAME NOTES

• Walker Hare (Libertyville, IL/Libertyville) was credited with 12 saves as RIT finished with a 33-25 advantage in shots on goal and 49-40 overall.
• Nick Montemorano (Victor, NY/Victor) won 13-of-19 face-off and picked up a game-high nine ground balls while David Graham (Littleton, CO/Chatfield) finished 10-of-16 with seven ground balls.
• Only one penalty was called – a cross check on RIT’s Tyler Sceviour (Calgary, Alberta/Bowness) with 4:15 left in the second.
• RIT advanced to its 11th NCAA Tournament Semifinal in program history and will be in the hunt for its third national championship game appearance. The Tigers defeated Cortland, 10-9 (OT) in the 2013 semis and also advanced past Wesleyan (Conn.), 22-9, in 2017.
• RIT made its 10th quarterfinal appearance in the last 11 seasons (not counting last year), improving to 7-3 in that span.  
• Saturday’s game was RIT’s first-ever meeting with Colorado College

90,000 Russian hockey players beat Germany at the World Cup

The Russian U18 junior team (players under 18) won the second victory at the World Hockey Championship in the USA and guaranteed themselves a place in the playoffs. Our team, all of whose players participated in the sports programs of the Sirius Educational Center, beat German hockey players with a score of 6: 1. The main hero of the meeting was 16-year-old striker Matvey Michkov, who scored a lacrosse goal and made poker – he scored four goals.

Already in the fourth minute of the first period, Ivan Miroshnichenko received a two-minute penalty for the bandwagon, but the Russians fought back and started active operations in the opponent’s zone. Danila Yurov opened the scoring in the 12th minute. At the end of the period, the Germans remained in the minority, but the Russian team was unable to take advantage of this.

The second dvadtsatiminutka became a benefit performance for Matvey Michkov, who scored a hat-trick in one period. Already at the beginning of the segment, the forward was outside the opponent’s goal, lifted the puck on the hook of the stick and squeezed it under the crossbar, performing a lacrosse goal.Towards the middle of the match, Michkov scored a double: he was just in time to bounce the puck off the goalkeeper, paused and hit the target. Ryan Bettahar later received a disciplinary penalty and Michkov distinguished himself for the third time, scoring another beautiful puck with a throw from under his feet.

In the third period Ilya Kvochko scored the puck against the German hockey players in the 47th minute. Nine minutes later, our goalkeeper Sergei Ivanov failed to save the goal: in the 55th minute, Connor Korte unsealed the goalkeeper, but the German team could not win back four goals.One and a half minutes before the final whistle, Matvey Michkov scored the fourth goal, having issued poker and becoming the hero of the meeting.

“The sensations are the most ordinary. The next games will be more important and more serious, it is already necessary to prepare for them. I didn’t even know I was in the lead in goals. The most important thing is that I bring benefits to the team, and it won, and personal indicators fade into the background ”, – Matvey Michkov quotes Championat.com.

Having issued poker, Matvey Michkov repeated the record of forward Ruslan Bashkirov, who managed to score four goals in Germany at the YChM-2006.The fourth and final match in the group stage of the tournament will be played by the Russian national team on May 2 at 00:00 against the Czech national team.

Thanks to the victory over Germany, the Russian juniors secured their way to the quarterfinals of the world championship. Also, according to the results of the matches, the teams of Belarus, Canada, the USA, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland and the Czech Republic got into ¼ of the tournament ahead of schedule.

90,000 Lacrosse: Canada’s National Summer Sports

Although ice hockey is Canada’s national winter sport, Canadians trade sticks for crosses and take to the fields to play culturally rich lacrosse in the summer months.

history

Lacrosse is a sport that predates European colonization in North America. It is based on a game played by Native Americans where sticks were used to punch a ball through a gap between two trees. Games can last up to three days, which was unusual for thousands of players. With goals anywhere between 500 yards and a few miles, the game had no boundaries or rules, except that players could not touch the ball with their hands.

In 1636, a French Jesuit missionary who witnessed a match with the natives of Huron in the valley of St.Lawrence, became the first European to record this sport. He called it “lacrosse,” the French word for bishop’s stick, because he believed that the curved implements of the game resemble a religious prop. It wasn’t until the 1840s that the game found itself among European settlers, but by 1856 the Montreal Lacrosse Club was established, just three years before Parliament (in the UK) declared lacrosse to be Canada’s national game.

William George Beers, a member of the Montreal club, began codifying a set of rules in 1867 that limited the number of players to twelve on each team, replaced the native ball with one of hard rubber, and modified the stick to make the ball easier to throw and catch.After showing the Montreal Club against the Native Americans of Konawag at Windsor Castle in 1876, Queen Victoria remarked, “The game is very beautiful to watch.”

Lacrosse enjoyed event status at the 1904 and 1908 Summer Olympics, which featured teams from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. However, the game did not generate enough international interest to remain an Olympic event, although it showed itself again at the Games as an exhibition sport in 1928, 1932 and 1948.In 1930, lacrosse mutated and the box lacrosse, an ice-covered ice hockey rink, was born. Since then, both the original field lacrosse game and its domestic counterpart have enjoyed widespread popularity in North America. Then, in 1994, the Canadian government recognized the sport’s cultural and historical significance when it declared lacrosse the country’s national summer sport.

Culture and Traditions

Native Americans didn’t just play lacrosse for fun.The sport served as a religious ritual, tribal dispute settlement, and combat training. The latter is reflected in various local names for the sport, known by the Cherokee as tewaraathon, or “little brother of war,” while the Iroquois called him baggataway, which means “to hit something.” Traditionally, in field battles, it functioned as a way of hardening young people and as a rite of passage into masculinity.

Dedicated participants trained throughout the summer and used a special diet that excluded animals with implicit traits.Animals that fell into this category included rabbits for timidity, frogs for fragile bones, and especially sluggish fish species – snails probably didn’t make it either. For many tribes, lacrosse was as much a mystical ceremony as sports. Players adorned their faces and bodies with paint and charcoal, and the game was preceded by elaborate rituals and a solemn dance, while a ball flying through the air appeared to represent the movement of the sun across the sky.

Unlike the violence of the native game, in which bones were often broken, modern lacrosse matches open with a stereotypical Canadian courtesy ceremony.Each player introduces himself to his specific opponent, shakes hands and wishes them good luck. Many hockey players replace their sticks with crosses in the summer months because lacrosse is great for conditioning and improves hand-eye coordination, while a box of lacrosse can reasonably be described as an aerial form of hockey.

How to play

Lacrosse Fields are 110 yards (100 m) and 60 yards (54 m) wide, and targets are 80 yards (73 m). The square racks are six feet high and wide, while there are specific provisions for the length and width of crosses (sticks) that can be used.

Due to the very physical nature of the sport, all lacrosse players wear helmets, gloves and pads for protection, while goalkeepers wear additional chest and throat shields. Only goalkeepers can use their hands, and although all players can hit or hit the ball, goals can only be scored on a cross shot.

The sport is incredibly fast, and ball players have to “cradle” it by quickly rotating the stick in two turns to create centrifugal force that keeps the ball in the cross pocket.Defensive players can press the ball into a poor pass, knock the ball off their cross, or intercept the ball while it is in the air. Lacrosse retains remnants of its brutal history as the player can also hit, pop, or tickle the ball with their cross to cause an error. However, it is illegal to barge a player in an attempt to throw them off balance or knock them down.

Each team recruits ten players, but there is no limit to the number of substitutions that can be made.Matches last four periods of fifteen minutes each, with a ten-minute break at half-time and one-minute intervals between quarters. If both teams are tied after sixty minutes, a five minute break follows before restarting play for two four minute periods.

90,000 North American action and lacrosse goal of the Swedes. It was a crazy start for the MFM!

Ten goals and incredible intrigue in the match between Canada and the USA, as well as a goal in the spirit of Andrei Svechnikov – this is how we will remember the first day of the World Youth Championship.

In the first match of Group B, the national teams of Russia and the Czech Republic met. The tournament hosts beat Valery Bragin’s charges 4: 3. Our team showed a fairly good game in attack, but failed in terms of discipline. Eight penalties are too many for a match of this level. Let’s take a look at how the other matches of the first game day ended.

Steal a draw in seven seconds! Lafrenier’s goal and three assists bring Canada victory over USA

December 26 turned out to be very rich in top fights.In our group, Canada and the United States came face to face in the evening. As in the match between the Czechs and the Russians, here one of the rivals quickly came forward. Shane Pinto managed to fix the puck in the gate of the “Maple” after Jones’s throw from the blue line, allowing the Americans to realize the numerical advantage. The Canadians, after a few minutes, also had the opportunity to play in the “five by four” format, but they did not use it. And at the end of the period, the “Stars and Stripes” again punished their opponent for indiscipline.This time, Artur Kaliev distinguished himself, who, having received a pass from Zegrass, drove the puck into the goal with one touch.

But Canadians wouldn’t be Canadians if they put down their clubs after the first period. The result of their attacks was a goal by Connor McMichael. The forward received a pass from the right flank and, aiming his shot above the goalkeeper’s shields, soaked the score. And soon Alexis Lafrenier and Barrett Hayton worked in the same bundle. The pioneers of hockey were able to quickly realize their numerical advantage. After they managed to win the throw-in, Lafrenier passed to the right, from where Hayton drove the puck into the net.It is logical that after that the game went according to the scenario of the Canadian national team. It was the white and red ones who went on a break in the rank of leader. Towards the end of the second period, they organized a positional attack, during which Nolan Foote brought his team forward with a throw from the right throw-in circle.
The beginning of the third dvadtsatiminutki also went according to the script of the Canadians. Once again, the majority worked a bunch of Lafrenier and Hayton. Alexis, pulling three Americans over himself, gave a pass to Barrett, and he definitely threw him into the near corner.And then a real whirlwind of events began in the game. Nick Robertson throws from under the defender makes the score 4: 3. A little later, in the 57th minute, Pinto implements the removal of Dellandrea and seemingly sends both teams into overtime!

However, the Canadians had a different opinion. After only seven seconds, Lafrenier robbed the Americans in their own zone, rolled out onto the goal and beat Spencer Knight. Of course, after that the American goalkeeper left his possession, giving way to the sixth field player. As it turned out, in vain.Ty Dellandrea, finding himself in front of an empty net, signed the verdict to his opponent with his goal. 6: 4 – Canada’s super-fiery victory and a great start to the World Youth Championship!

The Swedes begin with a victory over their eternal rivals

The match between the Swedes and the Finns, which took place in quintet A, of course, turned out to be less cool than the fight between Canadians and Americans. But even here there was something to see, namely – the lacrosse goal performed by Niels Heglander. However, first things first.
This meeting turned out to be quite equal in the game, and the Finns managed to open an account in it at the end of the first period. Patrick Puistola in the 17th minute brought his team forward. And at the beginning of the second twenty minutes, Nils Heglander turned on the regime of Andrei Svechnikov, which we certainly lack at this MFM, and scored in his style. It’s better to see once than hear a hundred times.

The Finns, however, did not grieve for long about this. After forty minutes, they were again in the lead.This time, Pustola took on the role of assistant, and Christian Tanus distinguished himself. The Swedes bounced back five minutes before the end of the third goal thanks to a goal by Samuel Fagemo. Thus, the game went into overtime, where Tre Kronur managed to snatch victory five seconds before its end. Alexander Holts joined the attack in time. Having received the puck at the entrance to the zone, he made an accurate shot from the outside of the throw-in circle. Interestingly, this victory was the 49th in a row for the Swedes in the group stages of the MFM. They last lost at this stage on December 26, 2006.

2020 NHL Draft Eligible Alexander Holtz secures the win in overtime for Sweden, extending their record to 49 straight wins in the Group Stage in the World Juniors. Their last loss in the Group Stage came on December 26th 2006. pic.twitter.com/YUG48PrKTq

– ❄ Chasing The Puck ❄ (@CTPHockey) December 26, 2019

Verbun’s double helped the Swiss to defeat fighting Kazakhstan

Competitions in Group A began with a cut between Switzerland and Kazakhstan.It was not by chance that we used the word “zaruba”, because our neighbors were really able to give a worthy fight to the favorite. In the course of the first forty minutes, the envoys of the country of chocolate, cheese and banks stepped forward three times, but each time the Kazakhs, after a certain amount of time, equalized the situation.