Too Bad This Wasn't My 100th Post! USA Wins Gold

Team USA went into the FIL Championships with a lot of holes and a team not many believed in. They had lost two exhibition games, and just barely squeaked by the MLL All-stars.
Meanwhile, Canada was looked at as a power house, and understandably so. I mean, look at that roster!
Don't get me wrong, we all knew it was going to be USA vs Canada. I just assumed Canada would win.
The USA struck first in the first quarter, with a goal by Matt Streibel beat Chris Sanderson at the 14:55 mark. About two minutes later, Paul Rabil the soon-to-be FIL MVP, shot a rocket past Sanderson to give the Americans a multi-goal lead. Rabil scored again at the 3:04 mark, but other than that Chris Sanderson was a shut-down goalie the rest of the period. Canada was able to score twice to make it only a one goal lead going into the second period.
Ryan Powell scored quickly into the quarter to make it 4-2, but John Grant made it a one goal game once again. About three minutes later, Lizards superstar Zack Greer tied it. USA scored the next two goals to make it a multi-goal game once again. It was 8-4 Americans going into the half. Canada came out fighting in the next period, scoring the next four goals to make it 8-8.
The drama was building. All knotted up going into the final period of the FIL tournament. Ryan McClay scored the go-ahead goal for Canada at the 16:53 mark.
It was far from over, though. Brenden Mundorf of the Outlaws knotted it back up for the Americans. Again, Canada would take the lead and the USA would tie it, but Ned Crotty and Max Seibald would score the two last goals to give Team USA the gold.
Paul Rabil won MVP for the FIL, and may be this MLL season's MVP with the now playoff bound Boston Cannons.

100th Post/ Lax Links

This is the 100th post in the history of the Lacrosse Blog, started in May. As a celebration, here are your Lax Links:

The Cannons look for revenge vs Toronto tonight- Inside Lacrosse

USA goes for Gold- Inside Lacrosse

Australia wins Bronze- Inside Lacrosse

Some Lax Videos- Lax United

Thanks to all the followers and commenters on the Lacrosse Blog up to this point, help us reach our goal!

Monday Scores from the FIL

Here are your final scores from yesterday:

Blue Group:
Canada defeated Germany 23-5
Japan 11 over Australia 9
United States 17 England 5

Top Division:
Ireland 12 Sweden 7
Scotland 17 Czech 14
Netherlands 16 Spain 1
Wales 9 Finland 7


Middle Division:
Poland 14 Bermuda 10
New Zealand 11 Switzerland 3
Latvia 12 Hong Kong 10
Slovakia 14 Norway 4

Lower Division:
Italy 13 Argentina 9
Austria 15 France 4
Korea 10 Mexico 9

FIL Championships

The Iroquois Nationals learned yesterday they will be able to participate in this year's FIL championships. “It’s one thing to lose a world games medal to another team, it’s quite another to lose it to someone wearing a suit" said Delby Powless.
Meanwhile, Canada beat USA, 10-9. Rhys Duch and John Grant jr scored a hat trick a piece for team Canada. Mike Leveille and Drew Westervelt scored two goals each for the United States and Paul Rabil, Kyle Sweeney, Matt Striebel, Matt Zash, Kevin Cassese and Brendan Mundorf got one each.
The Americans led 3-2 after one quarter.
Canada's turning point was in the second quarter when Alex Smith intercepted a pass and scored. Grant scored a beautiful goal and Duch scored to put Canada up at halftime. USA tied it up at 6 to start the fourth, but Canada all but wrapped it up on Garret Billings goal to make it 8-6.
Canada (2-0) plays Australia (1-1) today at 2:30 pm.

England Wins Big Day 1

England didn't play the Iroquois Nationals like they expected, but I'm sure they'll take their 12-3 smashing over Germany.
Lewis Ratcliff scored a hat trick to help the English defeat the now Blue Grouped Germany. A goal just before half-time did the trick for a three-goal welcome cushion at half-time, before England stepped up in the second half and scored six goals without reply to put the contest out of sight.

Germany get on the scoresheet again, but England dominated the second half to make sure they went top of the Blue Division at this early stage.

I understand taking the Iroquois out of the Blue Group, but the decision to put Germany in puzzles me.

Speaking of the Iroquois, they will play a scrimmage tonight in hopes of still going to England.

The Iroquois Situation

I'm sure you are aware of the entire situation with the Iroquois Nationals right now. This site, along with many lacrosse media outlets, have covered it thoroughly. In case you don't know what's happening though, I'll explain.

The Iroquois Nationals represent their own nation in the FIL Championships. They are made up of Canadians and Americans, and live in those countries, but are of Iroquois descent. The Iroquois have used their own passports to travel around the world for some twenty years, but as they began to board for their trip to England, but the USA said they cannot re-enter the country with those passports. Later, USA decided to give the Iroquois clearance with their passports, and they just waited for Canadian and British response. But the British told them to get US or Canadian passports to enter the country. The Iroquois refuse to use any other passports but their own, and were forced to forfeit their game vs England which would have taken place today.
Today, however, the Iroquois were removed from the elite Blue Division and Germany was promoted, making the Germany-England exhibition today a real Blue Division game. The Iroquois were moved to the Plum Division. Stay tuned to the Lacrosse Blog the whole tournament for updates on this situation and the rest of the games.

Iroquois Turned Away, Have One More Chance

BREAKING: Iroquois Nationals told "Go get USA or Canadian passports" by British, and it is very unlikely they will be able to play in the World Championships in England, The UK issued a statement, saying, ”Like all those seeking entry into the U.K., they must present a document that we recognise as valid to enable us to complete our immigration and other checks.”

1:30 AM Update: The Iroquois may still play in the tournament, but have been forced to forefit their game vs England. England will recive maximum points in the standings, and will play an exibtion vs Germany in place of Iroquois, which will have no baring on the standings.


The Iroquois Nationals were denied again entry into Manchester England. They have one more shot today, at 4pm. If they do not make that, then they will not make it on time for their first game.
The issue is the Iroquois passports. The British Consulate said they would not let the Iroquois Nationals into the United Kingdom unless the United States will allow them back in. The U.S. has offered the Iroquois the option of expediting American passports, but the Nationals want to travel on their own Haudenosaunee documentation, for they have traveled internationally with them for 20 years.
“The team’s looking good,” said Iroquois Nationals GM Ansley Jemison. “We’re starting to come together as a team. This has been a blessing in disguise; it’s really drawn the team together. I’m pleased with the way the team looks right now.”

Update: The USA has cleared the Iroquois Nationals and they are good to go to Manchester, England to play tomorrow. The team is now awaiting clearance from the Canadian government for the players from Canada, as well as the British visas, but things look good.

Update on Iroquis Nationals

They are still in New York waiting to learn their fate later today.
“Lacrosse is our game — we are the originators, we invented the game, there are 60 countries that play our game,” Denise Waterman, a member of the team’s board of directors said. “And now we can’t go to a tournament that’s honoring our game? It’s almost unbelievable that this is happening.”

MLL Weekend Game Recaps

In the last weekend of MLL before the FIL, here are your recaps!

The Boston Cannons defeated the Chesapeake Bayhwaks Saturday to stay tied for 1st place in the MLL with Denver. Paul Rabil scored four goals including a two point goal. With Chris Eck out last night, John Ortolani was called up from the practice sqaud and made an immediate impact. He won the opening face-off and gave Rabil the opening goal. Matt Poskay scored three goals and is now four goals away from tying the all-time scoring record in Cannons history

Matt Donowski made MLL history in the Lizard's win vs the Machine, scoring three two pointers in his four goal night. As you remember, the last time the Lizards and Machine met it was an overtime thriller. This one stayed in regulation, however close. With three minutes left and the Machine up by one, one of Danowski's two-pointers took the lead and it stayed that way.

Meanwhile in the FIL world, the Iroquois nation has still been denied entry and it appears unlikely they will participate.