Indoor lacrosse is serious business. It's played on a turf field that's just about the same size as a hockey rink, and there are the same amount of players playing per team as the ice sport, just subtract the skates and add sticks with netting. The pace of play is much different though. Hockey is sort of half transitional and half setting up with the puck on your opponents side. Indoor lacrosse is almost entirely stationary. Teams with possession can simply jog over to the other side and get into formation. It's like half-court basketball; your always in scoring position unless, of course, you're on defense. Another detail is that there are specific offensive and defensive players. Switches are made at the turn of possession, so, the team box is moving around constantly.
Just like outdoor lacrosse, players are quick and brutal. They slash each other in the chest and legs and put their shoulders down to body-check their opposition into the walls. They'll dive for the ball and make divots and cuts and run copious amounts. This sport is fast paced and minute; from the spinning sticks in each of the players hands to the jukes and twitches that can leave a follower breaking their ankles.
On Sunday afternoon in the Carrier Dome was USA and Israel playing for the bronze medal. It wasn't much of a contest. One major difference in play was that Israel was unable to penetrate the USA defense. They were always shooting form the outer perimeter circle. Meanwhile, USA got in close. They ran and passed around the Israeli patrolmen and were taking shots from three feet in front of the goalie. Final score 15-4.
Casey Powell was the old man on the team USA roster, but, he was also a bit of a home-crowd hero. He played his college lacrosse for Syracuse in the Carrier Dome back in the '90s.
"This is where I made a name for myself having been able to play in this special building," Powell said. "This experience is just another one to add to my lineup and I'm extremely honored to represent my country here."
Powell's entire family was there to watch; his brother even made his way into the press room post-game and was teary-eyed as his older brother was questioned about the future of his career as time may have begun catching up with him.
The FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship [12] is played every four years and this is the fourth straight tournament where the USA have come in third place. Head coach Tony Resch was proud of his team's effort, but he would've been in a better mood if the medal he received was a different color, he said.
"It's a very physical game played in a relatively short tournament with a lot of playing," Resch said as his team had played more than six games in two weeks. "We learn more in is tournament than in the preparation coming into it, but, overall I'm happy with the effort."
This was Israel's first time playing in the tournament and they came in fourth place. Not bad for a country who has to travel to Prague just to practice. They simply don't have facilities for lacrosse in Israel.
"No one feels bad for you; no one says let's take it easy on them," head coach Brad McArthur said. "When you say we started from scratch, we started from scratch. But I have nothing but respect for these teams here and I can't wait to come back in four years to compete again. Hopefully our doing well will help funding."
Canada and the Iroquois National team played for the gold medal in the evening. It was much more physical, and equal. Three to two Canada after the first half. During the break Indian chants were being played. Canada has never lost a match since the beginning of this tournament way back when. There was a strong turnout form Iroquois fans and they were looking to change that.
Unfortunately for the Iroquois, the Canadian goalie was very good, and even the post was helping him out. Canada was able to ward off a barrage of shots and then on transition score a goal to take the lead 4-3. Then, they had possession again and two players passed back and forth about six times towards the net's side and then after a shot the ball was loose in front of the net and a Canadian scooped it up and into the goal to take a 5-3 lead.
The Iriquois headed into the last quarter down by two. They were overmatched though, and the home crowd couldn't play for them. It seems that when it's time to win, Canada gets the job done. The final score was 12-8
Canadian shooter Shawn Evans of the Calgary Roughnecks won the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Like a season of the Olympics, see you in four years.
