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LAX Herald Wednesday - July 10, 2002
The official publication of the 2002 World Lacrosse Championship
Brown capitalises on score tally
By Melvin Tang
AUSTRALIAN hot shot Russell Brown
scored three goals last night in his side's
comfortable 19-5 win over the Iroquois
Nationals, taking his tally to nine.
The Iroquois opened the scoring tally half
way into a low scoring first quarter with a
powerful hip shot from midfielder Allan
Jones catching what looked like a dazed
Australian defence off guard.
The Australian team seemed to lose their
footing during the first ten minutes of the
quarter allowing for five turnovers and giving
Iroquois most of the possessions.
Australia's reply came just one minute
from the end of the first quarter courtesy of
a spellbinding reflex shot by David
Whiteman assisted by Darren Nicholas.
With just ten seconds left in the quarter, a
solo effort by attacker Brad Ross put
Australia in the lead prompting a wild
response from the crowd.
Iroquois came back in a tightly fought
second quarter to level the score at 4-4 after
Allan Jones made the most of a two man up
play in the last five minutes of the quarter,
setting the score for half-time.
Jamie Buchanan led a fired-up Australian
attack in the second half to take on a visibly
tired Iroquois defence and set the stage for
an all-pervading Australian onslaught.
Australia ran with the momentum with
star attacker David Whiteman producing
quick runs before finishing with four goals.
Australia dominated the midfield, winning
most of the face-offs through Peter
Inge who yesterday scored the fastest goal
in the championship.
Iroquois keeper Joe Solomon was a pivotal
player for the team in the second half
and payed tribute to the Hollywood film
The Matrix with several amazing reflex
saves (that could well see him cast in the
next sequel), but was unable to stop the
ubiquitous Australian attackers.
Australia was unstoppable during the second
half, scoring 13 unanswered goals to
Iroquois' one ending the game at 19-5.
A disappointed Iroquois coach lamented
the loss of his team and attributed the lack
of performance to the schedule of playing
four games in four days.
Australia will play Canada today in a
match that should determine second place in
Blue Division.
Kiwis no match for awesome Korea
By Rhonda Plenty
KOREA stayed true to form to record a 20-
3 victory over up-and-coming New Zealand
in a bloodbath yesterday.
Sung-uk Hwang wasted no time with a
sizzling goal in the first minute, setting the
stage for a bewildered New Zealand to play
catch-up for the rest of the game.
Hwang's passionate play set the pace for
team mates Cortland Kyoung-Jin Kim in
attack and Brian Seung-hoon Chang in midfield
to score four goals apiece and form a
demolition team that proved difficult to break.
The game continued to slip away from
New Zealand despite a valiant second half
rally. The writing was on the wall and New
Zealand coach Mark Freemon said he was
in awe at Korea's superior speed and skills.
New Zealand's tentative playing style
was also doing them no favours, but to their
credit they managed to sort out their
defence with a second goal less than two
minutes into the third quarter.
With most New Zealand team members
playing up to two games a day, Freemon
said he was happy they were still "alive" at
the end of games and relished the chance to
compete against skilful countries.
"Our guys watch this level of competition
on videos and never get a chance to play it
back home," he said.
The mad dash from both teams in the
third quarter resulted in five penalties but
did not have a significant impact on the outcome
of the game.
Brian Seung-hoon Chang was consistent
in midfield and attack.
Korea's head coach John Haus said his
team had moulded together well with an
unselfish offence and iron-clad defence.
New Zealand will fight it out with Hong
Kong tomorrow in a tight match with both
teams at a similar skill level.
Green machine rolls over Hong Kong
Story and photo by Ben Spencer
IRELAND handed out a 15-0
thrashing to Hong Kong yesterday,
extending its unbeaten run in
Green Division.
After a slow start in which
Ireland head coach Richie Moran
criticised his player's execution,
the green machine stepped up a gear.
Kevin Dowd scored the first of
many goals after cutting through
some sloppy Hong Kong defence
at the five minute mark. Seven
minutes later a brilliant pass from
Dan Daley set up brother John for
a 2-0 lead.
This seemed to ignite the Irish
side as they piled on four more
goals before quarter time, two that
were results of "Daley doubles".
Diminutive Hong Kong goalkeepers
Kwan Pak Yip and Willie
Hor Wing Lau stood up manfully
under constant pressure from the
Irish forwards, making a number
of outstanding saves throughout
the match.
Hong Kong started the second
quarter with a rare face-off win,
but this joy quickly turned to horror
as John Daley, who finished
the match with six goals, scored a
brilliant goal over his right shoulder.
Despite Pat McGee and Dan
Leidl adding two more just prior
to the main break, an undermanned
Hong Kong continued to
be well served by Chun Lun Wong
through the midfield and Alvin Lo
in defence.
While many fans were desperately
hoping for a second half
Hong Kong revival, the Irish had
other ideas with McGee, John
Daley and veteran Kevin Moran
all scoring within ten minutes.
In the final quarter, intense pressure
took its toll on the tiring
Hong Kong defence, with KC
Tang receiving a one-minute
unsportsmanlike penalty for hitting
an opponent across the back
of the head with his stick.
Dan Nolan added insult to
injury minutes from time when he
scored from close range courtesy
of a long run from Mike Conway.
Park Buzz
WALES' team has certainly been
out and about enjoying their recreation
time in Perth.
Vying for the title of the most
sociable lacrosse team we asked
head coach Ray Nash if, as
rumoured, a late night at Tentland
for the Pulse concert had affected
their first quarter on Tuesday.
"They've worked hard to get
here and paid a lot ... I don't just
want them to see fields and locker
rooms, they're getting to see Perth
and enjoying their time here," he
said. Great to hear ...
THE security at this World
Championship is certainly not
being inundated by terrorist
attacks. So is that why one security
guard was spotted trying to
convince the Challenge Stadium
goat to have a chat across the twoway
system?
HEAD over to Tentland tonight
if you want to pick up Paul Gait's
one-off autographed shirt which
will be sold to the highest bidder.
US team members are also offering
some memorabilia for sale.
US dominate championship rematch
By Ben Anderson
CANADIAN coach Frank Nielsen
described the refereeing in last night's loss
to America as the worst he had ever seen.
"We can't play our game when the black
and white are on their (America's) team, "
he said.
The United States won 14-9 in a spiteful
match which saw 29 minutes of penalties
and three men expelled from the game.
A brawl which developed after some
rough checking from Canada saw two
Americans and a Canadian player sent off.
Recent NFL recruit Doug Shananhan
scored the first goal of the match five minutes
in, while a long range shot from John
Grant Jr opened Canada's account.
America ended the first quarter two goals
ahead with Steve Dusseau scoring the first
of his three goals.
Canadian veteran Paul Gait's one-handed
assist provided D'arcy Sweet with a straightforward
goal.
Gait scored his first goal for the night
five minutes later, tying the score at four all.
Thanks to Shanahan's dominance of the
face-offs, the US scored the next three goals.
With a minute and a half until half-time
Paul Gait bagged his second goal, cutting
the American lead to two. Canada received
12 penalties in the third quarter playing most
of the period a man down.
America profited from a four man advantage,
scoring six goals to nothing.
Canada's Chris Langdale's illegal stick
check earned him the dubious honour of the
first man to be expelled from the match.
America started the fourth quarter with a
one man advantage and soon capitalised
with a goal to Ryan Mollet.
With the numbers on the field again even,
Canada improved their play and Gait scored
their first goal since the 14-minute mark of
the second quarter.
Two more goals in two minutes gave the
Canadian supporters something to cheer
about but by then it was too late.
The rainstorm that swept across the field
ten minutes from full-time did nothing to
cool the players' tempers.
A brawl between Dusseau and Canada's
Cam Woods resulted in both players being
expelled from the game.
American coach Jack Emmer said he was
very pleased with the way Team USA took
advantage of the number of penalties
Canada received.
"We let our sticks do the talking and put
the ball in the back of the net," he said.
"If they see something they think is
inflamatory they have the right to ask the
question, which they did."
Germans continue impressive run
By Todd Cardy
GERMANY continued its winning form
after dominating their match against
Sweden yesterday afternoon, earning a
comfortable 14-10 victory en route to its
Scotland showdown.
Dominating the opening quarter,
Germany scored successive goals with the
aid of Christopher Frank and Jurgen Eckel
allowing the team to profit from a five-one
edge over the Swedes which continued
throughout the game.
Sweden appeared shell-shocked by the
German's consistent pressure and defensive
play while continuously attacking the front
line giving Swedish goalie Rolle Johnson
chances for miraculous saves.
A minor fightback was launched by
Swedish attacker Magnus Franzen when he
scored the first goal following quarter time
allowing the team to string together a couple
of goals to get them within a hair's
breadth of the lead.
The frustration began to show in the
Swedish team after they were called for a
number of fouls allowing numerous man-up
situations for Germany to take advantage of.
The fierce first-half play continued into
the second half with Swedish fouling continuing
to frustrate the coach.
Germany took advantage of play when
three Swedish players were left on the sidelines
for unsportsmanlike play.
The last quarter was merely a run of play
as the Germans outclassed the Swedes into
what was a comfortable win.
The German goalie Beret Dickson made a
play of his own by running the field and
assisting teammate Christopher Frank to score.
A last ditch effort by the Swedish attackers
evened the scores to a more respectable
total but the game was clearly won by the
European national champions.
Japan soars in Red Division nail-biter
By Sarah Roberts
JAPAN reigns supreme in Red Division following
their 10-8 victory over Scotland in a
closely-contested stadium match yesterday.
It was a battle of the Division's heavyweights,
with both sides remaining unbeaten
in their previous matches.
Scores were tied 2-2 and 4-4 in the first
two quarters.
After a fast-paced first period, Scottish
defender Bill Armstrong made use of the
break to work on some much-needed thigh
stretches with some assistance from trainers.
Japan nudged in front during the second
half and narrowly held their lead in an
exciting final quarter.
Mitsuhito Okobe and Shinya Maruyama
provided Japan's backbone with four goals
each, while Scottish goalkeeper Ethan
Harris' excellent defence blocked several
threatening attacks.
Scotland's midfielder Gerry Donaghy
kept the team's hopes alive, netting half of
Scotland's goals.
Japanese coach Makoto Sato said the stadium
surface suited Japan's weapon of speed.
He said their World Championship performance
would help them achieve their
goal of joining Blue Division.
Scottish coach Phil Collier said the
"Bravehearts" gave away too many penalties.
"I think the guys got very frustrated with
what they thought were unfair calls," he said.
"I'm not saying we were complete angels
out there, but there were one or two calls
that caused some frustration."
He said the match against Japan was their
toughest, even before it began.
"Most people would have expected Japan
to win today based on their previous form,"
he said. "It was a challenge for us which I
think we rose to."
Scotland will be looking for a win in
today's match against Germany to secure
Red Division's second place.
Mr Sato said his players would rest, work
with trainers and focus on their mental
game before today's match against Wales.
Czechs chalk up first win
By Jessica Vanderende
BOTH the Czech Republic and Wales were
desperate to record their first Championship
win yesterday, however it was the Czech
Republic who prevailed 16-5 in an errorriddled
match.
The Czech attackers set the pace in the
first quarter with six unanswered goals, as a
result of slow and disjointed Welsh defence.
Wales seemed tired during the first quarter.
In contrast, the Czech Republic's first
quarter passes were crisp and their shots at
goal flew into the back of the net. Jiri
Mikulka scored two goals including an
unbelievable long-range shot.
Wales gave hope to their vocal supporters
when they staged a temporary second quarter
fightback with four unanswered goals,
including an exciting shot by Jim Ayrton
thanks to the fantastic stickwork of Steve
McDermott. Czech players regained their
composure with two goals in a second quarter
that included some heavy knocks and
remonstrating away from the play.
The second half was controversial with
some dubious umpiring decisions that frustrated
several Welsh players.
The Czech Republic was awarded possession
after a simultaneous foul from opposing
players causing many players to complain
over the numerous penalties.
This came to a head when Gareth Morgan
was penalised three times within two minutes
of play for a slash, a push and
unsportsmanlike behaviour.
The Czechs rifled seven goals through the
Welsh defence resulting in Morgan throwing
his stick to the ground.
The tension continued in the final quarter
when a referee reversed his decision from
play off to play on.
A Czech Republic goal was then disallowed
after a timeout when Welsh players
believed there were too many Wales players
on the field.
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