1. The MLL Championship Game is set.

The Dallas Rattlers and Denver Outlaws won their respective semifinals on Saturday, setting up a much-anticipated matchup this weekend in Charleston, S.C.

For the Rattlers, the 15-12 win over the New York Lizards helped them move to the MLL title game in the first season in Dallas. Six different scorers combined to help the Rattlers take a 6-1 lead after the first quarter. Despite two goals from Rob Pannell and Jake Bernhardt in the second quarter, the Lizards trailed 9-5 heading into halftime.

The teams went back-and-forth through the third quarter, leading to a 15-9 Rattlers lead with 8:56 left. Bernhardt, Will Manny and Kevin Unterstein mounted a Lizards rally, but it ultimately came up short. Ready Staats and Jordan Wolf led the way for the Rattlers with two goals and two assists.

.@RattlersLax beat @LizardsLacrosse 15-12 in semifinal to advance to the @MLL_Lacrosse championhsip game (August 18, ESPNEWS) in franchise first season in Dallas. Full game, postgame interviews, & highlights at https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw & the LSN app pic.twitter.com/ggkoJwFlSi

— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) August 12, 2018

As for the Outlaws, they’re back to the title game for the third consecutive season, and they advanced in a thriller with the Chesapeake Bayhawks. After Matt Kavanagh scored the go-ahead goal to give Denver a 13-12 lead with 3:53 left, the Outlaws held on in the final seconds to clinch the upset win.

Zach Currier had two goals in a back-and-forth first half that ended with a 6-5 Denver lead. He added two out of the break to push the lead to three goals, but Lyle Thompson’s two-goal third quarter kept the Bayhawks in it. Both teams had runs in the fourth quarter that gave them the lead (11-10 Chesapeake, 12-11 Denver), but Kavanagh’s goal came minutes after Colin Heacock tied the game up. Can the Outlaws make it two titles in three years?

.@TheBayhawks can't tie the game in the final seconds and the @DenverOutlaws win 13-12 to advance to the @MLL_Lacrosse Championship Game (August 18 on ESPNEWS) for the third consecutive season. Full game, postgame interviews & highlights on https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw & the LSN app pic.twitter.com/ZrGB4aWyqV

— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) August 12, 2018

2. NCAA Men's Lacrosse is getting a shot clock. And the dive is back (partially). Those among others rules passed last week.

The NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Committee met in Indianapolis last week to consider rules changes effective for the 2019 season. The result? The committee announced Friday that it will recommend a 60-second shot clock that will start when teams cross midfield. In addition, teams will have 20 seconds to clear the ball.

Also, the dive is back — or at least a version of it. The committee voted to reinstate the dive, so long as the dive is going away from goal. In other recommendations, the committee identified sportsmanship as a point of emphasis, reduced the substitution box from 20 yards to 10 yards and called for the release of a shot at the end of the shot clock and game clock a reviewable play during the NCAA Division I championship.

As expected, the lacrosse community shared its thoughts on the rules changes. Here's a sampling:

A lot of people assume we will see so much more zone with the shot clock. 6 dudes playing big boy man to man is a lot harder to get a shot off compared to zone. If you have DMids like @YaleLacrosse in ‘18 or @LoyolaWLax in ‘12...dare them to score late in clock. SSDM=.

— Paul Carcaterra (@paulcarcaterra) August 11, 2018

#NCAA you couldn't bring in the crease dive and shot clock into play just a year or two sooner?

— Joel Tinney (@5tinman21) August 10, 2018

Shot clock yeah yeah yeah...but when the shot clocks about to run out...the DIVE!!! NCAA Lacrosse going ALL or NOTHING.

— Rob Pannell (@RobPannell3) August 10, 2018

Very excited for this generation of lacrosse players and fans. The players couldn’t be more excited for shot clock and dive. I’m jealous...

— Peet Poillon (@PeetPoillon) August 11, 2018

Shot clock & dive coming to college lacrosse is huge for the continued growth of the sport. We need the most exciting version of our game showcased on our most watched platform - NCAA Div 1. Also promotes more scoring = more faceoff + transition opportunities

— Joe Nardella (@JNardss) August 11, 2018

Excited for the shot clock but not crazy about the separate clearing count. Looking forward to some creative/multiple D schemes. Overall, the new environment should select for athletic, versatile & high IQ players on both sides of the ball.

— Brian Kelly (@Brian_Kelly19) August 11, 2018

3. US Lacrosse welcomed the newest members of the U.S. U19 Women’s National Team over the weekend. 

Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller and her staff whittled down a tryout group of 110 players to the 36-member training team, which was announced on Sunday. All of this in preparation for the 2019 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Women’s U19 World Championship, which will be held Aug. 1-10, 2019 in Peterborough, Canada.

The roster includes 12 attackers, 13 midfielders, eight defenders and three goalies and features players from 11 different states.

The first training weekend for the team will be held Oct. 5-8 at the Team USA Fall Classic in conjunction with the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Senior Teams at US Lacrosse.

4. The San Diego Seals held their first NLL Combine on Saturday, bringing players from across North America together for a shot at an NLL roster. Stay tuned for the Philadelphia Wings Combine on Sept. 9.

COMBINE DAY IN SAN DIEGO pic.twitter.com/7mKaTU7rLb

— San Diego Seals (@SanDiegoLax) August 11, 2018

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Former Duke star Maddie Crutchfield reflects on her four years with the Blue Devils, sharing her gratefulness for the program.

• New Hampshire announced that it will break ground on a new soccer and lacrosse field this month, including a synthetic field, goals, perimeter fencing around the field and team benches.

• Syracuse legend and musician Mike Powell will perform in front of his hometown (Carthage) crowd this coming week.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Joel White ……. LONG POLE DIVE.

3 words: JOEL. FREAKING. WHITE. | Watch this full MLL semifinal between @RattlersLax and @LizardsLacrosse FREE at https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw or download the LSN app here: https://t.co/QyCj6BaBwK @jwhite_11 pic.twitter.com/J7VNM4fw8f

— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) August 12, 2018

Virginia coach Lax Tiffany shares his thoughts on the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Committee’s recommendations. 

"The community of lacrosse were adament in their support of this" @UVAMensLax head coach and @NCAALAX rules committee member Lars Tiffany on new rules proposals including the dive. Full conversation on Lacrosse Now after MLL Playoffs at https://t.co/oJkK8CQ2nw & the LSN app pic.twitter.com/tUYfaZ9quj

— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) August 11, 2018

Aaron Greyeyes goes behind-the-back for the Iroquois Nationals in the World Junior Lacrosse Championship.

Aaron Greyeyes led the #Iroquois to a double-digit victory over #USA tonight with plays like this rebound and #BTB putback! @worldjrlax #SCTop10 #lacrosse #growthegame pic.twitter.com/n8tImlZtKS

— Lacrosse All Stars (@LaxAllStars) August 10, 2018

How cool is this? Tyler Steinhardt and his Shootout for Soldiers crew helped ring the opening bell at NASDAQ on Friday.

We were honored and humbled to ring the opening bell at @Nasdaq yesterday!

Here's a little snapshot of our day: pic.twitter.com/zpSJDO46dK

— Shootout for Soldiers (@SFSLacrosse) August 10, 2018

WHAT’S ON TAP

• A conversation with the coaching staff of the FIL World Championship-winning U.S. national team.

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