Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The two Major League Lacrosse frontrunners put on a show Wednesday night, perhaps a precursor to another encounter in the playoffs.
Max Adler won 22 of 25 faceoffs, Ryan Lee scored five goals and Brian Kormondy capped a late rally with the game-winning goal in overtime as the Denver Outlaws defeated the Chesapeake Bayhawks 13-12 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
Even in the loss, reigning MLL MVP Lyle Thompson made a pair of sizzling plays in the fourth quarter.
Denver (4-0) moved into first place in the standings. Chesapeake (3-1) is in second, followed by Boston (2-1), Connecticut (1-2) and Philadelphia (1-3).
New York (0-4) is on the brink of elimination after falling to the Hammerheads on Wednesday. The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.
2. World Lacrosse issued a statement regarding the Iroquois Nationals’ exclusion from the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Ala., an event operated under International World Games Association eligibility guidelines.
The statement came after a petition emerged to support the inclusion of the Iroquois, who finished in third place in the 2018 world championship. Inside Lacrosse recently recirculated an article from its March edition about the difficulty the sport’s originators would face if lacrosse returns to the Olympics in 2028.
Although the Haudenosaunee Nation is recognized as a sovereign entity by World Lacrosse, it is not regarded as such by the International Olympic Committee or IWGA.
3. The motorcycle grip is a goner. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved Wednesday the men’s lacrosse committee’s recommendation to outlaw the popular double-overhand approach to faceoffs as well as the practice of taking the draw on one knee. Standing neutral grip will be the only accepted technique.
The Faceoff Academy, founded by two-time U.S. team standout Greg Gurenlian, issued a statement identifying five myths about the new rules while also saying it lobbied the NCAA to adopt the Premier Lacrosse League rules instead.
4. The National Lacrosse League announced Wednesday that it is adding a 14th franchise with an expansion team in Fort Worth, Texas. Bill Cameron, who has ownership stakes in the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder and the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, will be the team’s owner.