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Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:

1. The UWLX championship game is set. The Boston Storm and Philadelphia Force won their respective semifinals on Monday, two exciting games in Lake Placid.

Let’s start with the second game of Monday’s doubleheader. The Boston Storm trailed 7-6 going into the final two minutes against the Baltimore Ride, needing at least a goal to stay alive. Emma Powlin found the equalizer with 41 seconds left, forcing the game into its sixth tie.

As the final seconds ticked down, Riley Donahue found Holly Turner, who scored the game-winning, buzzer-beating goal to send the Storm to the UWLX final with the 8-7 victory. The newly-rostered Donahue finished with a goal and three assists, while Powlin, Turner and Kayla Treanor each had two goals.

The Philadelphia Force dominated the first of Monday’s semifinals, knocking out the Long Island Sound by a score of 15-10. Ten different players scored for the Force, while Halle Majorana had four goals for the Sound.

After a first half that ended with the Force leading 7-4, the teams went back and forth until a Majorana goal cut the deficit to 10-8. Four different scorers combined for a run that gave the Force a 14-8 lead with 10 minutes left — a deficit too big for the Sound to overcome.

2. Self-starts are coming to high school girls lacrosse. The NFHS and US Lacrosse approved the self-start as part of major rule changes for the 2019 season, along with a number of others on Monday. In making self-starts legal at the high school level, the NFHS cited watching the implementation at the college level and the “evolving” pace of play in the women’s game.

Also in the set of rule changes was the “creation of a penalty zone in the critical scoring area, such that all players’ and sticks must be 8 meters away from the goal circle above goal-line extended and the area created by the extension of the 8-meter mark to the dots and across the dots.”

In addition, the rules committee established that the release of the ball from a stick is considered a shot. That means if the ball leaves the stick before time expires, it will count.

3. Rob Pannell has won the Rookie of the Year. He’s earned the Offensive Player of the Year award. The achievement he’s yet to check off his list? A Major League Lacrosse MVP. After dropping five points against the Dallas Rattlers this weekend, Pannell might be in line to do just that.

He sits first in the MLL scoring list with 69 points, playing in 12 games and capturing a gold medal with Team USA in between. Could this be the year Pannell is crowned MVP? Check in with the MLL Notebook.

4. Mike Delloro grew up playing lacrosse in San Antonio, and continues to stay connected with the game as an adult. Delloro has been busy growing the game in Texas and Oklahoma, starting multiple club organizations for local children.

He also founded the Heart of American tournament, which pegs JV-level players against one another to provide an even playing-field for all.

5. US Lacrosse announced Monday the schedule for the 10th annual US Lacrosse Nationals, a tournament that will feature 24 girls teams from across nine states.

Click here to read more about the event in Frederica, Del.

WHAT WE’RE READING

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Saint Bonaventure is working on a new locker room for its men's lacrosse program, and coach Randy Mearns is excited for its potential and the future for his team.

When Monday hits you a little too hard.

WHAT’S ON TAP

  • We’ll have more from the July/August issue of US Lacrosse Magazine.

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