WLMC First-Round Recap: 'We Run That Jamaican Heritage Deep'

SAN DIEGO — The Cinderella team of the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship has advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Playing in just its second world championship, 10th-seeded Jamaica continued its undefeated run by upsetting seventh-seeded Italy 7-6 in a first-round playoff game Tuesday at San Diego State University.

Khairi Sears scored three goals and Nate McPeak made his sixth save on a last-second attempt by Italy’s Joe Saggese to send the Jamaicans through to the quarterfinals. They’ll play second-seeded Canada on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, ESPN+).

“It means so much to the island and kids back home who can see Jamaica lacrosse everywhere, to have it within our culture,” said McPeak, a former Syracuse goalie who is the son of a Jamaican immigrant and whose hometown of Chula Vista is just 15 miles south of here. “We’re just one people. We love representing the island, representing our heritage and representing all the kids and families there to show that we can do it.”

McPeak also played for Jamaica in 2018, when the team finished 12th in its world championship debut. He’s one of several U.S.-based players with Jamaican heritage. But the team also includes homegrown talent, including Sami Henry, a Kingston College product who plays at Webber International of the NAIA.

Thirteen players have NCAA experience, led by former Maryland All-American defenseman Goran Murray, who like McPeak has a mother of Jamaican origin. They’re the stalwarts of a defense that has allowed just 24 goals in five games (4.8 goals per game).

“We run that Jamaican heritage deep,” McPeak said.

Jamaica’s wildest dreams coming true

Catch @JamaicaLacrosse in the QUARTERFINALS tomorrow.#WLMC | #SanDiego2023 pic.twitter.com/ht1i6NdAuL

— World Lacrosse (@WorldLacrosse) June 28, 2023

Previously unbeaten, Italy featured several former college stars of its own, some with Premier Lacrosse League experience like attackmen Christian Cuccinello (Villanova) and John Piatelli (Cornell), midfielder Jeff Trainor (UMass) and goalie Matt DeLuca (Delaware).

Jamaica (5-0) led by four goals early in the fourth quarter before Piatelli and Trainor scored less than a minute apart. Former Rutgers standout Christian Trasolini made it a one-goal game with 3:56 left but McPeak and the Jamaican defense closed the door from there.

“I feel great about the win. It’s a great day for the country, kids on the island and everyone watching us,” said Stone Evans, a 17-year-old Air Force commit who played for Jamaica’s U21 team last summer and is the No. 2 scorer on the senior team. “Especially people who didn’t believe in us either. We have more work to be done.”

Led by 17 y/o Stone Evans, a
staunch defense & goaltending, @JamaicaLacrosse is headed to their first ever Quarterfinal at the World Games @WorldLacrosse pic.twitter.com/pUuE4Exwm3

— Paul Rabil (@PaulRabil) June 28, 2023

FIRST-ROUND THRILLERS

Italy-Jamaica wasn’t the only first-round game to come down to the wire.

Eighth-seeded Israel held off ninth-seeded Ireland 6-5, thwarting a late rally on a save by former Maryland goalie Drew Morris with 17 seconds left. Israel will play the U.S. in the late quarterfinal Wednesday.

Twelfth-seeded Puerto Rico had fifth-seeded England on the ropes at the end of regulation, but goalie William Baxter made a save on Russell Melendez with three seconds left and Christian Scarpello dunked a leaping, no-angle shot from behind the net in overtime to keep England alive with a 7-6 victory.

.@englacrosse is heading to the quarterfinals #WLMC | #SanDiego2023 pic.twitter.com/mjtgnbPv0a

— World Lacrosse (@WorldLacrosse) June 27, 2023

Six teams finished unbeaten in pool play. All but the top-seeded U.S. were in action Tuesday with a chance to advance to quarterfinals. Third-seeded Haudenosaunee and sixth-seeded Japan eased past Hong Kong and Germany, respectively.

MOMENTS THAT MATTER

The World Lacrosse Men’s Championship is as much about milestones as it is medals.

A first-round playoff game between the Haudenosaunee and Hong Kong delivered two such moments Tuesday: the first-ever all-female officiating crew for a senior men’s field game and a marriage proposal.

She said yes.

Happening now

The Haudenosaunee vs. Hong Kong, China game tonight has the first-ever all female officiating crew in a men's championship #WLMC | #SanDiego2023 pic.twitter.com/Ddrm3jnU7e

— World Lacrosse (@WorldLacrosse) June 28, 2023

Our kind of proposal https://t.co/UNSkvToNcB

— World Lacrosse (@WorldLacrosse) June 28, 2023

WORLD LACROSSE MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

First-Round Results (Tuesday)

(3) Haudenosaunee def (14) Hong Kong 13-3 

(4) Australia def (13) Netherlands 18-7

(5) England def (12) Puerto Rico 7-6 (OT)

(6) Japan def (11) Germany 9-4 

(10) Jamaica def (7) Italy 7-6

(8) Israel def (9) Ireland 6-5

Quarterfinal Schedule (Wednesday)

(5) England vs. (4) Australia – 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT (ESPN+)

(6) Japan vs. (3) Haudenosaunee – 4 p.m./1 p.m. PT (ESPN+)

(10) Jamaica vs. (2) Canada – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT (ESPN+)

(8) Israel vs. (1) USA – 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT (ESPNU/ESPN+)