In an impressive display of skill and teamwork, the United States team crushed Australia 18-1 in the final match of pool play at the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship held in South Korea on Tuesday.
With this victory, the U.S. completed their pool play with an undefeated record of 3-0, securing the top seed for the upcoming playoffs.
They will face the winner of a play-in game between England and Mexico in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. local time (6 a.m. U.S. Eastern).
The match against Australia was marked by a complete team performance, contrasting sharply with Australia’s earlier thrilling overtime win against the Haudenosaunee.
Despite starting the tournament strong, Australia struggled against a flurry of efficient attacks from the U.S. while their defense failed to contain the relentless offensive pressure.
Key players Zach Hayashi and Brady Wambach dominated faceoffs, winning 21 out of 23, significantly controlling possession throughout the game.
When the U.S. defense was called to action, it stood resolute, preventing Australia from scoring for an astounding 42 minutes and generating a staggering 18 turnovers against their opponents.
Defensive players Quintan Kilrain, Robby Hopper, and Kyle Bergen were particularly effective, with Kilrain leading with three caused turnovers, followed closely by Hopper and Bergen with two each.
The goalkeeping duo of Patrick Jameison and Anderson Moore was equally impressive, with the United States finishing the pool stage by allowing only six even-strength goals across their three matches.
The offensive output from the U.S. team surged in the latter half of the second quarter, netting four goals in the last seven minutes.
They extended their overwhelming lead with three consecutive goals, pushing the score to 11-0 midway through the third quarter.
Harry Walsh scored Australia’s only goal with 2:58 left in the third, effectively breaking the shutout but failing to rally the Australian side.
In total, the U.S. outshot Australia 56-12 in a commanding performance that highlighted their offensive depth with eight players contributing to the score.
Brendan Millon, making his international debut, added two goals, while teammates Anthony Raio and Thomas Gravino each scored two as well.
Attackman Jack Speidell shined with an outstanding performance, netting five goals and three assists, while midfielder Colin Kurdyla tallied four goals.
Speidell’s increased involvement has proven advantageous for the U.S., as he has accumulated an impressive 14 points (eight goals and six assists) over the last two matches after an initial one-goal performance against Canada.
With their perfect record in Pool A and a historical 57-2 mark in international junior men’s lacrosse, the U.S. now looks forward to its pursuit of a 10th gold medal in this championship.
This quarterfinal matchup, like all games in the tournament, will be streamed live at tv.worldlacrosse.sport.
The U.S. Men’s National Team is equipped by leading products from Capelli Sport and STX, along with sponsorship and support from organizations including MedStar Health, NCSI, Athletic Republic, and GoLiveSports, alongside generous contributions to the USA Lacrosse Foundation.
USA Lacrosse serves as the governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse in the United States and supports over 425,000 members as a nonprofit recognized by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
image source from：usalacrosse
