Mike Powell dished out two assists against Canada. He holds the U.S. career record with 40 helpers in ILF competition.
Canada Defeats U.S. for ILF Championship
7/23/2006 7:23:03 AM | Men's Lacrosse
by Brian Logue - U.S. Lacrosse
| LONDON, Ontario – Geoff Snider won 20 of 28 faceoffs and Jeff Zwicki had five goals and an assist to lead Canada to a 15-10 victory versus the United States to claim the 2006 International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) World Championship on Saturday, July 22 at TD Waterhouse Stadium on the University of Western Ontario campus. The loss ended Team USA’s 28-year, 38-game ILF winning streak and it marked Team USA's second-ever loss in international competition – the other being the 1978 ILF tournament final. Syracuse University lacrosse legend Gary Gait added four goals in what was likely his final playing appearance, all in a decisive fourth quarter that saw Snider win its first eight faceoffs to help the Canadians turn a 9-8 lead into a commanding 15-9 advantage. The Canadians pulled away in part because of a stiffening defense anchored by Brodie Merrill, who won the tournament’s Best Defenseman Award. The 10 goals represented the fewest Team USA has ever scored in ILF play. Ahead 9-8 at the start of the fourth, Zwicki corralled a loose ball in front of U.S. goalie Trevor Tierney and started the championship-clinching run with his final tally of the game. Scott Urick (team-high three goals) then took a feed from Joe Walters and punched home an extra-man goal at 16:45 to pull the U.S. back within one, but that would be the closest the Americans would get. Gait picked up another loose ball and stepped inside Nicky Polanco to beat Tierney at 12:45. Three minutes later, Gait scored on a pass from Ryan Ward, and the U.S. began to double the ball which led to more scoring opportunities for Canada. “When you give a team with that much firepower that many possessions after every goal, that’s a tough way to play,” said U.S. coach John Desko. “They're a very dangerous team unsettled, and we had to pressure them or they were going to run the clock out. They took advantage of those opportunities.” Early on, former SU All-American Mike Powell played a role in the U.S. jumping to a 2-0 lead with an assist and a goal. He assisted a Jay Jalbert (Best Midfielder Award winner) rocket shot with 10:09 to play in the first half to put the Americans ahead, 5-3. But Zwicki responded during the half’s final five minutes, scoring twice – once on a rebound off a Tierney save – as Canada changed the momentum of the game for good with a 3-0 run before halftime. The game was tied at 6 and 7 in the third quarter. Gavin Prout scored on a pass from Colin Doyle with 8:20 remaining in the period to put Canada ahead for good at 8-7. Chris Sanderson, the tournament’s Best Goalie Award winner, made 14 saves and helped keep a U.S. team that had been averaging just under 19 goals per game at bay. BOX SCORE Score by Periods 1+2+3+4=F (7-1) Canada 2+4+3+6=15 (6-1) United States 3+2+3+2=10 GOALS CAN: Jeff Zwicki 5, Gary Gait 4, Colin Doyle 2, John Grant Jr. 2, Jordan Hall, Gavin Prout. USA: Scott Urick 3, Ryan Powell 2, Jay Jalbert 2, Michael Powell, A.J. Haugen, Casey Powell ASSISTS CAN: John Grant Jr. 2, Jeff Zwicki, Gavin Prout, Steve Toll, Colin Doyle, Ryan Ward USA: Michael Powell 2, Ryan Powell 2, Casey Powell, Joe Walters GOALIES CAN: Chris Sanderson 58 min., 10 GA, 14 svs.; Kyle Miller 2 min. 0 GA, 0 svs. USA: Trevor Tierney 60 min., 12 GA, 8 svs.; Chris Garrity 20 min., 3 GA, 1 sv. FACEOFFS CAN: Geoff Snider 20-28 USA: Kyle Harrison 2-9, Doug Shanahan 6-19 |
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