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U.S. Silences Japan in Pool Play Finale

by Matt DaSilva | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff | Game Blog

MANCHESTER, England -- Co-captain Kevin Cassese and midfielder/attackman Mike Leveille scored three goals apiece to lead the U.S. men’s national team to a 19-5 victory over Japan in its pool play finale at the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships in Manchester.

Team USA will receive a bye to the medal round, where it could meet Japan again in Thursday’s semifinal. Japan plays the Netherlands on Wednesday in a crossover quarterfinal.

Leveille added two assists to pace all scorers with Tuesday with five points. Midfielder Kyle Dixon and attackman Drew Westervelt added two goals apiece. Goalkeeper Adam Fullerton made nine saves in three quarters in relief of Brian Dougherty.

Japan got on the board first, as Mikisuke Sekine slipped inside the Team USA defense and sent an off-speed shot past Dougherty less than two minutes into the game.

But the U.S. responded with 13 unanswered goals and held the Japanese scoreless for over 53 minutes.

Team USA finished 4-1 in the Blue Division.

FIL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS -- BLUE DIVISION PRELIMINARIES

Team USA 19, Japan 5

USA…8-5-3-5…19
JAP…1-0-2-2…5

Goals: USA - Cassese 3, Leveille 3, Dixon 2, Westervelt 2, Crotty, Mundorf, Peyser, Powell, Rabil, Seibald, Smith, Striebel, Zash; JAP – Sekine 2, Ikegawa, Tsugu, Tsukada

Assists: USA – Leveille 2, Mundorf 2, Powell, Seibald, Striebel

Saves: USA – Fullerton 9, Dougherty 3; JAP – Sasaki 5, Shinohara 3, Kousuke 1.

Faceoffs: USA – 14-of-27 (Smith 9-of-19, Peyser 4-of-6; Cassese 0-of-1); JAP – 13-of-27.