Photo Credit: Larry Palumbo
The Israel men’s national team “conquered the night” on Saturday, as the blue-and-white dominated 17th-ranked Sweden, 17-2, in a game that did not start until 9:33pm at the 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championships on Friday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Israel (2-0) wraps up group play on Sunday against South Korea (0-2) at 11:30 AM Local / 8:30 PM Israel. The blue-and-white, playing in their first-ever World Championship, can secure a first-place finish in their group, and a berth in the 12-team playoff bracket with a victory.
Ari Sussman scored three goals and six assists, while Noach Miller added four goals. Israel led 8-0 after the first quarter, 12-0 at halftime, and 16-0 after three frames.
The blue-and-white went a perfect 22-for-22 in the faceoff circle, with Cole McCormack (14 wins) and Michael Grosz (8 wins) teaming up to help Israel control possession for most of the game.
Kyle Bergman (two goals, two assists), Matthew Cherry (two goals, two assists), Lee Coppersmith (two goals), Cody Levine (one goal, one assist), Jacob Silberlicht (two assists), Richard Cheifitz (one goal), Daniel Leventhal (one goal), and Eytan Saperstein (one goal) also cracked the scoresheet.
Hank Altschuler (40:00, 2 saves, 0 GA) and Reuven Dressler (40:00, 3 saves, 2 GA) split time in goal; Altschuler was credited the victory.
David Washo and Stanislav Purgat had a goal apiece for Slovakia while Jozef Tomenga and Ivan Cernak each chipped in an assist. Samuel Futrovsky (40:00, 8 saves, 12 GA) and Stanislav Mraz (40:00, 9 saves, 5 GA) split time in goal; Futrovsky was dealt the loss.
Additional caps: Casey Cittadino, Adam Crystal, Matthew Flapan, Harrison Freid, Yochanan Katz, Seth Mahler, Mathew Markman, Jonathan Rathauser, Benjamin Smith.
