Yesterday, Team England paid a visit to the University of Massachusetts for a friendly fall ball meeting, one of many stops on their US tour. Boston proved to be unwelcoming for the British, as they fell to UMass 14-6. At this point, it is unclear is the UMass men’s lacrosse team is just that good, or if the lacrosse team that represents England needs a little more work, but either way, the Minutemen should be pleased with the outcome of this game.
The Minutemen scored three quick goals to go up on England 3-0, and the pressure UMass was putting on England proved to be too much to handle. At halftime, UMass was up on Team England 7-2, and they never stopped grinding. Ultimately, for England coach Matt Bagley, who was impressed with the play that the Minutemen presented, this game was less about winning, and more about securing a roster for the upcoming 2014 World Championships in Denver.
This was a great experience for the Minutemen as well, who were given the opportunity to experience that style of play from another country. In addition, UMass has a young squad that should appreciate the experience that was given to them yesterday. Some of these players may go on to represent the United States one day in national play, and this match gave them a taste of what may be in their futures.
