Division I Update: Yesterday at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships (July 12, 2014)

Scores

Blue Division
Iroquois 24, Japan 9
Australia 7, United States 16
Canada 23, England 3

Green Division
Norway 12, Netherlands 11 (OT)
China 5, Italy 18

Grey Division
Turkey 7, Poland 9
Costa Rica 1, Czech Republic 18

Orange Division
Korea 5, Sweden 21
Israel 17, Slovakia 2

Plum Division
Argentina 2, Wales 11
Russia 5, New Zealand 16

Red Division
Austria 2, Germany 20
Belgium 9, Hong Kong 11

Turquoise Division
Colombia 2, Spain 14
Finland 18, Mexico 3

White Division
Switzerland 6, Scotland 20
Thailand 11, Latvia 14

Yellow Division
Uganda 5, Bermuda 14
France 5, Ireland 22

Selected Division I Impact

Sweden
Dickson Smith (Virginia) and Eric Smith (Michigan) each earned a start against Korea. The defensemen combined for a shot, six groundballs, and two caused turnovers. Korea took only 19 shots against the Swedes, which means that Smith & Smith Defensive Consulting Services, Ltd. is officially the most potent national defense system that Sweden has ever seen.

Russia
Nick Koshansky (Notre Dame) and Jordan Friedman (Colgate) played the role of evil Russians: Combining for three minutes in penalty time on two infractions, the two defensive substitutes unsportsmanlike conducted -- that's a phrase? -- their way into the hearts of Moscow's puppeteering ruling class. They will receive their honors in Red Square where Russian citizens will sing evil songs that sound like the theme from Tetris.

Iroquois
Randy Staats (Syracuse), Warren Hill (Syracuse), Zach Miller (Denver), and Lyle Thompson (Albany) all started for the Iroquois and their efforts made Japan poop their pants. The Iroquois' 24-9 shellacking of Japan featured the team's offensive weapons unloading a level of fury that the Japanese have likely never seen. Staats had a monster game, going two-and-six for the Haudenosaunee, burying his two goals on only three shots while also committing three turnovers. With the volume of college field players that are contributing to the Iroquois' success, Marc Van Arsdale (Virginia) may not need to be too worried about the Iroquois falling back on box habits:

Marc Van Arsdale, the Iroquois’ offensive coordinator, said it appears the team is getting its field legs back and adjusting from the box lacrosse mentality. Most of the players have been playing box lacrosse for the better part of this year.

"I think that’s a majority of it," said Van Arsdale, the associate head coach at the University of Virginia. "I don’t want to blame it all remnants of the box and a 30-second clock and a small area that you’re playing. They sort of have a clock in their head I think, that if we don’t have a shot in that time that something’s going on, when it’s ok to possess the ball a bit longer."

Finland
Anssi Kaisalmi (Mercer), Hayden Johnstone (Stony Brook), and Eric Cooley (Rutgers) all earned a starting nod for the Fins while Nick Ranta (Furman) ran through the box for the whatever-Finland-is-nicknamed-in-soccerball. Kaisalmi and Ranta were productive against Mexico, combining for three goals and an assist on seven shots, committing four turnovers as a duo. Kaisalmi also won seven of eight face-offs. Johnstone went the full 80 minutes for Finland in the cage, making four stops and yielding only three goals against a soft 12 shots. Among the most Division I-prevalent teams in the tournament, the Fins are 2-0 in pool play against some pretty weak competition. The volition of Finland as the tournament unfolds could depend on the team's bracket draw.

Latvia
Eli and Riley Lasda (Albany) each earned starts for Latvia and promptly decided to unleash lightning: Combining for 21 shots, the Lasda Brothers managed to put three in the net. Shooting 14 percent isn't good in lacrosse, bombing civilians, or fidelity to your significant other. Eli took the bulk of the Lasda's shots (14), but he didn't touch the 18 that Christopher Zarins -- The Butcher -- took for Latvia.

Italy
Thomas Flibotte (Bucknell) continues to star for the Italians, pumping in four goals against China on seven shots. Flibotte is *thisclose* to showing up in Lewisburg this fall in head-to-toe leather and correcting how people pronounce "mozzarella" like a real piece of work.

England
Matt Sexton (Penn State) came off the bench and recorded a shot for England. Max Bonsall (Siena), who didn't play against the Iroquois, earned a start at close defense for the Three Lions against Canada. He had two groundballs. England once claimed ownership of a quarter of the world, but are 0-2 with a -31 goal differential. This is what happens when you allow your cuisine to consist of only "boiled everything."

Canada
Brennan Donville (Cornell) earned about 30 minutes of time in the cage against the English, making one stop and allowing two goals. Jesse King (Ohio State) and Wes Berg (Denver) combined for two goals and an assist on two shots. Neither earned the start against the English, but their deep knowledge of moose pelts are likely to come in handy against the Iroquois tonight.

Today's Heat (ET)

10:00 A.M.: Wales v. New Zealand (ESPN3)
10:30 A.M.: Czech Republic v. Poland
11:30 A.M.: Scotland v. Latvia
11:30 A.M.: Thailand v. Switzerland
12:00 P.M.: Russia v. Argentina
12:00 P.M.: Colombia v. Mexico
1:00 P.M.: Belgium v. Austria
1:00 P.M.: Germany v. Hong Kong (ESPN3)
1:30 P.M.: Israel v. Korea
1:30 P.M.: Finland v. Spain
4:00 P.M.: Uganda v. France (ESPN3)
4:00 P.M.: Sweden v. Slovakia
4:30 P.M.: Netherlands v. Italy
6:00 P.M.: China v. Norway
6:00 P.M.: Turkey v. Costa Rica
7:00 P.M.: United States v. Japan (ESPNU/ESPN3)
7:30 P.M.: Ireland v. Bermuda
10:00 P.M.: Iroquois v. Canada (ESPNU/ESPN3)
10:30 P.M.: England v. Australia