Division I Update: Yesterday at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships (July 16, 2014)

Scores

Bracket
Turkey 3, Italy 11
Switzerland 6, Ireland 13
Belgium 8, Russia 4
Sweden 8, Finland 4
Latvia 19, Hong Kong 9
New Zealand 8, Japan 17
Thailand 7, Austria 10
Germany 3, England 15
Scotland 8, Iroquois 10
Israel 8, Australia 9

Selected Division I Impact

Italy
Thomas Flibotte (Bucknell) had a goal on eight shots for an Italian team that was never seriously contested against Turkey. Flibotte won the only faceoff he took. For the tournament, Flibotte is shooting 28.57 percent with 14 goals -- only three were assisted -- and two assists. I am unsure whether this qualifies him to run for Italian parliament and pass laws. The Italians can finish anywhere from 17th to 20th, but no lower or higher. The Italians will play Poland today, the red and white getting a day off yesterday.

Russia
Peter Milliman's (Cornell) Russia team picked a bad time to have the rust show on their Soviet tanks. Russia, already relegated deep to the bottom of the championship bracket, never led Belgium and were unable to turn a two-goal deficit midway through the fourth quarter into a manageable situation. Jordan Friedman (Colgate) had two goals on seven shots for the Ruskies, corralling 10 groundballs in his starting capacity on defense. Jacob Richards (Vermont) finished the day with a bunch of zeros to the right of his name and Nick Koshansky (Notre Dame) does not appear in the box score, likely the result of having his identity erased by the KGB. Russia will have a rematch with Spain -- the teams met on Tuesday at the start of bracket play with Mother Bear earning an 11-6 win -- today. Russia can now finish anywhere between 29th and 32nd in the tournament, but no lower or higher.

Sweden
Dickson Smith (Virginia) and Eric Smith (Michigan) are now rightful heirs to the entire Scandinavian Peninsula as their Swedish team will finish higher than Finland and Norway in this year's World Championships. Go and pick yourselves out a nice plot of 100,000 acres, boys. The defensive brothers combined for 10 groundballs against the Fins and caused a total of five turnovers. Their efforts helped stymie a Finland offensive attack that had scored 68 goals in the tournament prior to their meeting of Sweden in the meaty middle of the consolation bracket. The Swedes have a chance to finish anywhere from ninth to 12th in the tournament at this point, but no lower or higher. This could serve as a fine event for a Swedish team that took bronze in the most recent European championship in 2012, holding their position as Scandinavia's best lacrosse concern.

Finland
The Fins' loss to their archrivals for which thousands of lives have been lost in lacrosse arguments (approximated) ensures that Finland will finish between 13th and 16th in the tournament, but no lower or higher. Anssi Kaisalami (Mercer) had a tough day at the dot for Finland, winning only one of six draws. He did, however, pitch in a goal and an assist for the Fins. Nick Ranta (Furman) added an assist while Hayden Johnstone (Stony Brook) went the full 80 minutes in the cage, making nine stops. Eric Cooley (Rutgers) started for Finland on defense and caused two turnovers, also managing to commit three penalties -- one for an illegal body check, another for slashing, and a third for unsportsmanlike conduct -- on the day. The Fins will face a Netherlands team they faced on Tuesday, hopefully recreating the one-goal show the teams put on earlier in the week.

Latvia
The Fightin' Lasdas -- Riley and Eli (Albany) -- expressed their feelings yesterday against Hong Kong. With two seconds remaining in the game, the Lasdas each took three minute penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct. The two infractions were among 23 -- !!!!!! -- penalties in the game, five of which were the unsportsmanlike variety. I'm assuming there were a lot of "NO, YOU ARE!" shouted among the players. In addition to the Lasda's expression in feelingsball, the brothers combined for five goals and two assists on 18 shots with Eli leading the way with a five-point effort. Riley won seven of 13 faceoffs. Latvia will play Wales today with Latvia able to finish the tournament anywhere between 17th and 20th place, but no higher or lower.

England
The English won a lacrosse game! It's true! There were goals and everything! After a winless run in the Blue Division, England put the hammer down on Germany, earning a 12-goal win. Max Bonsall (Siena) started for the English while Matt Sexton (Penn State) ran through the box, taking a shot, corralling three loose balls, and committing a turnover. The Brits have a shot for anywhere between fifth and eighth place in the tournament, but no higher or lower. They'll get a crack at Israel today, a one-goal loser to Australia last night.

Iroquois
Lyle Thompson (Albany) was at the ESPY's last night and missed the Iroquois' too-close-for-comfort win against Scotland. In his absence, Randy Staats (Syracuse) put together a two-and-two effort with four shots and three groundballs. Warren Hill (Syracuse) made 12 stops -- some of them in the category of "Game Changing" -- and allowed only eight goals. Zach Miller (Denver) had a quiet day with four shots, none finding twine. Interestingly, all of the Iroquois' goals were assisted, despite the lack of presence of Thompson. The Iroquois are still in the hunt for the world championship, but must move past Canada tonight in a monster semifinal game. A win assures the Iroquois of no lower than a second place finish; a loss consigns the Iroquois to a third or fourth place finish.

Today's Heat (ET)

10:00 A.M.: Switzerland v. Czech Republic (ESPN3)
10:30 A.M.: Belgium v. Slovakia
11:00 A.M.: Austria v. Norway
11:30 P.M.: Thailand v. France
12:00 P.M.: Russia v. Spain
12:00 P.M.: Uganda v. Argentina
12:30 P.M.: Korea v. China
1:00 P.M.: Turkey v. Mexico (ESPN3)
1:30 P.M.: Finland v. Netherlands
2:00 P.M.: Italy v. Poland
2:30 P.M.: Ireland v. New Zealand
3:00 P.M.: Latvia v. Wales
3:00 P.M.: Hong Kong v. Bermuda
3:30 P.M.: Sweden v. Germany
4:00 P.M.: Costa Rica v. Colombia (ESPN3)
4:30 P.M.: Japan v. Scotland
5:00 P.M.: England v. Israel
6:30 P.M.: Australia v. United States (ESPN3/ESPNU)
9:30 P.M.: Iroquois v. Canada (ESPN3/ESPNU)