Brodie Merrill (right) of the Edmonton Rush helped lead Team Canada to a 10-9 victory over Paul Rabil (Washington Stealth) and Team USA on Saturday.
CANADA DEFEATS TEAM USA , 10-9
First meeting since 2006 championship game
07/17/2010
CANADA DEFEATS TEAM USA, 10-9First meeting since 2006 championship game
By Dan Ventresca for NLL.com
On day two of the FIL World Lacrosse Championships in Manchester, England, Team Canada held off Team USA 10-9 in Blue Division action.
Canada's John Grant (Rochester Knighthawks) and Rhys Duch (Washington Stealth) each scored three goals in the winning effort. Grant tallied two late in the fourth quarter.
Canada's Corey Small (Edmonton Rush) opened the scoring four minutes in with a shot right in front of the US cage. USA quickly tied it and Paul Rabil (Stealth) put the US up 2-1 with five minutes left in the first quarter. Duch scored with less than a minute left in the opening frame, but USA long-poll Kyle Sweeney (Philadelphia Wings) scored off the ensuing faceoff, giving the US a 3-2 lead after one quarter.
Goals from Billy Dee Smith (Buffalo Bandits), Grant and Duch put the Canadians ahead 5-3. Duch's strike came one possession after the referees missed an apparent USA goal from Mike Lavelle. Canada held the two-goal advantage at the half.
USA's Max Seibald (Philadelphia Wings) scored on a bounce shot midway through the third quarter and Duch picked up his third goal of the game just minutes later. But, two more American goals tied the score at six going into the final frame.
The Canadians scores two quick goals before Drew Westervelt (Wings) brought USA back within one at 8-7. Grant notched two goals in the final nine minutes, including a one-handed goal from just outside the goal crease, and Canada held on for the 10-9 win.
On Sunday the USA will face Germany at 9:30 ET, while Canada will play Australia at 2:30.
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