Israel snagged fifth at the 2024 World Lacrosse Men’s Box Championship in Utica, New York, reasserting itself as one of the planet’s most formidable nations in the sport.
From September 20-29, the Blue-and-White joined 27 others national teams in Utica to settle some scores. Israel conjured up a 6-1 record and +51 goal difference across its seven contests, good enough to propel the team to its third-straight quarterfinals appearance and top-five finish in this event. This was Israel’s third World Lacrosse Men’s Box Championship appearance – it has never done worse than fifth place. The team reached fourth in its debut in 2015, then achieved fifth in 2019.
Israel dominated its Pool B groupmates, made it out alive of one of the tournament’s best games, and emerged victorious from its consolation bracket for the second time in a row. The results in Utica have Assistant Director of Men’s National Teams Zach Eagen eager for the future.
“The games speak for themselves,” Eagen said. “The box program is excited for what the future holds.”
Israel’s 2024 World Lacrosse Men’s Box Championship Recap
Pool Play
Mexico, Belgium, and Hong Kong rounded out Israel’s group in Utica. The Mexicans managed to score on the Israelis within the opening minute of their contest, which kicked off the tournament for both nations. But that lead disappeared in less than two minutes and never returned – the halftime score favored the Blue-and-White, 19-4, and stretched to 29-7 come the final whistle. Parker Pipher led all scorers with nine goals, and Jean-Luc Chetner chipped in six assists to aid the effort.
Israel manufactured a 22-goal gap between it and Belgium in its second outing of the event. The game was never in doubt, especially following Israel’s 11-0 second quarter. Pipher stuffed the stat sheet with five goals and two assists, while Chetner was the team’s premier orchestrator with nine dimes. The Blue-and-White prevailed, 25-3.
Hong Kong gave Israel its toughest test of Pool B – for five minutes in the middle of the second quarter, this game was knotted at 4-4. But from there, the Blue-and-White took control, scoring 10 of the game’s next 11 goals to put the result to rest by the middle of the third quarter. Pipher hit the net four times, and Zach Pall and Nate Solomon added three scores each in the 17-8 triumph.
Playoffs
Done with pool play, Finland was Israel’s first challenger of the tournament’s playoff portion. The Blue-and-White gained a margin of 10-6 by the midway point, but the Finns battled back. Finland went on a 7-1 run fueled by its powerplay in the second half that tied the game at 14-14 with under eight minutes to go. Goals from Brenden Lundy and Pipher broke the stalemate, and another via Chetner became the game winner. In a heated, all-or-nothing battle, Israel scraped by, 17-16.
The Haudenosaunee were too much for Israel to handle in the quarterfinals. The eventual bronze medal winners blitzed to a quick 4-0 lead to open the first quarter and never looked back. The Haudenosaunee advanced to the semifinals, 24-6, and Israel diverted to the fifth-place consolation bracket. Pipher and Solomon posted two goals respectively in the defeat.
Ireland, Czechia, and Japan joined Israel in the four-team bracket for fifth place. In their sixth game of the tournament, the Blue-and-White put their foot down from the beginning, subjecting the Irish to a 9-3 deficit halfway through. Ireland strung together a couple mini-runs, but nothing to seriously question the outcome. Israel succeeded, 15-8, and earned the right to fight for fifth.
By outlasting Japan, 10-8, Czechia earned that same right. A tight first quarter saw Israel and Czechia trade blows back and forth. But a Pall goal with 5:27 to play in the opening period that tied the game at 4-4 sparked something within the Blue-and-White. Israel claimed another five goals before the Czech responded. By the time Czechia pieced together a three-goal run in the fourth, it was too little, too late. Israel finalized back-to-back fifth-place accomplishments, 18-10, as Pall contributed a game-high four goals, plus two assists. Chetner’s nine points (three goals, six assists) led all players in that category.
Leaders
With 29 goals, Pipher led Israel in net disruptions and finished eighth in the tournament’s scoring chart. Chetner was the team’s most generous player, amassing 31 assists across the seven games, the second-most of any athlete in the event. Chetner’s 46 points had him in the tournament’s top-10 in that category, too. Pipher (38) and Pall (35) reached the top-20 of the points leaderboard.
Jackson Hainer accepted the majority of the net-minding responsibility. He stood tall, saving 76 percent of the shots that came his way for 201 total saves. Andrew Copeland also featured in net in all seven clashes and made 11 saves.