Experience reigns in lacrosse. The United States chose to bring in more experience for the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships, selecting 19 players currently playing for the National Lacrosse League.
The United States has won bronze in five-straight box championships. Head coach Regy Thorpe and his staff planned to create an experienced roster to snap the third-place streak with a mature roster.
That theory was tested on day one of pool play, when the United States took on the Haudenosaunee. It paid off with the help of the team’s youngest player.
After exchanging the lead three times in the first quarter, the United States pulled away with a 16-9 win over Haudenosaunee. For the first time in seven tries, the U.S. found a way to defeat one of its biggest rivals.
It was the United States’ youngest player, current Syracuse junior Joey Spallina, who had a game-leading four goals in the pool play victory. He was one of eight players for the U.S. who found the back of the net and one of four who scored at least two goals.
“It’s just nice to see the results,” Thorpe said. “And at the end of the day, it’s a big step for USA Lacrosse.”
Spallina is the youngest player on the United States’ roster, and one is two players still in college. He played in the Minto Cup, scoring 28 points for the United States, and was the only player in the NCAA with at least 100 points last season.
The forward only scored one goal in the first half. After a few more chances, Spallina tacked on two more during the United States’ four-goal run that pushed the Haudenosaunee into a five-goal deficit in the third quarter. He capped it off with the final goal of the night in the fourth quarter.
“Being the youngest guy on the team, I’m not always going to be on the ball,” Spallina said. “So it’s working off the ball and just kind of getting in a spot where I’m able to catch the ball and shoot it, which I think is a strength of mine.”
This matchup against the Haudenosaunee had 38 players with NLL experience under its belt — 19 for the United States and 19 for the Haudenosaunee. Nearly 10 of them have won an NLL championship in the last two years.
Spallina was surrounded by players he’d watched for most of his life. Though he joked being surrounded by his idols would leave him starstruck, Spallina said he felt comfortable on the field the entire time.
“It’s great to play with some of these guys,” Spallina said. “Some guys are absolutely great players, and now I get to play with and against them.”
The 21-year-old’s dream of wearing the USA logo across his chest is his reality. Playing alongside professional players makes it sweeter, but he knows it’s only the first game. He’s made his first impression in Utica, and now Thorpe wants Spallina and the rest of the United States to keep the momentum going.
“We’ve got great leadership, and our guys really understand what’s at stake,” Thorpe said. “We’re going to enjoy it here for a little bit, but it’s back to work tomorrow.”
