(CBC SPORTS | Prague, Czech Republic) Goaltender Matt Vinc made 23 saves and was named the game’s most valuable player as Canada beat the Iroquois Nationals 13-6 on Saturday to win the world indoor lacrosse championship.
Jordan Hall, Dan Dawson, Shawn Evans, Josh Sanderson and Rhys Duch scored two goals each for Canada, while Brodie Merrill, Colin Doyle and John Grant Jr. added single goals.
Team Captain Colin Doyle helped lead Canada to its third straight World Indoor Lacrosse gold medal.
“It feels good to win the gold. We earned it. We were a great team. There’s no doubt about that. Our roster was stacked with talent. This was a team that came here for a purpose and was focused and driven. It was an unbelievable experience with these guys.”
—Colin Doyle, Team Canada Captain
Canada improved to 17-0 in world championship indoor play, having won the inaugural tournament in 2003 in southern Ontario and again in 2007 in Halifax.
“It feels good to win the gold,” said Doyle, Canada’s captain for the tournament. “We earned it. We were a great team. There’s no doubt about that. Our roster was stacked with talent. This was a team that came here for a purpose and was focused and driven.
“It was an unbelievable experience with these guys.”
Cory Bomberry scored twice for the Iroquois, while Dean Hill, Roger Vyse, Jeff Shattler and Cody Jamieson once each. The Nationals won silver for the third straight time.
The Iroquois’ starting goaltender Mike Thompson had to be replaced by Angus Goodleaf after being injured in the second quarter. Thompson made five saves, followed by Goodleaf’s 19 stops.
Shattler is from Edmonton and Vyse is from Hagersville, Ont. Bomberry, Hill and Jamieson are all from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario. Goodleaf is from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec.
FIL 2011 World Indoor Championship – Gold Medal Game
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Earlier, the United States took the bronze medal with a 16-7 win over the host Czech Republic.
Casey Powell, Drew Westervelt, Sean Morris and Bill McGlone scored three goals each for the Americans. Brian Langtry added two goals and Kevin Buchanan and Brendan Mundorf had one each.
Powell was named the tournament MVP for his performance throughout the event.
Jamie Plunkett of Peterborough, Ont., led the Czechs with three goals before he was ejected for dropping his gloves and punching Jack Reid with seven minutes left to play. Petr Poupe scored twice and Jiri Kostal and Radek Skala once each.
It’s been an eye-opening tournament for Plunkett, who was eligible to play for the home side based on residency requirements after playing professional hockey in the Czech Republic for the past three years.
“It’s a totally different experience for a lacrosse player,” said Plunkett, one of four Canadians on the Czech roster. “The crowd is singing, and if people watch soccer on TV maybe they can relate to that.
“No matter what the score is the crowd doesn’t give up on us. They support us 100 per cent and after the game they have banners thanking us. It’s an amazing experience.”
The other Canadians on the Czech side were starting goaltender Kurtis Wagar of Whitby, Ont., Kyle Ross of New Westminster, B.C., and Chet Koneczny of Owen Sound, Ont. All three play professionally.
All World
All World Team honors are awarded to the the tournament’s most outstanding players by position.
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Best
Outstanding Position Awards are presented to the top four players by position. The Most Valuable Player award is presented to the tournament’s best player.
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Spirit
The Spirit of Lacrosse Award is presented a person from each team (and tournament referees) who is very influential to their team’s success, but not often given credit.
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Team Photos
Tournament Photos
