Lacrosse Players Take Second Place
in Global Competition
Seton LaSalle and USC students
faced off against the world in the
Netherlands Lacrosse Cup.
BY PAUL GLASSER
A
were really disappointed,” Emily notes. “We knew we did our
best.”
Kaitlyn Binotto, a senior at Seton LaSalle, was the goalie
for the U.S. team and had also participated in the 2016 cup.
The additional experience meant that the team was more
coordinated this year.
“The first time I went we had never played with each other
before,” she explains. “We learned we had to work more
efficiently and execute better. We really meshed
together well.”
In addition, players who were competing overseas
for the first time had to adjust to a new style of play.
The tournament was held on a smaller indoor court,
as opposed to outdoors, so games were much faster-
paced. The ball was also much lighter. “Our lacrosse
ball is very hard and bouncy,” Olivia notes. “Their
lacrosse ball was pink and very soft, so I had to shoot
and pass a lot harder than usual due to the ball being
so light.”
Although the atmosphere was competitive, the
Showing off the silver.
American players all say the European players were
lthough they came in second place, several local
lacrosse players say participating in a tournament in the
Netherlands earlier this year was a great experience.
Several high school students from Upper St. Clair and Seton
LaSalle high schools were part of the U.S. team that competed
in the 2017 Netherlands Lacrosse Cup in January. The U.S. team
faced opponents from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands,
but lost to the Swedish national team in the final round. Olivia
Gerlach, a sophomore at USC, played midfield for
the U.S. team and says the Swedish players were
older and very talented.
“They had skills I had never witnessed before,”
Olivia explains. “It was a challenge but I strive for
challenges.”
Although they didn’t win first place, she is proud
of how the team performed. Emily Megonnell, a
junior at USC, was an attacker for the U.S. team
and says that all the players wanted to win. Her
sister, Hannah Thompson, also participated in
the tournament. “We worked hard and none of us
12 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Canon-Mac