"Iroquois Nationals win third straight bronze"

Incredibly for a third consecutive time the Iroquois Nationals will be going home with bronze at the U-19 Men's Lacrosse World Championships.

Having earned bronze back in Finland (2012) and Coquitlam (2008), the Iroquois Nationals, who also have a bronze from the 1999 games in Australia, couldn't break that trend as they ended up dropping a tough 14-11 semi-finals game against Canada before soundly defeating Australia by a 20-8 score in earning the bronze.

"We played Ok. We could do a lot better and the guys know it," Iroquois coach Freeman Bucktooth said. "They came here to get the gold and faced two tough teams, Canada and the U.S. But we're looking for the future, and hopefully we get better. So we get together, we come as a solid unit."

The Iroquois Nationals who got solid bronze medal offensive performances from the likes of Mitch Laffin (6 goals, 3 assists) and Austin Staats (3 goals, 3 assists), scored three first period goals from Sekawnee Baker, Laffin, and Skylar Thomas as they held a 3-2 lead before busting things wide open with seven second period goals.

After Australia knotted things up with an early goal the Iroquois offence went to work as they generated a four goal run from Matthew Bennet, Staats, Tyson Bomberry and Laffin with his second in taking a 7-3 lead.

Not done yet the Iroquois Nationals struck for three more from Laffin with his third followed in the final minute of the second by Staats with his second and Tehoka Nanticoke who dramatically scored Iroquois' 10th goal with only six ticks left on the clock. Finding themselves in full control leading 10-4 at half, the Iroquois Nationals refused to ease up offensively as they struck for five third period goals starting with Laffin's fourth along with Baker's second, Staats with his hat-trick goal, Nanticoke with his second and finally Doug Jamieson who rounded the third period scoring.

Following an early Australia goal the Iroquois Nationals answered with a five goal run led by Laffin who tallied his fifth and six along with singles to Jonah Mohawk, Devon Buckshot and Bennett with his second in what was a bronze medal winning performance.