Italia Places 9th at 2024 Men’s U20 European Lacrosse Championships

Italia concluded it’s first U20 European Championship with a ninth place finish after a 10-3 win over Latvia. Over the span of eight days, from July 19 to July 27, the Italian team faced a series of challenging matches, ending their campaign with a record of three wins and four losses.

Games Summary

July 19: Italy vs. Poland (L, 9-3)
Italy’s tournament opener against Poland resulted in a 9-3 defeat. Despite a spirited effort, the Italian team struggled to counter Poland’s dominant play.

July 21: Czechia vs. Italy (L, 11-8)
In their second match, Italy faced Czechia and fought hard but succumbed to an 11-8 loss. The game was closely contested in the second half, but ultimately, Czechia’s early lead proved too much to recover from.

July 22: Israel vs. Italy (L, 7-6)
Italy’s clash with Israel ended in a narrow 7-6 defeat. The match was a nail-biter, pushing play in to two overtimes after Israel scored three goals in the final 1:45 of the game to force extra time.

July 23: Switzerland vs. Italy (W, 10-4)
Italy achieved their first victory of the tournament against Switzerland, winning decisively, 10-4.

July 24: Denmark vs. Italy (L, 8-7)
In a hard-fought match against Denmark, Italy faced another close defeat, losing 8-7. After holding a three goal lead, Italy was unable to quell the Denmark attack in the fourth quarter.

July 25: Belgium vs. Italy (W, 11-3)
Italy bounced back with a commanding 11-3 victory over Belgium. This match showcased the team’s resilience after two close losses, marking their second win of the tournament.

July 27: Latvia vs. Italy (W, 10-3)
In their final game, Italy secured a decisive 10-3 victory over Latvia, solidifying their 9th place finish. This win concluded their European Lacrosse Championship campaign on a high note.

Key Contributors

  • Luca Sanders – 14 goals
  • Michael Rettberg – 12 goals, 2 assists
  • Jameson Demarco – 8 goals, 8 assists
  • Andrew Allegra – 8 goals
  • Giacomo Morandini – 5 goals, 1 assist
  • Massimiliano Bonizzoni – 1 goal, 5 assists