DU Lax Star Leads Canada Over USA

(above) Canada defeated the USA for the first time ever in the World Under-19 Lacrosse Championships in Finland

From: LaxMagazine.com
Corey McLaughlin

Canada downed the U.S. Under-19 men's national team 11-9 in overtime in a back-and-forth, thrilling and history-making pool play game Saturday night at the Federation of International Lacrosse U19 World Championships in Finland. 

University of Denver Freshman forward Wes Berg is captain of Team Canada, while DU associate head coach Matt Brown is Team Canada's offensive coordinator. 

Canada became the first team to defeat the U.S. in U19 play since international competition was sanctioned in 1988. The U.S., winners of all six gold medals contested since then, is now 37-1 all-time. 

The Canadians scored the final three goals of the game, all in the second OT, after the U.S. rallied from three goals down at the start of the fourth quarter and went ahead by one in the first OT. All while the crowd oohed and ahhed and pressure mounted. 

With the game on the line, Wes Berg drove left to right along goal-line extended and finished on the crease with 2:23 remaining in the second extra-period to tie it at 9. Berg drew a penalty at the tail end of the scoring play, and Tutton put Canada up 10-9 just 22 seconds later. Berg scored two goals in the game. 

Canada improves to 2-0 in pool play with a quick turnaround for a 1 p.m. (6 a.m. EST) game Sunday against the Iroquois (1-0). The U.S. (1-1) faces England at 7 p.m. (noon EST) on Sunday, and now faces a scenario of playing the Iroquois in the tournament semifinals if expectations hold. 

The win could be considered a confirmation of a trend that has taken shape in the NCAA Division I men's game of north-of-the-border products making a big impact. Berg was the ECAC's rookie of the year after his first season at Denver this year. 

When asked about Berg impact on Saturday's game, Wray said: "He's a big-time player. Wes Berg is the captain of this team for a reason. He's poised under pressure. He makes big plays when things matter the most, and he made a pretty big one there at the end. All of our offensive players I thought were very poised as the game got really tense in the last couple minutes."

DU Recruit Named MVP Of Lax All-Star Classic

(above) DU recruit Gordie Koerber

From: InsideLacrosse.com & LaxMagazine.com

In a tight affair, the Under Armour boys' South team beat the North team 12-11, led by a fantastic game by a future DU Pioneer.  The Under Armour All-America Classic featured 44 of the best high school lacrosse players in the country.

Attackman Gordie Koerber scored three goals, including the final South goal to give his team the victory, and won MVP honors for his work in the game. Koerber is bound for the University of Denver this fall

Koerber, with his team up just a goal with less than three minutes to play, took a feed from Spencer Parks behind the net and ripped a shot low past North goalie William Ryan. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player after scoring on all three of his shots.

"We knew the North was going to come back strong after the first half," Koerber said. "But I just got that great pass and I was wide open in front and buried it low."

Koerber, a humble and gracious MVP winner, deflected praise and credited his teammates for putting him in good positions to score.

"I had a lot of great players around me, and they made my job easy. I just stuck a couple close ones," he said. "To win MVP was a great honor. I'm humbled to even be at this event."

Koerber is a crafty lefty who "plays Canadian," said South coach Ryan Boyle, the four-time All-American at Princeton and five-time MLL All-Star.

"Gordie catches everything. He's got great wrists," Boyle said. "He's a heady player. He knows how to get open. When he gets the ball, and he catches everything, then he finishes everything. I told him, 'Denver is a perfect fit for you.'"

Koerber smiled when he said he has "no clue what the deal is, or what to expect," going to Denver next year, but added that offensive coordinator Matt Brown's Canadian-infused "system is pretty similar to the way I play, so I'm real excited to get out there."

Koerber's left-handed finishing ability could make him a logical candidate to slide into the role previously played by All-American Mark Matthews, now with the MLL's Denver Outlaws.

Matt Brown Retires To Coach DU Lax Fulltime

(above) Matt Brown will devote his energies full time to the University of Denver lacrosse program

From: Denver Post

Major League Lacrosse veteran Matt Brown retired Wednesday from the Denver Outlaws, shifting his attention from professional lacrosse player to college coach.

Brown this month was promoted to associate head coach at the University of Denver under coach Bill Tierney . So the attackman left the Outlaws after five years with the team.

"Matt has been an important part of the Outlaws franchise from the very beginning," Outlaws general manager Brian Reese said. "I can't say enough good things about Matt. He is a great team player, a tremendous ambassador for the sport in Colorado and he is one of the best goal scorers in MLL history."

Brown scored 138 goals in five MLL seasons, all in Denver. He ranks second in team history in goals scored and third in points. He is ranked 20th in MLL history in goals.

Before playing professionally in the MLL, Brown was a four-year starter at DU.

Since "the day I accepted this position at DU, Matt Brown has been at my side," Tierney said. "Without him I would have been lost. He is loyal, trustworthy and tireless in his efforts for our program."

DU Lacrosse Coaching Staff Shakeup

(above) Bill Tierney announced some major changes on the DU coaching staff yesterday

The University of Denver athletic department announced a surprising reorganization of the men's lacrosse coaching staff yesterday. Assistant coach Matt Brown has been promoted to associate head coach, while volunteer assistant coach Dylan Sheridan has been named the second assistant. Assistant coach Trevor Tierney will step down as a full-time coach to become the Pioneers' volunteer assistant.

The announcement comes just three weeks after the Pioneers amazing run to the 2011 NCAA Lacrosse Championship weekend.  DU's website has a detailed explanation with interviews of all involved.  Check it out.

Matt Brown Named Team Canada Lax Coach

(above) Matt Brown

From: DU Athletics Website

University of Denver men's lacrosse assistant coach Matt Brown will serve as the offensive coordinator for Canada's 2012 U19 Men's Field National Team, the Canadian Lacrosse Association announced.

Brown will be joined by former Pioneer Geoff Snider, who will serve as the team's faceoff and substitution box coordinator.

The 2012 U19 Men's Field World Championships will be held July 12-21 in Turku, Finland. Team Canada will be playing for gold against Australia, Bermuda, Czech Republic, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Iroquois Nationals, Netherlands, USA and Wales.

Lax Asst. Coach Matt Brown Chat On ESPN.com

Coach Bill Tierney, Matt Brown and volunteer assistant Kevin Unterstein

 ESPN.com Chat @ 12 PM MT Thursday

University of Denver assistant coach Matt Brown will be the featured guest on Inside Lacrosse's Live Chat series on ESPN.com on Thursday at 12 p.m. MT. Coach Brown will be on hand to answer questions and give a coach's perspective on the NCAA and also as an MLL player for the Denver Outlaws.

Submit your questions now for the mind behind Denver's stellar offense, who works hands-on every day with juniors Mark Matthews, Alex Demopoulos, and senior Todd Baxter.

Brown was a four-year starter for the Pioneers from 2002-04. While at DU, Brown played 56 games and accumulated 137 points, the sixth-best total in all-time Pioneers' history, and 113 goals, fourth on the DU's all-time career goals list. As a senior, he was named First Team All-Great Western Lacrosse League at attack, earned Preseason All-American honorable mention honors and was named GWLL Player of the Week.

The Pioneers beat Duke, 12-9, last week, and Duke has an ECAC matchup with Ohio State up next in the Rocky Mountain Challenge at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium.

Send in your questions now and join in on the fun at 12 PM MT.