Cassese closes book on MLL; eyes U.S. team
9/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Mountain Hawks head coach Kevin Cassese saw his 2009 Major League Lacrosse season come to an end on August 22 when the Boston Cannons fell to the top-seeded Denver Outlaws in a tightly contested 11-10 semifinal game at the 2009 MLL Championship Weekend. Boston led the game 6-5 at halftime and 9-7 after three quarters, but Denver fought back and outscored the Cannons 4-1 in the final 15 minutes to seize the win. Cassese scored a big transition goal in the game, which came just 19 seconds into the second quarter. The game not only put an end to the 2009 season for Cassese, but also an end to his professional lacrosse career. However, the Lehigh headman does have more playing days in front of him, as he sets his sights on making the United States Men’s National Team.
Cassese was one of 40 players who qualified for the 2010 U.S. men’s national training team following a three-day tryout at Bryant University in early June. He will next compete in three training weekends during the fall, and following that stage of tryouts the roster will be cut to the FIL-mandated size of 23 players for the 2010 FIL World Championship in Manchester, England.
There were 84 invitees at the tryouts in June who competed in two sessions of two games apiece on back-to-back days, followed by another morning session on the final day. Cassese was one of nearly 200 players that submitted applications to be considered for the Team USA tryouts.
Cassese is one of 12 tryout selections among the 84 who tried out in June that participated on the 2006 U.S. team that finished as a runner-up to Canada at the World Championships. Cassese was also a member of the 2002 U.S. team that won the world title in Australia.
The 2010 world championship will be the first men’s championship conducted by the newly formed FIL, which is a result of the merger of the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations and the International Lacrosse Federation.
Cassese, who helped the Philadelphia Barrage win the 2007 Major League Lacrosse Championship, appeared in 12 games for the Cannons this season, totaling ten goals (two 2-pointers) on 15 shots for a total of 12 points and 20 ground balls.
