Israel eliminates Germans from lacrosse competition (but they still have the World Cup)

Daniel Treiman

Israel defeated Germany in the World Lacrosse Championships, July 15, 2014. (Larry Palumbo)

Israel defeated Germany in the World Lacrosse Championships, July 15, 2014. (Larry Palumbo)

Germany scored one goal on Sunday, which was enough to win soccer’s World Cup. It scored one goal on Tuesday and was eliminated from another international sporting competition.

At a sports complex near Denver, Israel’s national team defeated Germany, 15-1, at the World Lacrosse Championships and advanced to Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Israel will meet Australia, Canada or the Iroquois Nation, depending on the results of Tuesday’s other matches.

Israel was led Tuesday by midfielder Matthew Cherry’s four goals and one assist, forward Ari Sussman’s three goals and two assists and goalie Henry Altschuler, who made seven saves and allowed no goals in his three quarters of play.

Sussman, who played professionally for Major League Lacrosse’s Boston Cannons, leads all players in the tournament with 16 goals, 14 assists and 30 points.

In its three preliminary-round and two knockout-round games, all wins, Israel has outscored opponents, 88-18.

Several hundred supporters cheered on the Israeli team at Tuesday’s early-morning game, Israel Lacrosse’s executive director, Scott Neiss, said by telephone shortly after the match ended.

Protestors against Israel or its ongoing military responses to Hamas rocket attacks have not been visible, Neiss said.

Israel’s quarterfinal game can be seen live on the Web-streaming channel ESPN3 beginning at 7 p.m. Mountain Time.

Hillel Kuttler in 2011 launched “Seeking Kin,” his now-thrice-monthly column on people searching for long-lost relatives and friends. Hillel also writes regularly for the N.Y. Times, where his features often tackle the nexus of sports and history. Hillel served for 6 1/2 years as The Jerusalem Post’s Washington bureau chief. He has earned national awards for his feature stories on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and on NBA player Omri Casspi.