The Slovak lacrosse national team finished an fantastic 5th place at the European Championships (EC) in box lacrosse, held from July 30 to August 6, 2022, in Hannover, Germany. This is the best placement achieved by Slovaks to date, as they managed to stand out in strong European competition.
The Slovak representatives entered the EC in the toughest Group B against teams from Germany (who ultimately won silver) and Czechia (who took bronze). They finished 3rd in the group and advanced through the playoffs with a 12:5 victory over the Austrian national team. The tournament semifinals slipped away from the Slovaks by just one goal, as they fell to the favored Finns 13:14 in a thrilling match.
After an unsuccessful quarterfinal, the Slovak lacrosse players could aim for the best 5th place, which they ultimately secured. The EC ended with two wins over Scotland (15:7) and Switzerland (12:8), confirming that lacrosse has been on the rise in Slovakia in recent years.
“If someone had told me before the tournament that we’d finish 5th, I think we’d all have taken it with both hands. Especially since lockdowns and COVID measures halted our preparations. I’d like to highlight the collective effort and dedication of the entire team, especially the whole defense that did a ton of dirty work at the back—they often stay in the shadows of success along with the goalkeepers. We can’t forget our Canadian coaches, who moved us miles forward, and we know we have something to build on. But we can’t rest on our laurels and are already looking ahead to the 2024 Box Lacrosse World Championships,” said one of the most experienced Slovak lacrosse representatives, forward Denis Engliš.
The best Slovak players at the EC in Hannover were:
- Alec Simons: 18g + 16a (34 pts.)
- Denis Engliš: 13g + 9a (22 pts.)
- Simon Thomay: 13g + 6a (19 pts.)