The U.S. U19 training team made the journey to San Antonio for Spring Premiere looking to regain the momentum they generated at November’s training weekend in Columbus. There, the U.S. lost to Culver (Ind.), but bounced back to dominate a talented Hill Academy (Ont.) team.

Saturday’s win over Team Premiere proved that Nick Myers and his program had grown significantly in the six weeks since they had last met. But just hours later, another test awaited them.

That challenge seemingly became even mightier after Japan nearly topped the U.S. Senior team on Saturday night. Japan was back early Sunday morning to battle the U.S. U19 team at Incarnate Word.

The U.S. had showcased plenty of growth on Saturday. The next mission? Replicating that same intensity, energy and relentlessness against a disciplined Japanese squad.

Consider that mission accomplished.

The U.S. U19 training team, behind a suffocating ride and high-powered offensive display, jolted out of the gates and continued the momentum to a 14-2 victory over Japan. Brennan O’Neill, Pat Kavanagh and Alex Slusher each led the way with three goals apiece on a U.S. offense that took advantage of plenty of Japanese turnovers.

It was the performance Myers and the coaching staff were looking for from this young team, and it provided a glimpse at what it might be capable of come this summer at the world championship.

“The challenge was to pick up where we left off, and the re-acclimation of getting back to the hotel and back at practice Friday, and just raising the standard,” Myers said of the weekend as a whole. “Can we build on the execution through a better appreciation for one another and for the challenge that we had? The men came in conditioned and gave us an outstanding effort and got better as the weekend went on.”

As impressive as Saturday’s win over Team Premiere was, the U.S. U19 team displayed even more energy against Japan. It wasn’t hard to get this unit motivated.

In a pre-game huddle, Graham Bundy Jr. addressed his teammates on the opportunity ahead.

“This is the first time we’re playing someone who’s not from where we’re from,” he said, pointing as his jersey. “We’re going to fight for our country. We fight for this right here. This is a moment we’re going to have every day in Ireland. This is the first legit game we’ve had that will be just like Ireland.

Let’s do it the way Team USA does it."

That “USA way” might sound cliche, but it holds meaning for Myers and his staff. On Sunday, his team adhered to the that mantra via a strong ride that caused plenty of Japanese turnovers, a defense that kept a patient and methodical Japan offense intact and an offense that capitalized when given the chance.

In a five-minute stretch near the end of the first quarter, Slusher scored once and Kavanagh followed with two goals — each coming off a turnover forced by the U.S. ride. The 5-1 first quarter set the tone for the dominant performance.

It’s the kind of effort that had players and coaches shouting praise from the sidelines throughout the game.

“We’re jacked up,” said offensive coordinator Pat Myers of the ride. “It shows a willingness to choose the ‘we’ over the ‘me.’ They’re going to run from sideline to sideline for the team, and for the USA.”

Each ride started with the attack and often generated turnovers inside the Japanese defensive zone.

“The defense gets unlimited hacks at our arms, so it’s always nice when we get a chance to give back to them a little bit,” Slusher said of the offense’s buy-in on the ride. “The possession isn't over until the ball crosses the midline. If you make a mistake or a turnover, you have a chance to get the ball back. There’s nothing better than giving the offense another chance to score.”

Although the U.S. team wasn’t tested in the same fashion as it had in Columbus in the fall, it remained steady throughout Sunday’s matchup. A tired Japanese offense that was impressive against the U.S. Senior team turned the ball over on multiple occasions in the first half.

That allowed the U.S. midfield to run in transition — a sequence that led to more than a few goals. Defensive coordinator Andrew Stimmel was happy with the progress his unit made over the two-day training camp. 

“We did a much better job approaching the ball this weekend than in the past coming together,” Stimmel said. “We grew as a unit and you saw that in how we approached the ball. We slid a lot better and had some nice double teams.”

Each component of the U.S. U19 training team worked in tandem in Sunday’s win against Japan. As a whole, it was their best performance yet.

Myers and the coaching staff will make cuts from the current roster of 26 players, but this group will reconvene mostly intact in June. By then, the majority of the roster will have had college lacrosse experience.

A lot can change in five months. But the U.S. U19 training team has shown the ability to be consistent no matter the circumstance.

Slusher Becoming a Leader

Alex Slusher has come a long way in his journey to the U.S. U19 team — both literally and figuratively.

Slusher has emerged as a major threat on the U.S. offense through four events. But even more impressive is his ascent from Portland, Oregon. The Oregon Episcopal product grew up playing basketball, but quickly released his size might prevent him from making it big.

His athleticism, which ran in the Slusher family, would be an asset on the lacrosse field. His father played football at Dartmouth and his older sister, Samantha, plays soccer at Columbia. He quickly became one of the most promising players in the state, often traveling East to compete in recruiting events.

Then, and now with the U.S. U19 team, he remains prideful of his West Coast heritage.

“Lacrosse is growing out in Oregon over the years, but it’s definitely still really small,” he said. “Getting the opportunity to represent Oregon on a team like the U19 team, it’s something I always think about. Any time I show up to a lacrosse event, I’m the kid from Portland. It’s great to be able to represent my state like that.”

Although he’ll always be recognized for his home state, Slusher’s play for the U.S. team has made him known for plenty more. He’s quickly becoming one of the leaders of the U19 team offense.

Slusher, labeled as an attackman but adept in the midfield, routinely set teammates up for high-quality goal-scoring chances. He even added three goals in Sunday’s win over Japan, moving his total for five on the weekend.

His play has earned him the reputation of a “glue guy” from Pat Myers.

“He communicates, he directs traffic and gets guys into the right spot,” Pat Myers said. “He sets great picks, he rides hard, he picks up ground balls. He comes from Oregon, so it’s probably a credit to him and all the film he’s watched and studied. It’s something we identified in him early in the process, that he could be a leader and help be our QB on the offensive end.”