MIDDLEBURY — In what organizers are promising will be a weekend of top-level lacrosse, plus a youth clinic with high-end instruction, the Vermont Voyageur box lacrosse team will square off twice on July 6 and 7 with the U.S. Development team at the Memorial Sports Center in Middlebury.
The Vermont Voyageur Under-21 Junior team will also play a pair of games that weekend, against the Quebec Juniors on July 6 and against the Onondaga Redhawk Juniors on July 7.
The Voyageurs, based in Burlington, are the only U.S. entry in the Quebec Senior Lacrosse League. Among their athletes is former Middlebury Union High School and Bryant University standout Evan Roberts. Roberts also played for England in the 2010 World Cup and for the Rhode Island Kingfish in the North American Lacrosse League this past season.
The festivities on Saturday, July 6, will kick off at 2 p.m. with a box lacrosse clinic offered by Vermont Voyageur coaches and senior players to local lacrosse players between the ages of 8 and 13. The $20 cost for the clinic includes admission to both Saturday games. Those interested may register at Forth ’N Goal Sports in Middlebury or at the clinic.
At 4 p.m., the Voyageur and Quebec Junior teams square off, and at 7 p.m. the Voyageurs meet the U.S. Development team. Admission to the games, as it will be for Sunday’s contests, is $7 for adults, $3 for students and free for children under 6.
Sunday opens with a free game between the Quebec and USA Midgets (ages 15 and 16). At noon, the Voyageurs and the U.S. team meet again, and at 3 p.m. the Voyageur and Onondaga juniors will square off.