Women's Lacrosse | Breakdowns and Reports
Hudl Assist follows the rules and statistician manual of NCAA sports.
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Draw Control
Draw Control
A draw control is awarded to the player who controls the ball and/or creates an opportunity to play after the taking of a draw; i.e., gains possession after the draw. Draw controls and ground balls are mutually exclusive. The player that wins the draw control DOES NOT get credit for a ground ball.
Draw Control Won
The first possession of the game/goal after the draw is taken is considered draw control; the player who controls the ball and/or creates the opportunity to possess the ball, either in the air or on the ground, is credited with a draw control.
Draw Control Loss
A draw control loss is awarded to the player of the team that did not win possession, who starts in the middle.
Draw Control Violation
If a foul is called before control is established, then the player that is awarded the ball by the official is credited with a draw control.
Things to Note:
- Draw Control Loss is not a recorded stat by the NCAA.
- Due to video angle/quality draw control wins and losses may be tagged as “unknown athletes”.
- Due to video angle/quality draw control violations may be tagged as “unknown athletes”.
Offense
Goals
A goal should be credited to the player who shot the ball, scoring a goal for her own team. In certain situations, a Team Goal (also known as own goal) may be credited. However, statisticians should err on the side of awarding the goal to the player who took the original shot.
Things to Note:
- A shot that strikes another offensive player and deflects into the goal will be credited to the player who last touched the ball before it enters the goal. This can be tough to see.
- A ball entering the goal that appeared to have been a pass to another player shall be counted as a shot and a goal for the player who made the pass.
- A team goal will be credited if the opposing team gains possession and then causes the ball to enter their own goal.
- Due to camera angle/quality goals may be tagged as “unknown athletes”.
Assists
An assist is not necessarily credited to a player who makes a pass before a goal. There should be a conscious effort on the part of the passer to find an open player for a shot or to help a player work free for a shot.
Things to Note:
- An assist is subjective and may be marked differently than coaches' expectations.
- There is no particular time frame for an assist.
- The pass and shot will appear to be part of the same play.
- An assist should not be credited on a play when the goal scorer dodges a defensive player after receiving the pass.
- Due to camera angle/quality goals may be tagged as “unknown athletes”.
Shots
A ball propelled toward the goal by an offensive player shall be called a shot. The ball may be thrown from a stick, kicked, or otherwise physically directed to be credited as a shot.
Things to Note:
- A ball that enters the goal propelled by the offensive team must then become a shot and a goal.
- In the case of a team goal (also known as an own goal), there is no shot recorded.
- Due to camera angle/quality goals may be missed.
Defense
Blocks
A blocked shot by a defender is not considered a save unless the defender is in the crease and the goalie is not.
Things to Note:
- A block is credited to the defender who stops the ball from going into the goal.
- The defender can be outside of the goal crease to be credited with a block.
- The defender can be inside the goal crease and be credited with a block as long as the goalie is also in the crease.
- Due to camera angle/quality blocked shots may be missed.
Saves
The basic rule of a save is that any time a ball is stopped or deflected with any part of the goalie’s body or stick, which if not stopped or deflected would have resulted in the ball entering the goal, a save is recorded. There are no empty-net goals awarded. Every goal scored must be credited against a goalkeeper of record.
Things to Note:
- Due to video angle/quality saves may be missed.
- Only goalies can be credited with saves
Possessions
Ground Balls
A ground ball is recorded when a ball changes possession during live-ball play. A shot returned to the field of play is considered a change of possession regardless of which team gains possession of the ball. A ground ball shall not be awarded if the ball (pass or shot) is sent out of bounds as the ball is dead before possession is gained. Should a player be fouled in the act of attempting to possess a ball, while said player’s stick is in contact with the ball, possession is to be assumed.
When a defensive player makes an interception, please credit the player with both a ground ball and a caused turnover.
Things to Note:
- Ground balls are subjective and what one coach considers a Ground Ball another will not.
- Due to video angle/quality ground balls may be missed.
Successful Clear
A clearing attempt occurs when a team has possession of the ball behind its defensive restraining line and advances to the offensive attack area, before the opposing team gains possession.
Unsuccessful Clear
An unsuccessful clearing occurs when the team offensive team loses possession, to the opponent, before it's offensive. All failed clears must have a team or individual turnover charged.
Things to Note:
- A team playing man-down should be credited with a successful clear if it meets the conditions of a successful clear, but should not be charged with an unsuccessful clear if it does not.
- Due to video angle/quality ground balls may be missed.
Attacking Possession
Possession of the ball during an attempt to shoot or score the ball.
Things to Note:
- Analysts do not tag possession.
- The NCAA does not define attack possessions.
- Currently, we only tag possessions as attacking after a successful clear is tagged and a face-off won.
Turnovers
Turnover
Turnovers occur when a player or team in possession of the ball or entitled to possession of the ball loses possession of it, in a live-ball situation or under certain dead-ball situations.
Forced Turnovers
A forced turnover is credited to a player when the opponent's positive, aggressive action(s) causes the player to turn the ball over.
Unforced Turnovers
A turnover may not always warrant a caused turnover. A turnover that cannot be attributed to an opposing player’s actions to cause the turnover is considered an unforced turnover.
Caused Turnovers
A caused turnover is credited to a player when the player’s positive, aggressive action(s) causes a turnover by the opponent.
Things to Note:
- Unforced turnovers are not directly documented in the NCAA statisticians manual.
- Due to video angle/quality turnovers may be missed.
- Due to video angle/quality forced turnovers may be tagged as “unknown athletes”.
- Caused turnovers can only be awarded to an individual player and not to a team (with one exception on possession clock violations), and only one caused turnover can be awarded for a turnover
Fouls and Penalties
Common Foul
Common, also known as minor, foul is a less severe violation of the rules and will be treated as a re-start for the team who was fouled.
For fouls anywhere on the field outside of the critical scoring area, a free position is awarded to the player who was fouled at the spot of the foul, unless the spot of the foul would disadvantage the non-offending team, in which case the free position shall be awarded at the spot of the ball.
Free Position
When a team is awarded a free position in the critical scoring area, above goal line extended, and more than 8 meters from the goal circle in their offensive end, the free position is awarded to the player who was fouled on the 12-meter fan nearest to the spot of the foul. The goalkeeper may clear back into the goal circle if the goalkeeper did not foul.
Things to Note:
- A common foul will allow the other team a free position to pass and move the ball forward.
- A free position foul will allow the team an opportunity to take a shot on goal as they are within the fan.
- Due to video angle/quality fouls may be missed or miss-marked.
- Due to video angle/quality fouls may be marked as “unknown athletes”.
Cards
Cards are issued for infractions in women’s lacrosse. When a player is issued a yellow card, that player will serve a two-minute releasable penalty in the penalty area. No substitute may take her place during that period; therefore, her team will play short-handed until the penalty time has elapsed or the opposing team scores. If the opposing team scores during this time (including the free-position goal following the card) the player will be released from the penalty area and may re-enter the game.
Yellow Card
When a player is issued a yellow card, that player will serve a two-minute releasable penalty in the penalty area. No substitute may take her place during that period; therefore, her team will play short-handed until the penalty time has elapsed or the opposing team scores. If the opposing team scores during this time (including the free-position goal following the card) the player will be released from the penalty area and may re-enter the game.
A player who receives a second releasable yellow card must leave the field and enter the penalty area for two minutes of elapsed playing time, and no substitute may take the carded Official Women’s Lacrosse Statistics Rules 7 player’s place during that two-minute period. The player will be suspended from further participation in that game. Once the penalty time has expired, or if the opposing team scores a goal, the team may substitute another player for the player who has been suspended.
Red Card
If a player receives a red card, this is a non-releasable penalty. The player must leave the field and serve a two-minute penalty in the penalty area. No substitute may take her place during this period. Once the full penalty time has been served, that player is ejected from the game, and the team may substitute another player for that ejected player.
Things to Note:
- Due to video angle/quality cards may be marked as “unknown athletes”.
- Due to video angle/quality cards may be missed or miss-marked.
Man Up/Down
Playing “man up” is a function of how many players are allowed below the restraining lines, not how many are on the field.
Things to Note:
- Certain penalties will automatically start a power play (man up/down) situation.
- Due to the camera angle or quality penalties or a penalty release may be missed.
Shot Clock Violation
After a team has gained possession of the ball, a visible 90-second possession clock will start. At the expiration of the 90 seconds, a change of possession will be awarded to the opposing team. The 90-second possession clock must stop at any point the game clock is stopped.
The 90-second possession clock will be reset as a result of any of the following occurrences:
- Any green, yellow or red card issued to the team without possession;
- Save by the goalkeeper of the team without possession, inside or outside of the goal circle, and whether possessed or deflected off of the goalkeeper;
- Shot on goal by the team with possession that hits a pipe or rebounds off a save and the team who shot the ball has retained possession;
- Offside violation; or
- Change of possession.
Things to Note:
- Due to video angle and quality, shot clock violations may not be seen.