1. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
This section is about the play of the game.
The World Lacrosse rulebook covers this topic in
Rules 11 – 18
(pages 17 – 32)
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

2. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
In this section:
• Game duration
• Overtime
• Time outs
• Starting play
• Out of bounds
• Restraining line
• Shots
• Restarting play
• Substituting
• Self start
• How to win
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

3. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Game duration
• An official World Lacrosse game:
• Four 15-minute quarters, running clock
• Last 30 seconds first, second and third quarter, stop clock + no self-
start *
• Last 2 minutes of fourth quarter, stop clock + no self-start
• A Dutch league game:
• Four 15-minute quarters, running clock
• Last 30 seconds of all quarters, stop clock + no self-start *
• Stop clock:
• Time outs
• Any overtime period
• Breaks:
• Between Q1 and Q2, Q3 and Q4: 2 minutes
• Between Q2 and Q3 (half time): 10 minutes
• Teams will change ends between each quarter
• * See section about self-start for exceptions
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

4. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Overtime
• A game cannot end in a tie
• If the score is tied at the end of regulation playing time, play shall
be continued after a two minute intermission
• Four minute periods
• Two minute breaks
• No team time-outs
• Stop-clock for all periods
• Teams will change ends between each period
• The game ends upon the scoring of the first goal (sudden victory)
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

5. section
Basics
Face Offs
Goalies and the Crease
Time-outs
• Two types of time-outs:
• Team time-outs
• Umpire time-outs
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

6. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Team time-outs
• Who:
• Coach
• Captain
• Player in possession of the ball
• When:
• After a goal is scored
• During a dead ball (interrupted play) outside the Advantage
Flag Area
• Duration:
• 90 Seconds
• Amount:
• Two time-outs per team in regular play
• No time-outs are allowed in overtime
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

7. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Official time-outs
• Who:
• Any on-field umpire or fourth umpire
• When:
• At any time when necessary for safety or proper enforcement
of the rules
• Duration:
• As long as needed
• Amount:
• As often as needed
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

8. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Starting play
• Before the game:
• Stick check (incl. check on mouth guards and jewelry)
• Captains meeting / coin toss
• To start:
• Draw (next section)
• Possession:
• Player possession: can carry, cradle, pass or shoot
• Team possession: player possession or when the ball is being
passed from a player to a teammate
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

9. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Out of bounds
• Whistle is blown to stop play
• Ball touching the line or anything outside of the field is out of
bounds
• Player in possession of the ball touching the line or anything
outside of the field is out of bounds
• The opposing team gets the ball (exception: shots on goal) at the
point where the ball was when is was declared out of bounds
• Player that picks up the ball has to step 2 meters in bounds
• Official will signal direction of play
• Whistle is blown to start play, or player can self-start
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

10. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Restraining line (off-side)
• A team cannot have more than 6 players in their offensive/
attacking end of the field (below the restaining line)
• A team cannot have more than 7 players in their defensive end of
the field (above the restaining line).
• One of these players is usually, but not necessarily the
goalkeeper
• The goalkeeper cannot move below the restaining line
• Any part of a player’s foot that is on or over the restaining line is a
violation
• Players may reach over the line with their sticks to play the ball, as
long as their feet/foot are not on or over the line
• If a team has a player too many players in their
offensive/defensive end of the field, they are ‘off-side’
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

11. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Shots/ chase
• Missed or deflected shots are rewarded to the team with a legal
inbound player’s body closest to the ball where and when the ball
became out of bounds
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

12. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Restarting play after fouls
• In the same relative position where the ball was when play was
stopped
• As quickly as possible
• A minimum of 2 meters away from side or end lines
• All players must move 4 meters away from the ball
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

13. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Substituting
• Anytime and as often as needed
• Must go through the substitution area and substitution gate
• A player must substitute from the team bench area to the sub
waiting area. They may enter the substitution area as soon as the
on-field player has crossed the substitution gate.
• Players should avoid collision with other players and provide a
clear view for the scorers
• Exceptions: after the scoring of a goal, end of a period or during a
time out of any number players may enter the field before their
teammate has come off the field. They still have to go through the
sub waiting area, substitution area and substitution gate.
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

14. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Self start (1/3)
• A player who is awared the free position (with ball) may self start
before the restarting whistle when:
• Both her feet are stationary on the ground
• The ball is in their stick
• The self start is started at the spot of the foul
• When the ball is in playing distance (2 m), the play may start
there
• When the ball is further away, the ball is brought back to the
spot of the foul
• The fouled player must move 4 meter next/behind the player with
ball
• All other players must move 4 meter away from the player with
ball
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

15. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Self start (2/3)
• Self start is not an option when:
• The game clock has stopped
• There is a restraining line violation
• There is an illegal draw
• Fouls that occure in the advantage flag area
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

16. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
Self start (3/3)
• Last 30 seconds of Q1, 2 and 3, last 2 minutes of Q4 and overtime
• Clock is only stopped for:
• Defensive fouls inside the AFA
• Restraining line fouls
• Draw circle violations
• Any time an official signals a time-out
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

17. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
How to win
• The team scoring the greater number of goals wins the game
• A goal is scored when the ball, whether loose or not, passes
completely over the goal-line, between de goal posts and under
the crossbar form in front.
• A goal is scored when the ball is shot or propelled from an attack
player’s legal stick, or from a defender’s stick or body
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME

18. section
Basics
Draw
Goalies and the Crease
When does a goal not count?
• Scored after the period has ended
• The ball enters the goal after a whistle
• Exception: shooting space
• The ball is put in the goal by a non-player
• The ball comes off the person/body of an attack player
• The attack shooter steps on or over the goal-circle line before the ball
crosses the goal-line. Or any other attack player enters the goal-circle
• The attack makes contact with the goalkeeper or their crosse when the
goalkeeper is in their goal-circle
• The ball enters the goal from an attack player’s illegal crosse
• The umpire rules the shot or follow through as dangerous
• The attacking team has an illegal player on the field or is offside
• The attacking teams goalkeeper made the goal
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
PLAY OF THE GAME