The rules of women's lacrosse differ significantly from men's lacrosse. Women's lacrosse is a non-contact sport played with twelve players on each team.
Equipment
The Crosse: The crosse (lacrosse stick) is made of wood, laminated wood, or synthetic material, with a shaped net pocket at the end. A girl's crosse must be an overall length of 35 1/2 - 43 1/4 inches. The head of the crosse must be seven to nine inches wide. The top of the ball when dropped in the pocket must remain even with or above the side walls. The goalkeeper's crosse may be 35 1/2 - 48 inches long.
The Ball: The ball must be yellow and made of solid rubber. The ball must be 7.75 - 8 inches in circumference and weigh 5 - 5.25 ounces.
The Mouthpiece: All players must wear mouthguards.
Optional Protective Equipment: Eyewear, close-fitting gloves, nose guards, soft head gear are optional, and may be worn by all players.
The Goalkeeper's Equipment: The goalkeeper must wear a face mask and helmet with a mouth guard, throat protector and chest protector. The goalkeeper may wear padding on hands, arms, legs, shoulders and chest which does not excessively increase the size of those body parts.
Rules of the game
The object of the game is to use the stick to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score the ball into an opponent's goal. The head of the lacrosse stick has a loose net strung into it that allows the player to hold the lacrosse ball.
Women play with three attackers, five midfielders, three defenders, and one goalie. Eight players play attack at one time and eight defenders are present.
The duration of the game is 60 minutes, two halves of 30 minutes each. Each team is allowed one 90-second team time-out per half. The team scoring the most goals wins.
The minimum dimensions for a field is 82 meters by 55 meters. Additional markings on the field include a restraining line located 27 meters from each goal line, which creates an area where only a maximum of eight offensive players and eight defensive players (excluding the goalkeeper) are allowed; a 12-meter fan, which officials use to position players after fouls and where defenders must be at least within a stick's-length of their attacker. A bit further from the fan you find the 15-meter arc in front of each goal, considered the critical scoring area.
The circle around the goal is called the crease. Only one player of the defending team is allowed in this area, usually this is the goalie.
When a whistle blows, all players must stop in place. When a ball is ruled out of play, the player closest to the ball gets possession when play is resumed. When whistle is blown again, the player may pass or run with the ball. All other players must also stand until the second whistle is blown.
Rough checks, and contact to the body with the crosse or body, are not allowed.
Field players may pass, catch or run with the ball in their crosse. A player may gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an opponent's crosse with a check. A check is a controlled tap with a crosse on an opponent's crosse in an attempt to knock the ball free. A player may not protect the ball in her crosse by cradling so close to her body or face so as to make a legal, safe check impossible for the opponent.
Women's lacrosse rules are specifically designed to allow less physical contact between players. The pockets of women's sticks are shallower than those of the men, making the ball harder to catch and more difficult to shoot at high speed.
