3-3 Zonde Defense
The 3-3 zone in men’s lacrosse is a fundamental defensive strategy that positions three players across the top and three across the bottom of the field. Each defender in men’s lacrosse is responsible for their zone while also supporting their adjacent teammates. This setup simplifies slide packages, making it easier for men’s lacrosse players to understand and execute. While effective, the 3-3 zone in men’s lacrosse can be vulnerable to offensive overloads, requiring quick defensive rotations. Key principles like staying topside help defenders control shooting angles and protect the goal more effectively in men’s lacrosse.
Running a Zone Defense
Let's go over some basic aspects of a zone and different ways to run it.
Backer Zone Defense
The backer zone is a great way to let your long sticks pressure the ball while always having the support of a floating defender behind them.
60 defense
I would use this if the other team has strong crease play, if they do not use a crease man such as in a circle offense I would not use it.
Triangle zone with a top string
Feeling creative? This can be an interesting wrinkle to try in your defense that is not commonly used but easy to teach.
Zone defense basics in Lacrosse
Zone Defense is often effective in stopping penetration and 1v1 moves because as a ball carrier dodges he makes his way into more zones and encounters more defenders. Let’s go over this in more detail…
Triangle Zone Defense
The triangle zone defense is a unique way to use a 6 man zone where two separate triangles are function together in order to press the ball carrier and cover any seems in the zone. If you like being creative with your defense maybe you can give this a try.