LIMERICK, Ireland — With just under 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter of the U.S. U21 men’s team’s game against Canada — the opener of the World Lacrosse Men’s U21 Championship — Liam Entenmann watched as long-stick midfielder Josh Fairey received a pass in front of the U.S. crease, creating a 1-on-1 opportunity.

He waited for the right moment to approach Fairey as he flicked a shot that seemed destined for the goal. As the ball left Fairey’s stick, Entenmann extended his arms and met it with his own stick — one of the most acrobatic saves for a goalie accustomed to making the improbable happen.

Entenmann halted the shot, juked his way past the Canada offense and ignited the U.S. transition before making eye contact with U.S. fans sitting in the stands on the far sideline.

“Let’s go!” he screamed as he flexed his arms to the cheering spectators.

The exuberant reaction seemed not only appropriate for what Entenmann had just done, but for the three-year wait he endured for this moment. A standout in the first tryout in the summer of 2019, Entenmann has been one of the leaders of the U.S. U21 program since he starred at Chaminade (N.Y.). Now an All-American at Notre Dame, he was locked in from the start, making 11 saves in a 7-5 win.

“We’ve been looking forward to this game for a while, and we were really juiced when we found out that they were the first game,” Entenmann said. “I try to stay pretty composed, but when I see my teammates on the sidelines and everyone cheering us on, it’s hard not to get a little juiced up. Usually I just reset, but in some moments, I have to let it roll a little bit.”

His acrobatic third-quarter save was one of many on a beautiful day in Limerick. His 11 saves helped the U.S. maintain its lead and hold off multiple Canada rallies in the teams’ first matchup since the 2016 gold-medal game.

The combination of Jake Naso and Alec Stathakis won 14 of 15 faceoffs to hold off a talented Canadian offense after it erased a three-goal U.S. lead in the first half.

Wednesday represented the first, and potentially toughest, test for this U.S. team. Head coach Nick Myers admitted there were ups and downs, but he’s happy to get the world championship start on the right note.

“We found a way,” Myers said bluntly. “Our opponent was as advertised. It’s great to get the first win under our belt. We didn’t have scrimmages leading up to this, so we have the opportunity to grow and transform throughout this tournament. There’s a threshold for this team to get significantly better.”

A chippy final few minutes were indicative of what was a defensive battle. The U.S. held strong, though, and prevented Canada from taking control of the game. Even when the Canadians had opportunities, Entenmann was there for his defense.

He stopped bouncers on the freshly manicured grass. He absorbed a few shots with his legs and core. He used his stick to erase what looked like high-percentage opportunities.

When Entenmann made saves, he lifted his U.S. U21 teammates up.

“This could be bad, but I expect it,” Graham Bundy Jr. said. “He makes so many of those saves that if someone is on the doorstep, and pump fakes, it’s like, ‘Oh, Liam normally makes that.’ He’s a stud, and I’m fortunate we have him here.”

After the U.S. jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second quarter, the defending champions looked close to pulling away. However, a string of strong offensive possessions brought Canada back into the game, and Noah Manning tied the score at 3 early in the third quarter.

Entenmann’s save prevented Canada from grabbing its first lead, and Bundy Jr. finished late in the quarter to end a 30-minute scoring drought. Brendan Grimes added another tally with 3.1 seconds left to give the U.S. the momentum entering the fourth quarter. That’s the U.S. offense found its groove and picked up goals from Alex Slusher and Brennan O’Neill for a little cushion, despite a few turnovers in the final two minutes.

Myers and his team know the win could serve as a building block for the rest of the tournament, but it represented much more. For the first time since January 2020, the U.S. faced international competition. After years of anticipation, the team is off to the races.

“Our offense didn’t have our greatest game, but we know what we’re capable of,” Bundy Jr. said. “We’ve been waiting three years since the tryout process and six years looking at possibly making the team. We had to wait a few extra years, which gave us more juice, but we’re just grateful to be out there.”