Rules Questions

Answer:  Only if neither team has clear possession and “two players are equidistant from the ball, alternate possession is awarded.”

2023 NFHS Girls Lacrosse Rules Book:

ART. 3 ... If the game has to be stopped due to an accident, injury or illness, Inadvertent whistle by an official, interference or an incident either related or unrelated to the ball at the time the whistle is blown, the game is re-started in one of the following ways:

• a. If a foul has occurred, a free position is awarded on a spot determined by the official. Play shall not be restarted within 8 meters of the goal circle or within 4 meters of the boundaries; or 

• b. If no foul is involved in the stoppage of play, the ball is given to the player who was in possession, or nearest to it, at the time play was stopped and play is restarted at the spot of the ball. If the ball is within the critical scoring area, the play will be restarted at the closest dot. If two players are equidistant from the ball, alternate possession is awarded. No player is permitted within 4 meters of the player with the ball when play resumes. 

2023 USA Lacrosse Women’s Game Officials Training Manual:

E. INADVERTENT WHISTLE: 

If a whistle has been blown for an offside foul, and it is discovered that no one is in fact offside, it is considered an inadvertent whistle and time out must be called.

The player who was in possession of, or nearest to, the ball at the time play was stopped will be awarded the ball. Play is restarted at the spot of the ball when the ball is outside the CSA. If the ball is inside the CSA, play will resume at the dot. In both instances, all other players are no closer than 4m to the ball carrier. If two players are equidistant from the ball, the alternate possession procedure (AP) will be used to determine which team receives possession.

Play will be restarted with the official’s whistle. Self-starts are not permitted following an Inadvertent whistle.