Section 5: Rules of Play
Game Structure
- Four 15-minute quarters
- 2-minute breaks between Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4; 10-minute halftime
- Sudden-victory overtime in 4-minute periods following regulation tie (regular season and tournament)
- Running clock when the difference in score is large near the end of a regular-season game, per the standard NCAA differential rule; in championship play the clock continues to run normally
Faceoff
The faceoff is taken at the center "X" at the start of each quarter and after each goal. The two faceoff midfielders (FOGOs in modern practice) line up on their offensive side of the midfield line; their sticks rest on the ground parallel to the line, the balls of their feet behind the head of the stick.
Per the 2025/26 cadence revision: the official says "Down" and players take position; the official then stands over the faceoff players and may adjust their positions if needed; the official says "Set" and steps back to a safe distance; the official then blows the whistle to start play. The "wind-up" between "Set" and the whistle is variable but does not announce a count.
Shot Clock
- The offensive team must release a shot on goal within 80 seconds of gaining possession
- The shot clock resets to 80 seconds on each new possession
- If the goalkeeper makes a save and possession changes, the offensive team gets a fresh 80 seconds
- If the defensive player is injured, the shot clock resets to 80 or 60 seconds (per NCAA shot-clock injury reset rule)
- At the end of a quarter, the shot clock resets to 80 seconds, except: if the period ended during an extra-man situation with player possession, the existing time on the shot clock remains at the start of the next period
- A shot must hit the goal pipe, hit the goalkeeper, hit a player, or enter the goal to satisfy the shot-clock requirement; a shot that clearly misses everything restarts the shot clock
- Stalling outside the shot clock framework (failure to attempt offense) is a delay-of-game penalty
Movement of the Ball
- Players may run with the ball in their stick, pass between teammates, and shoot at the goal
- Players may use their stick to check an opponent's stick or gloved hand (legal pole check) to dislodge the ball — within Rule 7 (Personal Fouls) limits
- The ball may be played with the stick at any height; body contact is permitted within Rule 7 limits (legal body check on a player with possession or within 5 yards of a loose ball, between waist and shoulders, from the front or front side)
Crease and Goal Rules
- Attacking players may not enter the crease or contact the goalkeeper while the goalkeeper is in the crease
- A goal-mouth-area rule (adopted in recent rule cycles) restricts an attacking player's positioning directly in front of the goal during specific transitions
- The goalkeeper has 4 seconds to clear the crease with the ball; failure is a delay-of-game
Restarts
Out-of-bounds restarts and post-foul restarts are quick — the ball is awarded to the appropriate team and play resumes after a brief whistle. Free-position restarts (after a penalty) and faceoff restarts (after goals or specified violations) follow established alignment rules.