Women’s field lacrosse is a hell of a sport, and it doesn’t get the coverage it deserves from us. I hope to rectify that someday with more staff and resources. Women’s field is a vastly different sport from the men’s game, with its own rules and nuances, and should be appreciated as such. The athletes are strong, talented and inspiring and I encourage you to check out a game near you as soon as you can.
The 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s World Championship came to an end with the United States repeating as champions in an 11-8 win over Canada on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It was the American’s fourth gold medal in a row, and their first on home soil.
Canada has never beaten the U.S. in this tournament; they are 0-14 against their southern neighbours. This was their third-straight silver medal.
“We had a great opponent in Canada,” said U.S. head coach Jenny Levy. “Dana Dobbie’s just such a special player, and their coaching staff and players we have so much respect for.”
The Americans led 4-2 after the first quarter. Marie McCool, Taylor Cummings and Erica Evans each scored twice.
Charlotte North scored her first of the game after a transition turnover by Canada early in the second. Kayla Treanor then made the transition game work for the U.S., finishing off a full-field run started by goaltender Liz Hogan. The ball was in two other sticks before Treanor hit the back of the net as the U.S. showed off their teamwork. Maddie Baxter replied with a pair, burying a big rebound for Canada’s fourth goal.
Assist-machine Sam Apuzzo scored a goal of her own, with the ball behind the net, she beat Evans to the front of the net with a low shot. McCool’s hat-trick goal came off a spin move, and that put the Americans up 8-4.
“We had a tougher shooting day than we’ve had in the past few games, but we put the ones in the back of the net that mattered,” said Cummings in a post-game interview with ESPN.
Evans’ hat trick goal came from a high-to-low shot as the U.S. defense allowed her to break to the goal alone. A pair of U.S. free position goals sandwiched a very pretty marker from Alie Jimerson, who scored as she was falling. The U.S. led 10-6 after the third.
Aurora Cordingley found Evans cutting to the net to kick off the fourth. Apuzzo scored with three minutes left in a carbon-copy play of her first goal. Annabel Child scored on a player up situation with 58 seconds left but Canada ran out of time.
“I’m really excited for all of the players who worked so hard on their own,” Levy said. “We don’t get to train a lot. Each of them are on their own so many times to put the time and energy into being great. To see all of them today get this reward, it’s a true team from the get go. We’ve had all sorts of adversity and challenge in this tournament. They’re unbelievable role models and they’re first class.”
“I’ve never met a group that is this talented and this selfless, said Cummings. “They are 20 of the best people and this is an experience I’m really grateful for.”
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In the bronze medal match, England defeated Australia 8-7 in triple overtime. Olivia Hompe scored the game winner on a free position. Hompe, who led England with four goals, went low with her shot on Kahli Evans.
England also won bronze in 2017.
England led 5-3 at the half after scoring two late-quarter goals player up. Megan Whittle of England and Theodora Kwas of Australia, with her hat trick, traded goals in the third. Australia scored the first two of the fourth to tie the game at six.
Hompe put England back on top with 8:38 to play, but Australia’s captain Hannah Nielsen tied the game once again with just 1:13 left.
England had a goal washed by a crease violation in the last second of regulation. On a restart, Hompe made a pass from behind the net to Claire Faram who batted the ball into the net. There is no video replay in the World Championships, but it looked good from this angle.
Brittany Read, who was solid throughout the tournament, made 13 saves in England’s net.
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Many members of the final four teams had no time off; they travelled immediately to The World Games in Alabama to join their Sixes team.
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Isabelle Martire of the Czech Republic led all scorers with 48 points (40 goals and eight assists). Kayla Traenor led Pool A with 34 points (20 goals and 14 assists). Her best game was the American’s semifinal against Australia, a 17-2 win in which Traenor scored six goals and two assists. Evans led Canada with 24 goals and two assists, while team leader Dana Dobbie scored 13 goals and four assists. Megan Whittle led England with 26 goals and four assists, and Georgia Latch led Australia with 12 goals and seven assists.
