Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/27/09
From Press Releases
The U.S. defeated Australia, 8-7, in the final game of the 2009 Federation of International Lacrosse World Cup. Team USA goalie Devon Wills made seven saves and had three ground balls to earn Player of the Match honors.
Caroline Cryer (Centennial, Colo./Duke ’09) led the U.S. in scoring with three goals. This is the sixth time that the U.S. has won the World Cup, and the fourth time they have defeated the Australians in the final.
Australia struck first when Melissa Williams (2g) caught a feed from Jen Adams (1g, 2a) at 25:49. The first half went back and forth between the two teams, with three ties and two lead changes, ending with a 3-3 tie at the break.
Team USA came out swinging in the second half with 5 unanswered goals, creating the largest lead of the game. Then, Australia gained momentum at 4:53 when U.S. goalie Wills received a yellow card for a push on Australian attacker Marlee Paton (1g).
Melissa Williams scored on an open net on a free position to narrow the gap to 8-5. U.S. backup goalie Meghan Huether (Lutherville, Md./Duke ’06) entered the game for Wills as she served her 3 minute penalty. Australia rallied back with another goal to make it 8-6. Then, with just under two-minutes in the game, Heather Williams scored her second to create a one-goal game. U.S maintained possession for the next minute, running the clock down to preserve the win.
After a grueling two weeks of World Cup play, U.S. won the gold, Australia the silver and Canada the bronze.
The FIL World Cup takes place every four years. In 2005, when the championships were held in Annapolis, Md., Australia took home the gold, leaving the U.S. with the silver. Team USA is now 6-time World Cup champions (1982, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2009).
