USA downs Canada, 21-11, in inaugural Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship

The United States rode an explosive offense to beat Canada 21-11 in the inaugural Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship at Lake Myrtle Sports Park. Thirteen different players scored goals for the U.S. in a game it led from start to finish.

Canada battled the U.S. tough on the draw with the teams coming to an 18-18 stalemate and that kept things tight for much of the game. The U.S. jumped out to a 4-1 lead early and scored the last three goals of the first half to take an 11-5 lead.

Three straight goals to open the third quarter, two by Rachel Clark (Conestoga), allowed the U.S. to open up a 14-5 lead, but Canada answered with four straight goals and trailed just 15-10 after a goal by Lauren Black early in the fourth quarter.

Ally Kennedy’s goal with 12 minutes to play stopped the Canadian momentum and was followed by a Marie McCool (Moorestown) goal to give the U.S. a seven-goal cushion. After a free position goal by Canada’s Madalyn Baxter, the U.S. closed the game in emphatic style scoring the last four goals.

U.S. world championship veterans Marie McCool and Izzy Scane each had tricks for the U.S. while Chloe Humphrey and Kenzie Kent tied for the team with four points – each registering a goal and three assists.

In other games on Monday, the Haudenosaunee Nationals rallied from a five-goal halftime deficit to beat Puerto Rico 12-10 in the bronze medal game. It was the first medal for the Haudenosaunee women in field lacrosse at the senior team level.

In the fifth-place game, Argentina downed Mexico 16-8 to earn the final bid from the Pan-American Lacrosse Association for next summer’s World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Tokyo.

In the seventh-place game, Jamaica beat Peru 13-5 to earn its first victory of the tournament.

USA Goals: Marie McCool 3, Izzy Scane 3, Anna Brandt 2, Rachel Clark 2, Ally Kennedy 2, Charlotte North 2, Kori Edmondson, Chloe Humphrey, Kenzie Kent, Emma LoPinto, Ally Mastroianni, Emma Muchnick, Cassidy Weeks

USA Assists: Chloe Humphrey 3, Kenzie Kent 3, Rachel Clark, Ally Kennedy, Marie McCool, Charlotte North

USA Goaltending: Shea Dolce (2 saves, 5 goals allowed, 30 minutes), Caylee Waters (5 saves, 6 goals allowed, 30 minutes)

USA Draw Controls: Sam Apuzzo 6, Ally Mastroianni 4, Marie McCool 2, Charlotte North 2,  Kori Edmondson, Ally Kennedy, Kenzie Kent, Sammy White

USA Caused Turnovers: Ally Kennedy 2, Sydney Scales 2, Sam Apuzzo, Katie Goodale

Canada Goals: Erica Evans 3, Nicole Perroni 3, Madalyn Baxter 2, Lauren Black 2, Kylea Dobson

Canada Assists: Aurora Cordingley, Erica Evans, Nicole Perroni

Canada Goaltending: Kameron Halsall (1 save, 11 goals allowed, 30 minutes), Lauren Spence (6 saves, 10 goals allowed, 30 minutes)

Championship: USA 21, Canada 11
3rd place: Haudenosaunee 12, Puerto Rico 12
5th place: Argentina 16, Mexico 8
7th place: Jamaica 13, Peru 5

Attack: Chloe Humphrey (USA), Charlotte North (USA), Elena Torres (Mexico)

Midfield: Erica Evans (Canada), Ally Kennedy (USA), Ally Mastroianni (USA)

Defense: Bean Minerd (Haudenosaunee) Sydney Scales (USA), Brooklyn Walker Welch (Canada)

Goalie: Paige Crandall (Haudenosaunee)