BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, USA – Canada outdueled the United States in a 14-12 nailbiter to win the gold medal in the women’s tournament at The World Games.
Canada claimed its first senior world-level gold medal in a women’s competition, and second women’s gold medal after a U19 world championship in 2015.
Dana Dobbie said: “It just feels like everything you’ve ever dreamed of as a little kid. We’ve never won a senior level gold medal. To do it here at The World Games is even sweeter … I feel so grateful.”
The gold medal came for a Canada squad that brought 10 out of 12 players from the team that won silver at the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship a week ago in Maryland. Canada pulled out the thrilling match in its second final on American soil with a raucous crowd.
Australia claimed the bronze medal with a 13-7 defeat of Great Britain.
The medal round wrapped up a banner week of lacrosse at The World Games, as World Lacrosse Sixes made its global debut in the international multi-sport event. Sixteen teams scored over 1,000 goals in 36 games, averaging out to a goal for every 75 seconds of play.
World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said: “The quality of the teams and the level of play over the last nine days was absolutely outstanding. World Lacrosse Sixes was on full display, and showed that it is an incredibly exciting version of the sport. Fans got a taste of what lacrosse might look like in the Olympic arena, and they loved it.”
Canada’s gold medal win was spurred by Dana Dobbie, who scored four goals, and Aurora Cordingley, who contributed a goal and three assists. Erica Evans scored the go-ahead goal, her third of the game, to break a 12-12 tie in the fourth quarter.
Goalkeeper Lauren Spence stymied the United States, holding it scoreless in the last seven minutes of the game enroute to 13 total saves and a 52% save percentage.
Belle Smith totaled five goals for the United States and goalkeeper Madison Doucette was superb with 12 saves.
Australia won the bronze medal with a 13-7 defeat of Great Britain. It capped a bounce-back week for the Australians after they lost to England in the bronze medal match at the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship, with eight players on Great Britain coming from Team England and nine players from Australia’s World Games squad coming from Maryland.
Australia scored six unanswered goals in a row after trailing 1-0, and was able to hold off Great Britain the remainder of the match. Theo Kwas and Georgia Latch spearheaded the attack with five points each. Goalkeeper Addie Cunningham was strong in the net, making 14 saves on 21 shots.
Laura Merrifield contributed two goals and an assist for Great Britain.
