(OSHAWA, ONTARIO) Tuesday’s games marked the end of pool play. The USA’s win over Canada and Japan’s win over Israel highlighted a full day of action. FIL officials worked into the wee hours sorting out the seeds for championship bracket play which begins today.
The tournament seeds are as follows: #1 USA (4-0); #2 Canada (3-1); #3 Australia (2-2); #4 England (1-3); #5 Wales (0-4); #6 Japan (5-0); #7 New Zealand (4-1); #8 Haudenosaunee (4-1); #9 Ireland (3-2); #10 Israel (4-1); #11 Scotland (4-1) and #12 Austria (3-2).
Note: The USA, Australia, Canada, England and Wales automatically are seeded 1st through 5th; the top four teams receive byes to Thursday’s Round 2 Quarterfinals.
See the complete bracket chart: CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
View the results of pool play: FINAL POOL STANDINGS
Stifling Defense leads USA to Win over Canada
United States 13 (4-0), Canada 2 (3-1)
The U.S. Women’s National Team leaned on its signature pressure defense to defeat Canada 13-2 in Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup pool play Tuesday. With the win, Team USA (4-0) earns the number one seed in the championship bracket, which begins play Wednesday.
Crysti Foote #18 of Team Canada and Kristen Carr #38 of Team United States battles for the ball. (Photo by Tim Bates / via GDP)
Team USA scored the game’s first eight goals, three of which came from Katrina Dowd while forcing 16 first half turnovers and holding the previously unbeaten Canadian side (3-1) to just two shots in the first frame. Canada’s first goal came with just fifteen seconds remaining in the half on a feed from Megan Takacs to Brooke Eubanks.
Despite losing the draw control battle 11-6, the U.S. was able to pick up 20 ground balls to Canada’s 10 and capitalize off of 26 Canada turnovers. The U.S. defense also limited Canada to just five successful clears on 13 attempts.
Dowd, Team USA’s leading scorer through four games with 23 points (17 g, 6 a), paced all scorers with four goals and one assist, three of which came off of dodges from behind the cage. Sarah Albrecht, Danielle Etrasco and Katie Schwarzmann all contributed two goals each. U.S. defender Amber Falcone was named Player of the Match with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Team USA completed pool play with a perfect 4-0 record. Canada, Australia and England round out the tournament’s top four seeds, respectively. The semifinal round will be contested Friday, with the World Cup gold medal game scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.
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Goals: USA – Dowd 4, Albrecht 2, Etraco 2, Schwarzmann 2, Igoe 1, McFadden 1, Rowan 1; CAN – Eubanks 1, Foote 1.
Assists: USA – Dowd 1, Munday 1, Rowan 1; CAN – A. Friend 1, Takacs 1.
Saves: USA – Huether 2, Wills 1; CAN – Donohoe 8.
Player of the Match – USA’s Amber Falcone
Original report: Stifling Defense leads Team USA to 13-2 Win over Canada
Japan roars back from five goal first half deficit to beat Israel in thrilling overtime showdown
Katie Mazer #4 of Team Israel checks Miho Sugimoto #22 of Team Japan. (Photo by Tim Bates / via GDP)
Japan 12 (5-0), Israel 11 (4-1) in overtime
Player of the Match – Japan’s Yuko Kobori
This much anticipated battle of unbeaten pool leaders did not disappoint as Japan came back from a five goal first half deficit to beat Israel in a thrilling overtime match-up.
After trailing Israel 8-3 at the half, Japan scored six unanswered goals to take an 9-8 lead at 17:01 of the second on a goal by Yuko Kobori off an assist by Saori Hieda. It was back and forth from then on.
First, Israel’s Kimberly Dubansky made it 9-9 less than two minutes later and took the lead 10-9 off a free position shot at 13:04 by Sarah Meisenberg. Four minutes later, Akiko Wada scored goals 41 seconds apart to out Japan back on top 11-10. Then Israel’s Jenna Block scored the final goal in regulation off a feed from Sarah Meisenberg to tie the score 11-11 at 4:44.
Finally, Japan’s Rio Mito won the game at 4:59 in overtime with a goal off an assist by Mai Kemmochi.
Top Japanese scorers: Yuko Kobori (3G-1A), Mai Kemmochi (2G-1A), Akiko Wada (2G-1A), Saori Hieda (1G-3A) and Nanae Iizuka (1G-2A).
Top Israeli scorers: Kimberly Dubansky (4G), Lauren Dykstra (2G) and Sarah Meisenberg (1G-1A).
Israel begins the championship bracket at #10 and will face #7 New Zealand at 15:00 on Field 5. Japan begins its championship quest at #6 and will face #11 Scotland at 14:00 on Field 1.
Marlee Paton #6 of Australia goes for a loose ball. (Photo by Jay Johnston / via Game Day Photography)
Australia 11 (3-1), England 6 (1-3)
Player of the Match – Australia’s Stacey Morlang Sullivan
This much anticipated match-up was tied 2-2 at the midpoint of the first half before Australia netted five unanswered goals to take a 7-2 at the break. In that 10 minute span, Marlee Patton scored a hat trick in less than two minutes and Sonia LaMonica added two more near the end of the half.
It was all the Aussies needed as they protected the lead through a 4-4 second to end the match at 11-6.
Goals: AUS – Marlee Paton 3, Stacey Sullivan 3, Sonia LaMonica 2, Sarah Mollison 1, Cassandra Cursaro 1, Karen Morton 1. ENG – Sophie Brett 1, Sarah Taylor 1, Laura Merrifield 1, Lucy Lynch 1; Keely Watt 1; Rachel Kirchheimer 1.
Assists: AUS – Marlee Paton 2, Sarah Mollison 1, Stacey Sullivan 1. ENG – None.
Caroline Peters #3 of Team Ireland is pursued by the German defense. (Photo by Gary Keys / via GDP)
Germany 18 (2-3), Ireland 6 (3-2)
Player of the Match – Germany’s Laura Koschorek
Germany dominated Team Ireland in this crossover match-up.
Germany GOALS: Anna Blank 3; Laura Koschorek 3; Mareile Kriwall 2; Lisa Neubert 2; Jella Kandziora 2; Jaclyn Au 2; Kristina Schafer 1; Tessa Helf 1; Charlotte Biffar 1; Eva Schulte 1. ASSISTS: Anna Blank 2; Mareile Kriwall 2; Lisa Neubert 2; Kristina Schafer 1.
Ireland GOALS: Caroline Peters 2; Kaitlyn Leidl 1; Schyler Neale 1; Olivia Jackson 1; Devin O’Leary 1. ASSISTS: Kaitlyn Leidl 1.
Catriona Thomson #12 of Team Scotland makes the pass. (Photo by Jay Johnston / via Game Day Photography)
Scotland 22 (4-1), South Korea 2 (1-4)
Player of the Match – Scotland’s Olivia Grant
Scotland overwhelmed South Korea in this crossover match-up on Tuesday.
South Korea GOALS: Grace Son 1; Eunah Choi 1. ASSISTS: None.
Scotland GOALS: Eleanor Bygroves 5; Emily Knight 4; Flora Noble 3; Catriona Thomson 2; Olivia Grant 2; Elizabeth Morris 1; Emma Economou 1; Susan Clark 1; Elizabeth Gill 1; Jodie Rayner 1; Charlotte Bergqvist 1. ASSISTS: Lydia Nicol 2; Eleanor Bygroves 1; Elizabeth Morris 1; Catriona Thomson 1.
MC Holdaway #12 of Team New Zealand tries to protect the ball while being checked by Karen Massop #24 of Team Netherlands. (Photo by Jay Johnston / via Game Day Photography)
New Zealand 20 (4-1), Netherlands 2 (3-2)
Player of the Match – New Zealand’s Sarah Butler
New Zealand earned an impressive win over the Netherlands.
the Netherlands GOALS: Sarah Wyborgh 1; Mieke den Bakker 1. ASSISTS: None.
New Zealand GOALS: Sarah Butler 3; MC Holdaway 3; Clare Stewart-Hunter 3; Lisa Beagley 2; Katie Knaus 2; Kiki Shum 2; Sian Halliwell 1; Victoria Lelo 1; Stacey Wright 1; Briar Tippett 1; Stephanie Eaton 1. ASSISTS: Sarah Butler 3; Lisa Beagley 2; Sian Halliwell 2; Katie Knaus 1; Victoria Lelo 1; Sally Rutherford 1; Kiki Shum 1.
Isabelle Schimek #8 of Team Austria fires on net as #22 Amber Hill of Team Haudenosaunee attempts to make the save. (Photo by Gary Keys / via GDP)
Haudenosaunee 22 (4-1), Austria 2 (3-2)
Player of the Match – Haudenosaunee’s Dana Issacs
The Haudenosaunee proved to be more than the Austrians could handle in this mid-afternoon match-up on Thursday.
Haudenosaunee GOALS: Trenna Hill 7; Stacy Smith 4; Dana Issacs 3; Alie Jimerson 3; Michaela Rich 1; Erin Francis 1; Naomi Walser 1; Dawn Easley 1; Team Haudenosaunee 1. ASSISTS: Dana Issacs 3; Michaela Rich 2; Erin Francis 1; Marissa Haring 1; Trenna Hill 1; Sam Miller 1; Katie Smith 1; Naomi Walser 1.
Austria SCORING: GOALS: Katharina Bierbacher 1; Isabelle Schimek 1. ASSISTS: None.
Evija Roz?te #33 of Team Latvia plays aggressive defense. (Photo by Tim Bates / via GDP)
Finland 6 (1-4), Latvia 4 (0-5)
Player of the Match – Finland’s Laura Jamsen
Finland won a tough defensive battle against Latvia 6-4.
Latvia GOALS: Rachel Lasda 2; Gretchen Lasda 2. ASSISTS: None.
Finland GOALS: Laura Jamsen 2; Tia Baumgartner 2; Sinikka Ijas 1; Elina Kankanen 1. ASSISTS: Sinikka Ijas 1; Mari Lamberg 1; Tiia Oja-Nisula 1.
Carrie Lam #2 of Team Hong Kong is pursued by Team Sweden’s #13 Sara Ekstrand. (Photo by Gary Keys / via GDP)
Hong Kong 11 (1-4), Sweden 8 (0-5)
Player of the Match – Hong Kong’s Keiko Matsumara
Hong Kong picked up its first win in pool play with a victory over Sweden.
Sweden GOALS: Teckla Jackson 4; Ebba Ovren 1; Anna-Klara Nilsson 1; Anneli Jonsson 1; Matilda Nilsson 1. ASSISTS: Ebba Ovren 2; Anna-Klara Nilsson 1.
Hong Kong SCORING: GOALS: Keiko Muramatsu 4; Kinuko Shiotani 2; Carrie Lam 2; Ka Hei Lorrie 1; Wai Kwan Leung 1; Yan Ling Lam 1. ASSISTS: Allison Lee 1; Kinuko Shiotani 1.
