The United States extended its golden reign at the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship with a 23-6 win over its rival Canada at Mong Kok Stadium on Saturday evening.
The United States is a back-to-back champion of the women’s U20 championship after winning in 2019, and has taken home six of the eight editions of the event.
The USA completed a dominant campaign in Hong Kong, China with a 7-0 record, 211 goals scored, and just 20 goals allowed.
Attacker Emma LoPinto of the USA earned the Most Valuable Player of the championship. LoPinto had two goals and three assists on the night to finish her seven games with 26 goals and 23 assists, four points more than any other player in Hong Kong.
The USA landed five other players on the World Team in Madison Taylor, Maddie Epke, Lydia Colasante, Kori Edmondson and Shea Dolce.
Canada earned its second silver medal in the championship and its sixth medal overall in eight editions. Canada rolled through its previous six games with dominant wins over top-ten finishers Wales, Italy and Japan and allowed just 10 goals before the gold medal match.
Attackers Jami Macdonald and Avery Morton were named to the World Team.
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Championship Statistical Leaders
The weather had cooled just enough after another steamy afternoon in Hong Kong, but the United States brought another scorching start to Mong Kok Stadium, as has been its modus operandi throughout the tournament.
Canada won the draw control and the teams exchanged a pair of turnovers, but the USA’s gear shift was swift and ruthless from there.
Brigid Duffy scored after 90 seconds, followed by Madison Taylor in under three minutes of game time.
The United States’ crisp passing sequences and finishing were too much to handle, and Emma Muchnick, Taylor and Madison Alaimo made it 5-0 after nine minutes before Emma LoPinto added her first goal three minutes later.
After an unleashed glimpse of its talent, the United States led 7-0 after the first quarter and rolled from there.
Lauren Spence made six first half saves for Canada, but the Americans kept coming, in part due to Maddie Epke’s unrivaled worked on the draw control against Beth Anderson, who had been dominant for Canada in its prior six games. Epke won 10 of 15 draws in the first half.
Canada found some attacking answers in the second half with five goals, as standout attacker Jami Macdonald notched a hat trick.
But the USA parade kept coming and after Canada cut it to 10 to start the fourth quarter, the USA stamped another signature win with a 7-0 run to close the game.
Madison Taylor amassed six goals and two assists while LoPinto recorded two goals and three assists. Madison Alaimo notched three goals and one assist.
Brigid Duffy led the USA with two caused turnovers and added two goals and an assist.
Shea Dolce made two key saves in the first half.
Both Jami Macdonald and Avery Morton scored hat tricks in the final for Canada. Beth Anderson won eight draw controls and goalkeeper Lauren Spence made 11 saves in another strong display in net.
LoPinto led the American star-studded attack throughout their campaign with 26 goals and 23 assists. Madison Taylor finished with 35 goals and 10 assists. Both were named to the World Team.
Maddie Epke was the best midfielder on draw controls in the entire tournament and finished with an astounding 82% win rate, winning 155 of 188 draws and corralling 110 of them herself. She was one of two midfielders on the World Team.
Lydia Colasante finished with 10 ground balls and seven caused turnovers, and Kori Edmondson did her part had four caused turnovers and 12 ground balls, and added three goals and two assists as well. Both helped the United States’ aggressive defensive scheme suffocate opposing teams throughout the championship and were named to the World Team.
Goalkeeper Shea Dolce made the World Team as well and backstopped the United States’ top scoring defense.
For Canada, Jami Macdonald and Avery Morton led the prolific offense with 35 points for Macdonald and 28 points for Morton, who both finished on the World Team.
Beth Anderson was outstanding on draw controls herself for Canada with 124 wins on 169 draws, snaring 109 herself.
Goalkeeper Lauren Spence impressed whenever called upon to bolster Canada’s defense with 28 saves and a save percentage nearing 50 percent.
