World Lacrosse is celebrating five of the best international lacrosse games in 2024 to close out the year.
The Haudenosaunee and Mexico closed their campaigns at the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship in Hong Kong, China with an offensive eruption, tallying 30 goals total in placement play.
The two teams narrowly missed the playoffs but were in the top-half of the field in scoring offenses and were both capable of going on extended runs with their star attackers.
In the last game of the championship, both teams summoned an extra gear in a battle between PALA rivals to treat fans to a high-flying 16-14 thriller.
Mexico led 4-3 after a back-and-forth first quarter with runs on both sides. Mexico scored first in the second before two Haudenosaunee goals tied the game at 5-5. The Haudenosaunee took a 7-6 lead with under five minutes to play in the half, and after Mexico scored, they snuck in a goal with 10 seconds left. Avery Doran had three goals and an assist in the half.
The Haudenosaunee came out of halftime with renewed energy and reeled off a five goal run in five minutes to lead 13-7, with two goals from Tallis Tarbell.
The Haudenosaunee closed the quarter strong as well with two goals from Doran and one from Tarbell 30 seconds into the fourth period to lead 16-8.
Down eight goals with 14 and a half minutes to play, the result might have seemed like a foregone conclusion, but Mexico caught fire with a six-goal run that was one of the hallmarks of its tournament.
Natali Acosta and Kendall Conrad each scored twice in the run, but the 13th goal came with under two minutes to play and the 14th goal came with a minute to play, as Mexico ran out of time.
Doran was named the player of the match with a crucial seven-goal, one-assist showing.
The Haudenosaunee ended with three wins in Hong Kong, China while Mexico finished with two wins and in 12th place.
Mexico improved three spots from its first appearance at the women’s U20 championship in 2019.
