The English U20 women’s team have earned a chance of fifth place at the 2024 U20 Women’s Lacrosse World Championship after a 25-4 win against Italy in the play-off game.
The star of the match, as she has been for much of the tournament, was Freya Moody, who scored five goals to take her goal tally to 20. England shared the goals with 12 different scorers, including four goals for Carys Johnson and a hat-trick for Molly Light.
After yesterday’s disappointment in the quarter-final against Japan, England had something to prove and they did so by building a five-goal lead after just eight minutes of play. Moody (2), Mather and Habi Littlehales (2) put England in the lead early on.
Ainsley James reduced the deficit for Italy, but Millie Cant restored England’s five-goal lead before the first quarter.
Three clean sheets early in the second quarter from Johnson, Light and Charlie Bell gave England some comfort at 9-1.
A goal by 16-year-old Grace Connor was sandwiched between two Italian goals; Gabby Chiappetta struck first before Zola LeDonne scored just under five minutes before halftime.
Italy started the third quarter promisingly, scoring their fourth goal of the game through Casey Gilbert. With the score at 10-4, England could have been forgiven for slacking off a little and preparing for a well-deserved match for fifth place.
But the young English team were determined to bounce back from their quarter-final setback and build their confidence, scoring 15 goals in a row in the closing stages of the third and fourth quarters without their opponents being able to do anything to stop them.
Bell, Emma Pearce, Cant, Moody (3), Johnson (3), Light (2), Mather, Lucy Evans, Ellie Martin and Ella Dimbylow all scored 25 points in an impressive scoring streak that secured a clear 25-4 victory and sets up an even more important fifth place match against Puerto Rico tomorrow.
England’s fifth place match can be watched live on World Lacrosse TV HERE from 8am (BST), or you can follow live updates on the England Lacrosse Instagram page HERE.
England 25-4 Italy (6-1, 4-2, 4-1, 11-0)
England scorers: Freya Moody (5 goals), Carys Johnson (4 goals, 1 assist), Molly Light (3 goals, 2 assists), Millie Cant (2 goals, 1 assist), Annie Mather (2 goals, 1 assist), Ella Dimbylow (1 goal, 2 assists), Charlie Bell (2 goals), Habi Littlehales (2 goals), Lucy Evans (1 goal, 1 assist), Grace Connor (1 goal), Ellie Martin (1 goal), Emma Pearce (1 goal).
Best player: Ella Dimbylow.
England’s top points scorers (as of August 22nd)
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Freya Moody | 21 (20G, 1A)
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Annie Mather | 20 (17 years, 3 years)
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Charlie Bell | 14 (9G, 5A)
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Rachael Ball | 13 (11 goals, 2 assists)
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Carys Johnson | 12 (10 goals, 2 assists)
