Photo by: USA Lacrosse
World Champions! U.S. Downs Canada for Gold Medal
July 9, 2022 | Women's Lacrosse
TOWSON, Md. – For the fourth-consecutive time – and the first on home soil – the United States has been crowned world champion.
Led by U.S. Women's National Team head coach Jenny Levy, Team USA posted an 11-8 victory over Canada in the gold medal game of the 2022 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship in Towson, Maryland, to finish the tournament undefeated at 8-0.
Now owning nine of 11 titles, the U.S. has been the most dominant team in women's world lacrosse championship history since the event was first held in 1982. The Americans have won 30 straight games and four gold medals dating back to 2009 with its last loss in international competition coming in the 2005 world championship final.
Saturday's win also marked the first time a host country has ever captured the gold medal.
"To see all of them today get this reward is amazing. It has been a true team from the get go," said Levy. "We had all sorts of different adversities and challenges throughout this tournament with weather and delays, but I'm really happy for the players. They're unbelievable role models and they're just first class."
University of North Carolina players impressed throughout their time in Maryland. Marie McCool ('18) led the way for the Tar Heels with three goals against Canada for her fifth hat trick in eight games. She had at least two goals in seven of eight contests to help the U.S. remain undefeated.
McCool totaled 20 goals, four assists, 24 points and 17 draw controls throughout the 11-day championship. It's the second gold medal McCool has earned with Team USA, also clinching the title in 2017 as a rising senior at UNC.
For her efforts, McCool was named to the 2022 All-World Team, joining U.S. teammates Taylor Cummings, Alice Mercer and Kayla Treanor. Cummings was tabbed the Tournament MVP.
For the fourth game in a row, Ally Mastroianni ('21) had a game-high seven draw controls to tie her tournament high. She ranked first on the U.S. roster with 38 draw controls across eight contests – 12 more than the team's second highest – and also added four goals and three assists.
Emily Parros ('13) tallied an assist in the title game, bringing her championship total up to three in addition to her four goals and 16 draw controls. Molly Hendrick ('17) concluded the tournament with eight points from seven goals and an assist.
On the defensive end, Caylee Waters ('17) made 17 saves between the posts in six games while Emma Trenchard ('22) was a key piece of the U.S. defense that allowed an average of just 4.9 goals per game.
The six Carolina players on Team USA's 18-person lineup were the most of any school in the nation.
Rising sophomore defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch earned silver as part of Team Canada, its third-straight championship finishing as the runner-up to Team USA. She recorded two ground balls in the gold medal game against the U.S. to match her own tournament high.
Walker-Welch concluded the championship with two draw controls, three caused turnovers and seven ground balls in six contests for Canada.
Current UNC player Emily Nalls, who is representing England, captured bronze after a triple-overtime 8-7 victory over Australia. A staple of England's defense, she saw action in all eight games and finished the tournament leading the team with six caused turnovers and 11 ground balls.
Nalls also ranked second on England's roster with 18 draw controls, even tallying an assist vs. Wales on July 5. The rising senior recorded a team-high five draw controls in the overtime thriller with Australia for her best single-game total of the championship.
Led by U.S. Women's National Team head coach Jenny Levy, Team USA posted an 11-8 victory over Canada in the gold medal game of the 2022 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship in Towson, Maryland, to finish the tournament undefeated at 8-0.
Now owning nine of 11 titles, the U.S. has been the most dominant team in women's world lacrosse championship history since the event was first held in 1982. The Americans have won 30 straight games and four gold medals dating back to 2009 with its last loss in international competition coming in the 2005 world championship final.
Saturday's win also marked the first time a host country has ever captured the gold medal.
"To see all of them today get this reward is amazing. It has been a true team from the get go," said Levy. "We had all sorts of different adversities and challenges throughout this tournament with weather and delays, but I'm really happy for the players. They're unbelievable role models and they're just first class."
University of North Carolina players impressed throughout their time in Maryland. Marie McCool ('18) led the way for the Tar Heels with three goals against Canada for her fifth hat trick in eight games. She had at least two goals in seven of eight contests to help the U.S. remain undefeated.
McCool totaled 20 goals, four assists, 24 points and 17 draw controls throughout the 11-day championship. It's the second gold medal McCool has earned with Team USA, also clinching the title in 2017 as a rising senior at UNC.
For her efforts, McCool was named to the 2022 All-World Team, joining U.S. teammates Taylor Cummings, Alice Mercer and Kayla Treanor. Cummings was tabbed the Tournament MVP.
For the fourth game in a row, Ally Mastroianni ('21) had a game-high seven draw controls to tie her tournament high. She ranked first on the U.S. roster with 38 draw controls across eight contests – 12 more than the team's second highest – and also added four goals and three assists.
Emily Parros ('13) tallied an assist in the title game, bringing her championship total up to three in addition to her four goals and 16 draw controls. Molly Hendrick ('17) concluded the tournament with eight points from seven goals and an assist.
On the defensive end, Caylee Waters ('17) made 17 saves between the posts in six games while Emma Trenchard ('22) was a key piece of the U.S. defense that allowed an average of just 4.9 goals per game.
The six Carolina players on Team USA's 18-person lineup were the most of any school in the nation.
Rising sophomore defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch earned silver as part of Team Canada, its third-straight championship finishing as the runner-up to Team USA. She recorded two ground balls in the gold medal game against the U.S. to match her own tournament high.
Walker-Welch concluded the championship with two draw controls, three caused turnovers and seven ground balls in six contests for Canada.
Current UNC player Emily Nalls, who is representing England, captured bronze after a triple-overtime 8-7 victory over Australia. A staple of England's defense, she saw action in all eight games and finished the tournament leading the team with six caused turnovers and 11 ground balls.
Nalls also ranked second on England's roster with 18 draw controls, even tallying an assist vs. Wales on July 5. The rising senior recorded a team-high five draw controls in the overtime thriller with Australia for her best single-game total of the championship.
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
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Defender
/ Women's Lacrosse
Defender
/ Women's Lacrosse
Defender
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