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© 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
© 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
The United States women’s national team avenged one of its rare defeats in international lacrosse, doubling up Canada 16-8 to win the gold medal at The World Games in Chengdu, China on Monday. Canada had defeated the USA 14-12 in the 2022 edition of this event, but the U.S. led wire-to-wire to complete a dominant run through the tournament field this time around.
The U.S. featured a high-powered offense loaded with the sport’s biggest stars, but on Monday it was goalies Shea Dolce and Taylor Moreno that stole the show. Dolce made 11 first half saves and Moreno closed out the game with nine second half saves, including an epic stop on a 1-on-1 breakaway.
After losing the opening draw, Dolce made a save on Canada’s first possession and U.S. co-captain Marie McCool gave the U.S. the early lead. More momentum went the U.S. team’s way when Canada’s Jordan Dean was issued a red card just over a minute into the game after her shot hit the USA’s Chloe Humphrey. Charlotte North cashed in a power play goal and the U.S. stretched its lead to four goals at 7-3 after Cassidy Weeks scored the final two goals of the opening quarter.
Weeks added two more goals early in the second quarter and the U.S. defense locked things down, allowing just one goal in the quarter to take a 10-4 halftime lead.
Moreno took over in cage in the second half and saved the first three shots she saw to keep Canada at bay. McCool, Sam Apuzzo and North scored the final three goals of the third quarter to stretch the U.S. lead to 14-5 its biggest lead of the game.
Canada scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter, but could get no closer.
The 16 goals was the lowest of the tournament for the U.S., but it still moved the ball well, notching assists on 14 of its goals. McCool led the team with six points (2g, 4a) while Apuzzo (2g, 3a), Kenzie Kent (1g, 4a) and Weeks (4g, 1a) each had five points.
The U.S. team went a perfect 5-0 at the tournament, outscoring its opponents by a 129-50 count. McCool led the team in goals (20) and points (32) and was one of seven USA players to notch at least 20 points in the tournament. Also topping the 20-point mark were North (29 on 16g, 13a), Ellie Masera (26 on 11g, 15a), Kent (22 on 6g, 16a), Izzy Scane (22 on 17g, 5a), Humphrey (21 on 13g, 8a) and Apuzzo (20 on 14g, 6a).
Dolce made 38 saves while allowing 26 goals for a 59.4 save percentage and Moreno made 29 saves while allowing 24 goals for a 54.7 save percentage.
This marked the second gold medal for the U.S. in three appearances at The World Games, but the first in the sixes discipline. The U.S. beat Canada 11-8 in the 2017 World Games in Poland, which was played using a 10v10 field version of the sport. Canada won the sixes competition in 2022.
The U.S. now holds the top ranking in all four major women’s disciplines of the sport led by World Lacrosse. Its senior field team won the 2022 world championship in Towson, Md., its U20 field team won the 2024 world championship in Hong Kong, China and its box team won the 2024 world championship in Utica, N.Y.
In the bronze medal game, Australia won its third straight bronze at The World Games, walking things off on Georgia Latch’s overtime tally for a 13-12 victory over Japan, which was looking for its first medal ever for its senior women’s program.
United States 16, Canada 8
Australia 13, Japan 12 (OT)
Brian Logue has worked at USA Lacrosse since 2000 and is currently the senior director of communications. He saw his first lacrosse game in 1987 - Virginia at Delaware - and fell in love with the sport while working at Washington and Lee University.
