OSHAWA, Ontario – The United States dominance in international women’s lacrosse can sometimes lead to lonely moments for USA goalies with the ball at the other end of the field for much of the game. Enter the sixes discipline as the great equalizer.
The U.S. comfortably beat Argentina 34-10 in its opening game at the Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championship, but U.S. goalies Shea Dolce and Taylor Moreno kept plenty busy. Moreno started the game and made 10 saves in the first half – six in the opening quarter alone – while allowing just four goals. Dolce closed things out, making six second half saves.
“With the pace being so fast, and essentially there being equal opportunity of possessions for both teams, I think it’s typically been really nice to maintain that flow a little bit where you’re always seeing the ball on your end of the field,” Moreno said. “I think as a goalie sometimes it can be hard to lock in and stay in that mindset when you’re not seeing the ball that much on your end.”
The strong goaltending for the U.S. was more than complimented by a bevy of offense. Ellie Masera and Madison Taylor scored the first two goals of the game before Argentina’s Mechi O’Neil got her team on the board.
Chloe Humphrey then ripped off three straight goals to ignite a seven-goal run and the U.S. was never threatened again. Humphrey finished with a team-high nine points on six goals and three assists and was named the MVP of the game.
She had plenty of help, led by Ally Kennedy (4g, 4a), Masera (5g, 2a), Marie McCool (2g, 5a), Brigid Duffy (1g, 4a), Emma LoPinto (3g, 2a) and Taylor (5g). All 10 field players had at least one goal and everyone had at least four points.
This was Moreno’s first competitive game since her California Palms team fell to the Maryland Charm in the Women’s Lacrosse League championship game on August 15. It’s been a busy year for Moreno with the WLL’s Championship Series in February using the sixes format, followed by the inaugural season of field lacrosse in the WLL this summer.
“This is the dream – everything we could have asked for in terms of more opportunities to play, more disciplines to play,” Moreno said. “I think that’s been one of the more exciting things, it’s not just one discipline.”
Moreno, a national champion in college at North Carolina, has already won gold medals with the U.S. box team in 2024 and at The World Games for sixes in 2025. Her eyes are currently on helping this sixes squad qualify for the inaugural World Lacrosse Sixes championship next October in Colorado Springs. This continental qualifier is a key step on the journey.
“Any opportunity to get to wear USA across your chest is just an absolute honor,” Moreno said. “For me, I don’t take that opportunity for granted. Being here and being in this group, especially with how small it is, is super meaningful to me. It’s a testament to all of the hard work, not just from myself, but from all the people I’ve had around me, from my teammates to my coaches along the way. I think it’s been really special to step on that field to represent not only myself, but represent them and that path that I’ve had to get here.”
