Levy, six former Tar Heels lead Team USA to World Lacrosse Women's Championship title

With an 11-8 win over Canada, the U.S. captured its fourth-straight World Lacrosse Women's Championship title on Saturday.

Led by UNC women's lacrosse head coach Jenny Levy, the US National Team roster features six former Tar Heels in midfielder Emily Parros (‘13), attacker Molly Hendrick (‘17), goalie Caylee Waters (‘17), midfielder Marie McCool (‘18), midfielder Ally Mastroianni (‘21) and defender Emma Trenchard (‘22).

Heading into bracket play at the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Towson, Maryland, these six players made up eight total North Carolina women’s lacrosse players, current and former, competing at the championship.

In the first round, the United States defeated Hong Kong with ease, winning 21-0. Five former Tar Heels recorded at least one point in the match. McCool led the pack with a hat trick and an assist, while Hendrick scored two goals and Parros netted one. Mastroianni and Trenchard each had an assist. Waters made the sole save of the game for the United States with her and Liz Hogan splitting the goalkeeping duties for the game.  

In the quarterfinals, the U.S. topped Japan, 18-3. McCool had another impressive game, recording two goals and an assist. Mastroianni had a multi-point game of her own with an unassisted goal in the third quarter and an assist on a Sam Apuzzo goal earlier in the match. Hendrick would add a goal with 7:09 left in the game to give the U.S. a 16-3 lead.  

In the semifinals, the United States rolled through Australia, 17-2, with Parros and Hendrick scoring a goal apiece and McCool adding an assist. Waters played the fourth quarter in goal for the U.S., saving three of the four shots she faced.

In the championship round, the U.S. faced a familiar foe in Canada. It was the third-straight time the two nations had met in the championship game.

The United States got out to an early 3-0 lead, thanks to two unassisted goals from McCool and one from Taylor Cummings. The U.S. held onto this early lead for the rest of the game, winning 11-8 to secure its fourth-straight championship and first-ever on home soil.

McCool had a hat trick, tied for the most goals in the game for the United States, while Parros had an assist. McCool finished the tournament with 20 goals and 17 draw controls, making the All-World team for her play in the tournament.

Aside from those representing Team USA, two other Tar Heels showed off their skills at the championship for their respective nations. Rising sophomore defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch represented Canada while rising senior defender Emily Nalls represented England through her dual U.S. and British citizenship.

Canada beat Puerto Rico in the opening round of the championship bracket, 17-6, in a game in which Walker-Welch didn’t play. England beat Wales 11-1 in the opening round, with Nalls assisting Olivia Hompe’s third-quarter goal that brought the score to 6-1. Nalls also picked up two ground balls and won a draw control.  

England cruised past Israel with a 13-5 win in the quarterfinals with Nalls winning four draw controls and causing a turnover. Canada, meanwhile, continued its tournament run with a 15-7 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals, which set up a matchup between Nalls and Walker-Welch in the semifinals.

Canada defeated England, 11-9, in a highly-physical matchup. Walker-Welch won two draw controls and caused a turnover, while Nalls picked up three ground balls and forced two turnovers. 

On Saturday, England faced Australia in the bronze medal game, in which England would take the narrow 8-7 victory after three overtimes. Nalls finished the game with two ground balls, five draw controls and caused a turnover.

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