The 2023 Women’s Super Sixes Lacrosse Championship concluded in Oshawa on Sunday, with a thrilling Gold Medal game that saw the United States defeat Canada in a nail-biting showdown, the first meeting between the two squads since their clash at The World Games 2022.
Alongside Canada and the USA, the tournament, hosted by Lacrosse Canada, also featured women’s national teams from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Kenya.
The championship game had fans on the edge of their seats as Team Canada and Team USA battled fiercely for the gold. Canada led the game 6-3 at halftime, but the United States mounted a remarkable comeback in the second half, eventually securing a narrow 8-7 victory.
The victory was particularly sweet for the United States, as it avenged its loss to Canada in the gold medal game at The World Games 2022 when Canada claimed its first senior women’s gold medal with a score of 14-12.
Both teams fielded rosters filled with international talent. Canada featured key players from its gold-medal-winning squad, including Dana Dobbie, Lauren Spence, Brooklyn Walker-Welch and Peterborough native Erica Evans. Additionally, Alex Matsuoka, Shonly Wallace and Peterborough’s Skylar McArthur, who were part of the team that secured victory at the 2022 Super Sixes, made a return.
The United States’ roster boasted nine Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse players, including Dempsey Arsenault, Lizzie Colson, Ally Mastroianni, Marge Donovan, and Sam Swart, who had previously won gold and silver medals at the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship and The World Games 2022.
Earlier in the day, the Haudenosaunee team secured the bronze medal by defeating Kenya by a score of 21-4. The Haudenosaunee roster featured seven players who had competed in The World Games 2022, with Lois Garlow, Fawn Porter, Jalyn Jimerson, and goalkeeper Paige Crandall leading the way.
Kenya, returning to international women’s lacrosse competition for the first time since 2019, showcased a roster of eager players, including standout Mackline Osaji, who had previously competed in the women’s U19 championship in Peterborough.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
