SPARKS, Md. — The U.S. women’s lacrosse team needed a half to figure things out against Canada on Friday in the Team USA Fall Classic.
Once the Americans did, they rolled to a 16-4 victory thanks to a dominant final 30 minutes at US Lacrosse Headquarters.
Taylor Cummings won eight draw controls on the night to go with two goals and an assist, and Kylie Ohlmiller scored all four of her goals in the second half for the United States, which shot 12 of 14 after the break.
“I think we can come from a tight half and really turn on the jets and explode from the second half onward,” Cummings said. “I think we were playing a little looser, a little freer, and we just had a little more fun. I think we were a little tight and tense at the beginning of the first half, and the second half we just played and let loose and that’s when we play our best.”
Sam Apuzzo had four assists, and Dempsey Arsenault, Emily Hawryschuk and Marie McCool each scored twice in the first meeting between the countries since the summer of 2017 when the U.S. swept the World Lacrosse and the International World Games championships.
Liz Hogan (seven saves) and Caylee Waters (three saves) split time in goal for the United States, which never trailed.
“It’s just exciting to get out there and play a different team in the international rules with international competition,” U.S. head coach Jenny Levy said. “I’m really excited about the momentum we had. First and second half, we took the same amount of shots. We just didn’t capitalize on as many in the first half. The second half we just got rolling.”
The game was the opener of a packed weekend in the Fall Classic. Both teams will face defending NCAA champion Maryland on Saturday morning, and the USA Select U15 and U17 teams will meet counterparts from Ontario both of the next two days.
The United States and Canadian national teams will play again Sunday under World Lacrosse trial rules.
The first half Friday was tight as both teams tried to settle in. Kayla Treanor gave the U.S. the lead for good late in the first quarter to make it 2-1, and Ally Kennedy’s score off a rebound of a free position shot and Apuzzo’s lone goal made it 4-1.
However, Canada managed back-to-back goals in the final five minutes of the first half. Bianca Chevarie scored an unassisted goal with 4:50 remaining in the second quarter, and Erica Evans scored the first of her two goals off a slick feed from Holly Lloyd to pull the Canadians within 4-3.
“It was a really great effort,” Cummings said. “Canada is a fantastic team, and it’s always great competition. We haven’t seen each other in two years, so you’re kind of feeling each other out.”
The U.S. had nearly every answer it needed after the break. Arsenault and McCool both scored in the first two minutes of the half, and Ohlmiller responded to an Evans goal by depositing a shot off an Alice Mercer feed to make it 7-4.
KYLIE OHLMILLER. SIDEARM. TOP SHELF.
— U.S. Women's National Team (@USAWLax) October 18, 2019
Watch out folks, @kylieohlmiller is heating up. pic.twitter.com/NrOTmBdYUr
Canada called timeout to regroup, but Cummings won the ensuing draw control to set up a 30-second possession capped by Hawryschuk’s first goal. The Americans would tack on three more goals to take a 11-4 lead into the final quarter.
The United States remained sharp in the fourth, making all five of its shots --- including Ohlmiller’s off-balance shot off an Apuzzo pass.
Canada shot 4 of 18 for the game, including 1 of 7 in the second half.
“I just felt like we scored in a lot of different ways and we made stops defensively in a lot of different ways and a lot of different situations,” Levy said. “We got out of a man-down situation. I thought there were a lot of different elements within the game that showed up that we handled really well with a lot of different players.”