PETERBOROUGH, Ont. – The United States advanced to its fourth straight International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) Under-19 World Championship final by virtue of its 18-3 semifinal victory Friday over fourth-seeded England at sunny Trent University.

Allyson Carey (Abingdon, Md./John Carroll ’08) was named the player of the match with three goals and an assist for the U.S., which also got four goals from Shaylyn Blaney (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville ‘07/Notre Dame).

The top-seeded U.S. (5-0) will face third-seeded Australia, which defeated second-seeded Canada in the other semifinal, in the gold-medal match Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The U.S. and Australia have met in the three previous U-19 championship games in 1995, 1999 and 2003.

Facing a 1-0 deficit Friday after England’s Laura Merrifield raced the length of the field to score 34 seconds into the match, the U.S. responded with an 8-0 run that featured a relentless zone re-defend.

England (1-3-1) went nearly 17 minutes before getting its next possession and did not have a settled possession until 6:12 remained in the first half.

Kate Newall scored on a free position for England at the 5:16 mark of the first half to cut it to 8-2, but that’s the closest it would get. Carey responded with a free position goal of her own to put the U.S. ahead 9-2 at halftime.

Colleen Magarity (Oreland, Pa./Germantown Academy ‘07/Northwestern) scored on a post-back three and a half minutes into the second half to make it 10-2.

England’s last goal came when Katie Sloane swung a feed off her hip past U.S. goalie Emily Geary (Wayne, Pa./Radnor ‘07/William & Mary) to make it 10-3 at the 26:05 mark.

A minute later, Team USA’s Jordy Kirr (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr ‘07/Georgetown) dished one of her game-high three assists on a quick-stick goal by Blaney, sparking the U.S. to another 8-0 run to close the game.

The U.S. outshot England 44-4.


United States 18, England 3
England 2 1 – 3
United States 9 9 – 18

Goals – E: Katie Sloane, Kate Newall, Laura Merrifield; US: Shaylyn Blaney 4, Allyson Carey 3, Karri Ellen Johnson 2, Shannon Smith 2, Sarah Bullard, Josie Owen, Mia Hurrin, Chelsea Robinson, Virginia Crotty, Emma Hamm, Colleen Magarity.

Assists – US: Jordy Kirr 3, Colleen Magarity 2, Karri Ellen Johnson, Allyson Carey, Emma Hamm.

Saves – E: Catherine Gaunt 17, Alexandra Carnegie-Brown 1.

Shots – E 4, US 44.