World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship: Hong Kong like playing at home, England trio say
- Co-captains say support has been hugely exciting and chance to return to ‘amazing’ Mong Kok Stadium motivation to beat Japan in last 8
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England’s three captains said playing in Hong Kong was like having a home crowd, and the trio will be hoping for some raucous support in their World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship quarter-final against Japan on Wednesday.
A 13-8 victory over Ireland on Tuesday leaves one game between England and a return to Mong Kok Stadium, a venue Rachael Ball, one of the three captains who led England to European U21 glory in Prague last July, called “amazing”.
The University of Nottingham student said she was keeping her “finger crossed” they would get to play at the stadium, calling the atmosphere there on the first night “insane”.
Some 2,826 people turned out for the opening ceremony last Thursday, and Hong Kong’s game against Jamaica that followed.
Co-captain Ana Green said it had “felt louder” than during the ELF Women’s U21 Championship.
“The size of the stadium was just something that none of us were used to, and it’s so cool that lacrosse is getting that sort of audience,” she said.
Mille Cant added that she felt the “home” advantage as she was able to have her family and friends out here supporting her.
“To perform on a world stage in Hong Kong, in front of a big crowd, with so many more teams with higher standards, I think it’s just exciting,” she said.
Putting the support, England head coach Vic Alexander said lacrosse, which will be played at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, still lagged behind the likes of athletics, diving and cycling in her native country.
“It would be good if we have more media attention but that’s not the case at this stage.”
England teams have competed in lacrosse over the years, and Alexander’s team are ranked fourth in world, but the gap to the likes of the United States and Canada, which have thriving college competitions, is still quite significant.
“We have some universities that are very high profile in lacrosse, but there’s not enough, which means the actual competition at the university level needs to be improved as well,” Alexander said.
“If we could try and match a system like they have in the US or Canada, I think we would do a lot more to improve our status.”
On Tuesday, the North American teams also learned their opponents for the last eight as the pool stage wrapped up with Japan, England and Wales joining Australia, Canada, Italy, Puerto Rico and the US in the quarter-finals, which will all be played at Football Club.
A comprehensive 34-2 win over Israel means the US will take on Puerto Rico, who demolished Germany 23-2.
Canada, the top seeds, will take on Italy, who were ranked eighth, while Wales’ narrow 8-6 win over the Haudenosaunee in Pool B earned them a clash with Australia.
Japan, meanwhile, closed out Pool D with a 17-2 thrashing of Hong Kong, with the game decided by a 9-0 second half.
The hosts now go into the 13 to 16 placement bracket, and take on Israel on Wednesday, with New Zealand facing Chinese Taipei in the other match.
In the battle to finish inside the top 10, Ireland will face Mexico, and the Haudenosaunee take on China. All those games will be held at Shek Kip Mei.
