England women secured four wins in five games in their first ever competitive international fixtures at the annual ShE-Box event in Radotin, Czechia.
Victories against Finland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, and Canada (WGN) mean England are in a good position ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s Box Championship in Utica, USA in September.
England took on Finland in their opening game and very quickly showed the amount of quality this fledgling side possesses as they overcame an early one goal deficit by hitting eight without reply to blow away the opposition.
Lauren Lewis, who had travelled to Czechia from England without using air travel, scored four goals and firmly established herself as one to watch on the international box lacrosse scene.
England field player and star of The Fly, Laura Beaman, scored two and Lucy Ford, Ellie Racle, and Laura Wright all grabbed one each to see the game out at 9-2.
Later on in a rescheduled match, England played fellow World Championship Pool A competitors Hong Kong and, despite a tough first half, came out on top with Lewis once again impressing, scoring six goals.
Beaman, Fran Parshall, Rosie Bathrust, Hannah Foxcroft, and Tash Gage got their names on the scoresheet too with one goal each.
Another Pool A opponent came up next in Netherlands where England stormed into a 7-1 half-time lead after goals from Ford (x2), Racle (x2), Lewis, Wright, and Bathurst.
England refused to slow in the second half and scored another seven goals to leave Netherlands battered and bruise; Katie Greenwood, Davina Emetulu, Lauren Hurley, Foxcroft, Zara Russell, Esme Breach, and Gage all hit the back of the Netherlands net as the game finished 14-3.
England’s biggest test came in the form of unbeaten Germany who had already swept aside Canada (WGN) and Ireland in their opening two games.
England more than matched their opposition in the first and third quarters but difficult second and fourth quarters saw them finish the game five goals behind, losing 11-6.
There was still chance for England to bounce back from that first defeat of the weekend the following day against Canada (WGN), however.
A tight first half, with England goals from Ford, Alys Johns, and Lewis, ended with Canada (WGN) two goals ahead and the score sitting at 5-3 but a dogged second half performance that saw Ford score her second of the match, Lewis hit two, and Racle add one more took the game to a penalty shoot-out.
Up stepped the unshakeable Beaman who ran direct to goal and feigned to shoot several times before firing into the bottom right-hand corner of the Canada (WGN) net.
The spotlight was on Lucy Mayers in the England goal as Erica Evans stepped up to take her penalty; Evans ran slowly towards goal and hit her shot direct at Mayers who stood firm to keep the ball out.
England’s second penalty was taken by Bathurst who confidently strode towards goal and slammed the ball past the Canada (WGN) goalie.
One final hurdle: if Mayers could keep Canada’s second penalty out, England would claim the victory.
Brianna Trembley headed towards the England goal, taking a wide run up. Mayers kept her body as wide as possible and forced Trembley into a tight angle; Trembley’s shot was fired wide, securing the win for England.
Watch all the action from ShE-Box 2024 HERE.
England Results
England (w) 9-2 Finland (5-2, 4-0)
England scorers: Lauren Lewis (4G), Laura Beaman (2G, 1A), Lucy Ford (1G, 2A), Ellie Racle (1G), Laura Wright (1G), Esme Breach (1A), Katie Greenwood (1A)
Hong Kong 4-11 England (w) (3-3, 1-8)
England scorers: Lauren Lewis (6G), Laura Beaman (1G, 1A), Fran Parshall (1G, 1A), Lucy Ford (2A), Ellie Racle (2A), Rosie Bathurst (1G), Hannah Foxcroft (1G), Tash Gage (1G), Katie Greenwood (1A)
England (w) 14-3 Netherlands (4-0, 3-1, 2-0, 5-2)
England scorers: Lucy Ford (2G, 1A), Ellie Racle (2G, 1A), Lauren Lewis (1G, 2A), Rosie Bathurst (1G, 1A), Laura Wright (1G), Katie Greenwood (1G), Davina Emetulu (1G), Lauren Hurley (1G), Hannah Foxcroft (1G), Zara Russell (1G, 1A), Esme Breach (1G), Tash Gage (1G, 1A), Laura Beaman (1A)
Germany 11-6 England (w) (1-1, 3-1, 1-2, 6-2)
England scorers: Laura Beaman (2G), Hannah Foxcroft (2G), Laura Wright (1G), Lucy Ford (1G), Ellie Racle (1A)
Canada (WGN) 7-8 England (w) (5-3, 2-4, 0-1)
England scorers: Lauren Lewis (3G), Lucy Ford (2G, 2A), Ellie Racle (1G, 1A), Alys Johns (1G), Laura Beaman (1A), Katie Greenwood (1A)
Top Scorers
Lauren Lewis | 16 (14G, 2A)
Lucy Ford | 13 (6G, 7A)
Laura Beaman | 9 (5G, 4A)
Ellie Racle | 9 (4G, 3A)
Hannah Foxcroft | 4 (4G)
Katie Greenwood | 4 (1G, 3A)
Laura Wright | 3 (3G)
Rosie Bathurst | 3 (2G, 1A)
Tash Gage | 3 (2G, 1A)
Esme Breach | 2 (1G,1A)
Fran Parshall | 2 (1G, 1A)
Zara Russell | 2 (1G, 1A)
Davina Emetulu | 1 (1G)
Lauren Hurley | 1 (1G)
Alys Johns | 1 (1G)