Blues and Hampstead announce squads ahead of 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup

Blues and Hampstead have announced their squads as they look to be named the best teams in Europe at the 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup over the weekend.

Both squads are packed full of world-class players with the reigning women’s champions, Blues, naming a 13-player squad boasting talents such as Miho Sakurai, Jane Lee, and Izzy Middleton.

Hampstead, who finished third in 2023, take a 20-strong squad to Catalonia as they look to back up their National Club Championship victory with a first Ken Galluccio Cup title since 2019.

Blues have been drawn in Group A alongside Oslo (Norway), Wettingen Wild (Switzerland), and Madrid Osos (Spain) while Hampstead will play a round robin competition against Hamburg Warriors, Oslo Saints, Amsterdam Lions, and Olsen Saints; both competitions will move into a knockout stage following the first round of action.

Starting tomorrow (Friday 6 September) in Barcelona, Spain, the Ken Galluccio Cup was originally named the Champions Cup before being renamed as a tribute to its creator after his death in 2009 and is the largest European lacrosse tournament featuring the best teams from all over the continent.

Fans looking to cheer on the English teams from home can watch every second of action live on Spain Lacrosse’s newly launched YouTube channel HERE.

Hampstead

1 Brian Vandenbossche
2 Vasilios Fokas
3 Jim Parry
4 Carl Klepper
5 Declan Mulholland
6 Bo Fischer
7 Ted Kapp
9 Bubba Wallace
10 Miles Blair
11 Owen Caputo
12 Chris Tully
16 Matt Sheinfeld
17 Aidan Turner
18 Eddy Roberts
20 Will Pickett
37 James Devine
51 John Sirisuth
58 Mason Gorman
61 Zac Guy
74 Cole Palmby

Schedule (all times BST)

Friday 6 September

11:10am | Hamburg Warriors v Hampstead
1:10pm | Oslo Saints v Hampstead
3:50pm | Hampstead v Amsterdam Lions
4:30pm | Hampstead v Olsen Saints

Saturday 7 September

9:50am | Hampstead v Milano Painkillers
12:30pm | Hampstead v Madrid Osos

Squads

Blues

2 Miho Sakurai
4 Emily Thompson
7 Jane Lee (C)
12 Maeve McKenny
14 Pippa Lloyd
15 Sophie Beane
17 Bex Jordache
18 Flora MacPherson
22 Chloe Wyner
23 Darcy Bance
54 Harriett Mann
88 Izzy Middleton
99 Mimi Painting

Schedule (all times BST)

Friday 6 September

9am | Blues v Oslo
3pm | Blues v Wettingen Wild

Saturday 6 September

9am | Blues v Madrid Osos

37th Bath Eights to take place on Saturday

The 37th Bath Eights tournament is set to take place this Saturday 7 September with over 55 teams from all over the country taking part.

Taking place at Bath’s Odd Down Sports Fields, reigning men’s champions Mellor will be back searching for a fourth title while 2023 women’s winners Cirencester will return looking to become the first team to win back-to-back women’s titles at the seventh edition of the competition.

After holding its first event in 1986, the men’s Bath Eights tournament quickly established itself as the lacrosse season opener with teams from north, south, east, and west taking part.

Teams from the north of the country have traditionally fared best in the men’s competition with 33 of the 37 titles going to teams from that region.

In 2017, a women’s tournament was also introduced, which has since proven a hugely competitive competition, with no team winning the title twice with Stockport (2017), Bristol Bombers (2018), Bath University (2019), Godolphin School (2021), Wilmslow (2022), and Cirencester (2023) all picking up the women’s trophy since its inception.

Women’s Teams

Bath
Bristol Bombers
Cambridge City
Camden Capybaras
Cardiff Harlequins
Cheltenham Cougars
Cheltenham Ladies’ College
Cirencester
City of Stoke
Derby Hurricanes
Guildford Gators
Nuneaton
Oxford Brookes University
Phoenix
RAF/UK Armed Forces
Reading
Reigate
Sheffield Hallam University
Sherborne Girls’ School
Sherborne Girls’ School 2nds
Southampton
Stowe School
Welwyn
Wilmslow
York Vikings (ViQueens)

Men’s Teams

Bath
Bristol Bombers
Cambridge City
Camden Capybaras
Cardiff Harlequins
Cardiff Harlequins (The Leftovers)
Cheadle
Cheadle Coffin Dodgers
Cheltenham Cougars
City of Stoke
Derby Hurricanes
Durham University
Exeter University
Guildford Gators
Hitchin
Keele University Alumni (Los Ocelots)
Leicester Boars
London Purley Raptors
Loughborough University Alumni
Lancaster University Alumni (Purple Moose)
Mellor
Nuneaton
RAF/UK Armed Forces
Reading
Richmond
Sheffield Hallam University
University of Bath
University of Leeds
University of Plymouth
Welwyn
Wilmslow
York Vikings (Team Odin)
York Vikings (Team Thor)

Annabelle Akintoye named first Black Woman to captain England

Annabelle Akintoye has been named the first Black Woman to captain England in any format of lacrosse at a major tournament after being selected as the England women’s box lacrosse team captain ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships.

Taking place from 20-29 September, Akintoye will make history by leading England into the first ever Women’s Box World Championship, running concurrently alongside the sixth edition of the men’s competition, in Utica, New York, USA.

Akintoye, along with fellow defender Davina Emetulu, will also become the first Black Women to represent England at a major tournament.

Akintoye has been a part of the England squad since the very first 44-player training squad was announced back in November last year and featured for England in their first competitive games at the ShE-Box event in April.

During that event, Akintoye played three times before getting injured as England picked up four wins from their five games against Finland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Germany, and Canada (WGN).

After first picking up a lacrosse stick at Queen Anne’s School when she was just 11 years old, Akintoye had a successful playing career at school before playing for Swansea University  while studying for her undergraduate degree.

From Swansea, she moved further north to the University of York where she continued to play before moving into club lacrosse in 2020 when she joined Spencer.

After two years at Spencer, Akintoye hopped across London to Camden Capybaras and took up the captaincy for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons; ahead of the 2024/25 season, Akintoye has been appointed as the Camden Capybaras Vice Chair.

With less than three weeks to go until England take to the floor against Hong Kong, China in their first match at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships, Akintoye says she cannot wait for the tournament to begin.

“It is an absolute honour and a privilege to not only be part of the inaugural women’s World Lacrosse Box Championships, but also to go as the first Black Woman to captain an England Lacrosse team in any format.

“It is no small feat being the first to do anything, but I can’t wait to step on the floor with Laura Beaman, Lucy Ford and the team, and show the world what we’re made of!”

Akintoye will be assisted by Beaman and Ford, who have been selected as captain alternates during the World Lacrosse Box Championships.

North West's Referee's Trophy schedule revealed

The schedule for the annual Referee’s Trophy has been revealed by the North West Lacrosse Association (NWLA) with four games throughout the day.

Taking place on Sunday 6 October 2024 at Wilmslow Lacrosse Club, the day will feature three Lancashire v Cheshire matches in U15 boys, U17 boys, and senior women age groups before a battle for the senior men’s Referee’s Trophy between Stockport and Heaton Mersey.

The aim of the Trophy is to raise money to aid the development of referees in the north of England by charging an entry fee to spectators.

Adult tickets are £5 with concessions costing £2 and there is also the option to purchase a family ticket (two adults, two children) at £12.

Stockport are the reigning champions after a 16-10 victory over Cheadle in the 2023 competition; in that competition Lancashire beat Cheshire 12-11 in the U15 match while Cheshire defeated Lancashire 12-10 in the U17 game.

The scheduled women’s match was cancelled due to one of the teams being unable to field a team.

Schedule

11am | Lancashire v Cheshire (U15)
12pm | Lancashire v Cheshire (U17)
1pm | Lancashire v Cheshire (senior women)
2pm | Referee’s Trophy | Stockport v Heaton Mersey (senior men)

England Lacrosse men's U20 performance programme to host assessment day

The England Lacrosse men’s performance programme is seeking eligible players to attend an assessment day to be considered for inclusion in the programme for the 2024/25 season.

Held alongside current members of the programme, some of which featured for the England side that finished second at the 2024 ELF Men’s U20 Championship in July, the assessment day will take place on Saturday 14 September with further details of venue and timings to be sent once registration has been completed.

The England Lacrosse men’s U20 performamce programme operates on a 12-month training cycle and, following this summer’s Euros, is reviewing its training group ahead of the new season.

The programme trains regularly over the course of the season, usually one weekend a month, including some residential trips, along with a number of online sessions.

Out of season, during the spring and summer months, there is often increased contact time, and while the programme allows for academic commitments, there is also an expectation of time management to incorporate the demands of the U20 programme.

The programme is populated by players who are considered to possess the potential to represent England at senior international level in the future and presents the opportunity for players to deepen their understanding of a performance environment, challenge their capabilities on and off the field, and gain valuable international experience through competition exposure.

A further remit of the programme is the responsibility to select squads to represent the England U20 men’s team at events such as Home Internationals as well as European and World Championships with the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship taking place in August next year in Korea.

Following the initial assessment day on 14 September, players who are assessed to be of the standard required will be asked to a further assessment day on Sunday 15 September ahead of potential inclusion in the England Lacrosse men’s U20 programme for the 2024/25 season.

To take part in the assessment day, players must be at least 16 years of age on 14 August 2025 and under 20 years of age on 31 August 2024 while also meeting World Lacrosse eligibility criteria to represent England in international competition.

To register for the assessment day, please complete the registration form below and make a payment of £30 by bank transfer to the following account:

English Lacrosse
Nat West Bank
Account Number: 1554 8171
Sort Code: 01 08 81

Please use reference MU20ASS_surname on your payment.

USA Lacrosse Experience schedule revealed

British Lacrosse’s men’s and women’s team have discovered the timings of their matches at the inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience after the schedule was released last week.

Both teams will take on Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the USA over Friday 10 and Saturday 11 October in a Sixes Lacrosse competition as part of the first ever USA Lacrosse Experience.

Taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana, the USA Lacrosse Experience aims to showcase the best of the Olympic sixes version of lacrosse to fans of all ages and abilities.

The competition will showcase the new sixes discipline that will be used in the LA28 Olympics; Sixes Lacrosse is a fast-paced version of the sport played on a smaller field, with fewer players, a condensed game length, and a 30-second shot clock.

The USA Lacrosse Experience will mark the first competition for the British Lacrosse men’s and women’s teams since the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Both men’s and women’s teams for the competition will be selected in due course from the wider 2024/2025 British Lacrosse squads announced last month.

British Lacrosse Schedule (all times BST)

Friday 11 October

2pm | Puerto Rico v British Lacrosse | Men
3:15pm | Puerto Rico v British Lacrosse | Women
8:30pm | Colombia v British Lacrosse | Men
9:45pm | Colombia v British Lacrosse | Women

Saturday 12 October

11:30pm | USA v British Lacrosse | Women

Sunday 13 October

1:00am | USA v British Lacrosse | Men

Former lacrosse player falls short of Paralympic final

Former lacrosse player Issy Bailey fell short of a first Paralympic final as she went out at the qualification stage of the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 Rapid/Precision event.

Bailey, a former pupil at Rendcomb College, scored 281 in the Rapid event and 276 in the Precision event to leave her with a final score of 557, in 19th place and just 12 points from qualification.

The SH1 classification of shooting means athletes are able to support their firearm without assistance.

The 2024 Paralympic Games marks Bailey’s third consecutive Paralympic appearance after previously competing at the 2020 Tokyo and 2016 Rio Games.

In 2016, she missed out on a spot in the final by five points after finishing in 14th place in qualification while in 2020 she competed in both the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 and P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 events finishing 18th and 21st respectively.

Initially a talented hockey player, Bailey first picked up a lacrosse stick aged 13 when it was the spring term sport at her new school.

She took to the new sport amazingly well, making Rendcomb’s first team, where she won a school’s competition, before securing a spot on the county team.

After a vehicle collision in 2013 left her with a spinal cord injury, however, Bailey left hockey and lacrosse behind and took up pistol shooting during her recovery at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Border City's annual Eights competition returns this September

The fourth annual Border Eights competition will take place on 14 September at Border City’s Cotehill Sports Ground, Cumbria with team registration open now.

Consisting of one men’s rules tournament, Border Eights is part of Border City’s drive to provide more high level lacrosse competition in the very north of England ahead of the new 2024/25 season.

The tournament is perfect for clubs looking to enjoy some pre-season fun, with a whole range of players and teams taking part from those brand new to the sport to those more experienced.

Seven teams took part in the 2023 edition with Newcastle University claiming their first title after a 5-1 victory over two-time winners Edinburgh City.

Carlisle’s first lacrosse club, Border City, was founded in 2019 and has grown from humble beginnings to where it is today, supporting a men’s, a women’s, and a junior team.

The club was set up by a group of ex-players who became frustrated by the lack of opportunities to play lacrosse in Carlisle and across Cumbria as a whole.

Teams wanting to take part in the Border Eights competition can register by emailing cumbrialax@gmail.com and entry per team costs £125; catering will be available on the day and there is also the option to camp on site for those travelling from afar.

Keep up to date with all things Border Eights and Border City Lacrosse Club by following them on Facebook and Instagram. 

Registration open for 2024 Compton Cup

The 2024 Compton Cup will take place at the Spencer Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday 14 September with team registration now open, hosts Spencer Lacrosse Club has announced.

With matches starting at 9:30am, there will be one women’s and one men’s tournament with the potential for a mixed competition to run concurrently should the numbers allow.

All competitions at the 2024 Compton Cup will showcase the eight-a-side version of lacrosse that is also played at the annual Bath Eights tournament with a maximum squad size of 12 players.

Food and drink will be available on the day for both players and spectators with Northern Soul pitching up their kit stall as well.

Held annually, the Compton Cup is one of a host of pre-season tournaments that take place across the country every year.

Last year’s ninth edition saw 14 men’s teams, 11 women’s teams, and three mixed teams take part with Hawks, Spencer 2s, and Cambridge University taking home the respective women’s, men’s, and mixed titles.

Originally called Spencer Day, the Compton Cup brings together teams from all over the country in a huge celebration of lacrosse.

Registration costs £165 for one team or, if registering more than one team, £145 per team.

For enquiries, please contact comptoncup24@gmail.com.

Former lacrosse player, Issy Bailey, to make third Paralympic appearance

Former lacrosse player turned pistol shooter, Issy Bailey, will make her third consecutive appearance at the Paralympic Games in Paris, France this week after being selected to represent Team GB earlier this year.

Bailey, a former pupil at Rendcomb College, will once again compete in the P3 pistol shooting event meaning she’ll take on a mix-gendered field from a 25m distance with a .22 pistol.

Bailey’s event falls under the SH1 classification of shooting which means athletes are able to support their firearm without assistance.

Initially a talented hockey player, Bailey first picked up a lacrosse stick aged 13 when it was the spring term sport at her new school.

She took to the new sport amazingly well, making Rendcomb’s first team, where she won a school’s competition, before securing a spot on the county team.

After a vehicle collision in 2013 left her with a spinal cord injury, however, Bailey left hockey and lacrosse behind and took up pistol shooting during her recovery at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Since then, Bailey’s rise to the top has been nothing short of meteoric and, in 2016, she competed at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she finished 14th, narrowly missing out on the final, and a chance to win a medal, by just five points.

At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Bailey was Team GB’s sole shooting representative when she competed in both the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 and P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 events finishing 18th and 21st respectively.

This year, as Bailey takes to the field in Paris, France, the 30-year-old will once again be the only shooting representative for Great Britain.

Watch Issy Bailey in action on Monday 2 September on Channel 4 from 8am.

Schedule (2 September)

8am | Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 | Precision Qualification
12pm | Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 | Rapid Qualification
3:45pm | Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 | Finals

Registration now open for 2024/2025 University Aspire Programme

Registration is now open for the second year of the England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme with two assessment days in October and November for men’s and women’s players.

The England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme aims to identify athletes who are not currently a part of any England Lacrosse programmes but have the potential to progress into the England Lacrosse Perform Programme.

And, for the first time, England Lacrosse is searching for both men’s and women’s athletes, meaning the programme is now open to anyone and everyone who shows exceptional athletic potential within the university setting.

Athletes don’t need to be expert lacrosse players to apply to the University Aspire Programme, they simply need the speed, agility, strength, and determination to excel in the sport.

To identify possible University Aspire Programme athletes, England Lacrosse is hosting two assessment days: the first at Bath University’s Odd Down Sports Ground on Sunday 27 October and the second at Nottingham Trent University on Sunday 10 November.

Each assessment day will include men’s and women’s sessions lasting approximately two and a half hours each with lacrosse coaching from experienced coaches from within the England Perform Programme.

Once an initial training group has been formed from those who have been assessed, the University Aspire Programme will meet to train four times per year between December and April/May.

The squad will be run parallel to the England men’s and women’s national performance squads and will work towards the selection of a squad for an annual European tour in July 2025.

At the end of the first year of the University Aspire Programme, the 2024 cohort travelled to Portugal and took part in the Lisboa Cup where they played against teams from all over Europe, eventually finishing fourth.

Please note, registration for the England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme costs £30 and any players who were part of last year’s programme will need to attend an assessment day to be considered for the 2024/2025 season.

Assessment Days

Sunday 27 October
Bath, Odd Down Sports Ground
Men's Assessment | 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Women's Assessment | 3:30pm - 6:00pm

Sunday 10 November
Nottingham Trent University
Men's Assessment | 11:00am - 1:30pm
Women's Assessment | 2:30pm - 5:00pm

England U20 women fall agonisingly short of 5th place after defeat to Puerto Rico

The England U20 women’s team fell agonisingly short of a fifth-place finish at the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship after a 16-13 defeat to Puerto Rico in their final match.

Freya Moody once again showed her huge quality, scoring six goals and taking her tally for the tournament to 26, with Carys Johnson scoring a hat-trick, Rachael Ball hitting a brace, and single goals from Molly Light and Annie Mather.

Puerto Rico, fresh off the back of a huge 23-2 play-off win over Wales yesterday, started with intent, storming to a five-goal lead with just seven minutes on the clock after goals from Victoria Rankin, Karina Herrera (2), Hannah Lewis, and Maya Maldonado.

From here, England composed themselves and hit back with two goals in quick succession from Johnson.

Another goal for Puerto Rico by Isabella Henson-Vendrell from a free-position at the start of the second quarter was followed by a third for England through Mather before Herrera scored her hat-trick goal to put Puerto Rico 7-3 up.

With 10 minutes to go in the half, England kicked on, scoring three without reply as Ball hit two and Moody added her name to the scoresheet to make the score 7-6 going into the half-time break.

Head Coach Vic Alexander’s words to the players at the interval must have been to continue doing whatever they were doing as England found themselves ahead for the first time in the match early in the third quarter after goals from Johnson and Light.

Puerto Rico have been fairly prolific throughout the tournament, scoring 87 goals in their six games before this one, and they wouldn’t give England a moment to settle as Herrera scored two more goals to put her team back in front at 9-8.

Moody levelled up once again for England from a free-position but, with 30-seconds to go in the third quarter, Puerto Rico put themselves in the driving seat as Hannah Lewis scored their 10th.

Lewis began the fourth quarter as she had ended the third and scored Puerto Rico’s 11th of the game which was followed closely by goals from Maldonado, Lucia Nash, and Herrera to put their team ahead by five with just under 10 minutes to go.

With England looking like they’d have to settle for sixth-place, Moody turned the after-burners on to score four goals in as many minutes and put England within three goals of Puerto Rico but it turned out to be too little too late and the team from North America secured a 16-13 victory and the fifth-place finish.

Re-watch all of England’s seven games on World Lacrosse TV HERE.

Puerto Rico 16-13 England (2-5, 4-2, 3-3, 4-6)

England scorers: Freya Moody (6G), Carys Johnson (3G), Rachael Ball (2G), Annie Mather (1G), Molly Light (1G), Grace Connor (1A).

MVP: Karina Herrera (Puerto Rico

England top points scorers

1. Freya Moody | 27 (26G, 1A)

2. Annie Mather | 21 (18G, 3A)

3. Rachael Ball | 15 (13G, 2A)

4. Carys Johnson | 15 (13G, 2A)

5. Charlie Bell | 14 (9G, 5A)

2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship Final Standings

1. USA

2. Canada

3. Japan

4. Australia

5. Puerto Rico

6. England

7. Wales

8. Italy

9. China

10. Ireland

11. Haudenosaunee

12. Mexico

13. Israel

14. Chinese Taipei

15. New Zealand

16. Hong Kong, China

17. Scotland

18. Korea

19. Germany

20. Jamaica

England U20 women earn spot in World Championship 5th-place match

The England U20 women’s team earned themselves a shot at finishing in fifth place at the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship after a 25-4 victory against Italy in their play-off match.

Freya Moody, as has been the case for much of this tournament, was the star of the show, hitting five goals and taking her tally to 20. England shared the goals around with 12 different scorers, including four goals for Carys Johnson and a hat-trick for Molly Light.

After disappointment in yesterday’s quarter-final against Japan, England had a point to prove and prove it they did, firing themselves into a five-goal lead with just under eight minutes gone in the game; Moody (2), Mather, and Habi Littlehales (2) putting England in the driving seat early on.

Ainsley James pulled one back for Italy but Millie Cant restored England’s five-goal cushion before quarter-time.

Three goals without reply at the start of the second quarter from Johnson, Light, and Charlie Bell allowed England some comfort with the score at 9-1.

A goal from 16-year-old Grace Connor was sandwiched between two Italy goals; Gabby Chiappetta striking first before Zola LeDonne grabbed one just over five minutes from half-time.

Italy started the third quarter brightly, hitting their fourth goal of the match through Casey Gilbert and, with the score sat at 10-4, England could have been forgiven for easing off and preparing for a well-earned fifth-place match.

But this young England team was determined to put in a good performance and build their confidence after the quarter-final set-back and they went on a 15-goal streak through the back end of the the third quarter and throughout the fourth without any reply from the opposition.

Bell, Emma Pearce, Cant, Moody (3), Johnson (3), Light (2), Mather, Lucy Evans, Ellie Martin, and Ella Dimbylow all scored in an impressive 25-minute scoring spree that ensured a big 25-4 victory and sets up an even bigger fifth-place match against Puerto Rico tomorrow.

England’s fifth-place match can be watched live on World Lacrosse TV from 8am (BST) HERE or you can follow live updates on the England Lacrosse Instagram page HERE.

England 25-4 Italy (6-1, 4-2, 4-1, 11-0)

England scorers: Freya Moody (5G), Carys Johnson (4G, 1A), Molly Light (3G, 2A), Millie Cant (2G, 1A), Annie Mather (2G, 1A), Ella Dimbylow (1G, 2A), Charlie Bell (2G), Habi Littlehales (2G), Lucy Evans (1G, 1A), Grace Connor (1G), Ellie Martin (1G), Emma Pearce (1G).

MVP: Ella Dimbylow.

England top points scorers (as of 22 August)

1. Freya Moody | 21 (20G, 1A)

2. Annie Mather | 20 (17G, 3A)

3. Charlie Bell | 14 (9G, 5A)

4. Rachael Ball | 13 (11G, 2A)

5. Carys Johnson | 12 (10G, 2A)

Dates for 2025 E-Box and ShE-Box Invitationals announced

The 2025 E-Box and ShE-Box Invitationals will take place from 2 - 5 May at LCC Radotin in Prague, Czechia, the event organisers have announced.

Taking place slightly later than usual due to the Easter bank holiday weekend (18 - 21 April), the 2025 E-Box and ShE-Box Invitationals will once again welcome teams from all over Europe to gain experience playing high-level box lacrosse.

Because of the Easter weekend, the Aleš Hřebeský Memorial tournament that usually immediately follows E-Box/ShE-Box will also be moved, taking place the weekend before.

Founded in 2015, the annual E-Box Invitational aims to provide international box lacrosse teams with the opportunity to play full, competitive games against various opponents from across the continent outside of major international tournaments.

There are no winners, no points, and no trophies with the goal being the games themselves as well as gaining experience and making new friends.

England has entered a team into the E-Box competition at three of the past four editions (2019, 2023, 2024).

In 2022, a women’s event, entitled ShE-Box, was introduced with five teams from across Europe taking part and in 2023 the first ever English team, SBL Ravens, entered; 2024 saw England’s first ever women’s national side enter where they won four of their five games.

Previous editions of the event have been live streamed and can be re-watched HERE.

England U20 women fall to quarter-final defeat against Japan

The England U20 women’s team progressed to the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship play-offs after a 12-6 quarter-final defeat to Japan.

A promising first half with goals from Annie Mather (2), Freya Moody, and Carys Johnson saw England go toe to toe with an excellent Japan team but a slower second half from the women in red saw them fall to a second defeat to Japan in three days.

“We’re going to come out fighting really hard” is what England attacker Mather had told the nation yesterday and she stood by her word as she put England two goals to the good after just three and a half minutes.

Another four minutes of resolute defending followed before Japan’s quality began to show as they hit three without reply to end the first quarter; Haruka Takeuchi (2) and Negai Nakazawa putting their team 3-2 up.

Not to be swayed so easily, Moody hit her 15th goal of the tournament from a free position to get England back on level terms.

But Japan were the team in the ascendency and Nakazawa scored her second of the match to put her side a goal ahead at 4-3.

50 seconds from the half-time whistle, however, Johnson embodied the collective determination of this young England U20 team by scoring their fourth to ensure England went in at the break on level terms.

A fast start to the third quarter from Japan saw them pull two goals ahead for the first time through Miu Kimura and Hinako Ono before Mather scored her hat-trick goal to keep England within touching distance at 6-5.

Two more Japan goals, this time from Ayame Mizuno and Yuka Kawase, saw England’s opposition finish the third quarter three goals ahead at 8-5.

Rachael Ball tried to get the ball moving for England again early in the fourth with a goal after 49 seconds but it wasn’t to be as Japan’s quality overpowered England and four goals without reply from Megan Kitagawa, Miri Akiyama (2), and Ono saw Japan claim a 12-6 victory and progress to the semi-final.

Japan will take on Canada in a semi-final match on Thursday while England will play Italy also on Thursday with a chance to progress through to the fifth-place match.

Follow live updates of England’s next match HERE or watch live on World Lacrosse TV HERE.

Japan 12-6 England (3-2, 1-2, 4-1, 4-1)

England scorers: Annie Mather (3G), Rachael Ball (1G), Carys Johnson (1G), Freya Moody (1G)

MVP: Negai Nakazawa (Japan)

England top points scorers (as of 21 August)

1. Annie Mather | 17 (15G, 2A)

2. Freya Moody | 16 (15G, 1A)

3. Rachael Ball | 13 (11G, 2A)

4. Charlie Bell | 12 (7G, 5A)

5. Carys Johnson | 7 (6G, 1A)

Marvellous Mather looks towards quarter-final date with Japan

Attacker Annie Mather scored her 11th and 12th goals of what has so far for her been a prolific 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship when England came out on top against Ireland in their final Pool D game to secure a coveted quarter-final spot.

Having to beat a very good Ireland side by at least three goals wasn't something England had planned on doing when they set out to Hong Kong, China nine days ago but it’s something Mather believes the players took in their stride.

“It wasn't ideal the way it happened but you're never going to go through a World Championship with the smoothest ride.

“We've taken these challenges as a massive privilege and I think we're in a position where us as players have the ability to put things right and, obviously off the back of our Japan game which didn't go the way we hoped, we were in a position to actually fix our mistakes and put wrongs to right, which was a privilege to us. And we took that pressure and handled it and smashed it.”

England’s must win final pool stage match came about because of a 7-12 defeat to blossoming lacrosse nation Japan in their third Pool D match after two previous wins against Jamaica and Hong Kong, China.

“I think Japan brought an outstanding game. I think it was massive credit to them with the way that they hustled. They controlled the game and they really took it to us and it's on us that we didn't bring what we needed to come out on top in that game.

“I think there are a few other things that maybe didn't go our way, but ultimately none of us have dwelled on it. We had a full day post the Japan game to collect our heads and collect our thoughts […] and it's up to us now to change it tomorrow.”

England’s prize for victory against Ireland is a quarter-final match-up with Japan once again and Mather believes her team has done enough preparation to get over the line this time.

“We've definitely done our analysis. We've looked at our draws and tweaked the beginning of our play because we want to make sure that we're getting possessions and we're valuing our possession.

“I think we're going to come out fighting really hard. Every individual player knows what they can take from the previous loss and I think as long as we stick together, carry on playing for each other, it should all work out. But it's going to be a really tough game and we're going do our talking on the pitch and hopefully come out on top and get the job done.”

Mather is fast becoming one of the England U20 women’s team’s most exciting attackers and her two goals against Ireland takes her to 21 major tournament goals, having also scored nine at the 2023 ELF U21 Women’s Championship last year.

“The big thing is that I’m contributing to the team and I think our biggest focus has always been to play for each other and make each other look good.

“I think a lot of my goals are a massive testament to my teammates as well but it's an honour to be someone who can contribute to making great things happen on the pitch. But it's always going to be all about the team.

“It's a really nice bonus to be that person that's on the stats sheet but there are also so many other people that don't actually get on the stats sheet that contribute so much which is really important to acknowledge.”

Mather and her England U20 women’s side take on Japan at 6:30am (BST) on Wednesday 21 August and England fans can watch on World Lacrosse TV HERE.

Watch the full interview with Annie Mather below.

England U20 women through to World Championship quarter-final

The England U20 women’s team qualified for the quarter-finals at the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship in dramatic fashion after a narrow 13-8 victory against Ireland in their final Pool D match.

After defeat in their penultimate pool stage game against Japan, England knew they needed to beat Ireland by at least three goals to guarantee a quarter-final spot.

Hat-tricks from both Rachael Ball and Freya Moody and braces by Annie Mather and Emma Pearce alongside goals from Molly Light, Charlie Bell, and Ellie Martin ensured victory by five goals despite a shaky third quarter that left England fans biting their nails.

England started the game with huge intent and saw themselves two goals to the good after Ball and Moody put their team ahead with just over six and a half minutes gone.

Ireland, coming into this match unbeaten, were not to be taken lightly and battled their way back on level terms with goals from Bridget Valentine and Kendra Harris.

That was enough of a wake-up call for this young England U20 team as they immediately turned the after-burners on, scoring seven without reply in the remainder of the first quarter and opening 10 minutes of the second.

Emma Pearce, Annie Mather (2), Charlie Bell, and Molly Light all got their names on the scoresheet while second goals from Ball and Moody put England in a commanding 9-2 lead with five minutes left in the half.

Harris got one back for Ireland before Moody hit her hat-trick goal just over a minute before half-time to see England into the interval with a seven-goal lead at 10-3.

England started the third quarter as they’d finished the second: with a goal. Pearce with her second of the game to put England 11-3 up.

At this point, Ireland seized upon an opportunity to get back into the game, scoring four goals in just over two minutes.

Brigid Welch, Harris (2), and Jane Howlett brought Ireland to within four goals of England with under 10 minutes left in the quarter.

But England showed their quality as they regrouped, regained their composure, and scored a 12th through Ellie Martin five minutes before quarter-time.

As the game entered its fourth quarter, England were able to nullify Ireland and their attacking threat, limiting them to just one final goal through Ava Connaughton before Ball ended the game with a 13th goal for England with five seconds to go.

England will take on Japan in a quarter-final match at 6:30am (BST) on Wednesday 21 August. Watch live HERE or follow live updates HERE.

England results

Jamaica 3-30 England (2-6, 1-9, 0-7, 0-8)

England scorers: Annie Mather (5G, 2A), Freya Moody (5G, 1A), Charlie Bell (4G, 1A), Rachael Ball (3G, 1A), Carys Johnson (3G, 1A), Ellie Martin (2G, 1A), Lucy Evans (1G, 2A), Emma Pearce (2G), Sienna Richardson (2G), Grace Connor (1G, 1A), Habi Littlehales (1G, 1A), Molly Light (1G), Millie Cant (1A).

MVP: Annie Mather.

Hong Kong, China 1-18 England (1-3, 0-6, 0-4, 0-5)

England scorers: Rachael Ball (4G), Charlie Bell (2G, 2A), Annie Mather (3G), Freya Moody (3G), Millie Cant (2G), Carys Johnson (2G), Lucy Evans (1G), Molly Light (1G).

MVP: Freya Moody.

England 7-12 Japan (6-3, 0-5, 1-2, 0-2)

England scorers: Freya Moody (3G), Molly Light (2G), Annie Mather (2G), Charlie Bell (1A).

MVP: Miri Akiyama (Japan).

England 13-8 Ireland (4-2, 6-1, 2-4, 1-1)

England scorers: Rachael Ball (3G, 1A), Freya Moody (3G), Molly Light (1G, 2A), Annie Mather (2G), Emma Pearce (2G), Charlie Bell (1G, 1A), Ellie Martin (1G), Ella Dimbylow (1A).

MVP: Rachael Ball.

England top points scorers (pool stage)

1. Freya Moody | 15 (14G, 1A)

2. Annie Mather | 14 (12G, 2A)

3. Rachael Ball | 12 (10G, 2A)

4. Charlie Bell | 12 (7G, 5A)

5. Molly Light | 7 (5G, 2A)

Pool D (final standings)

1. England

2. Ireland

3. Japan

4. Hong Kong, China

5. Jamaica

Blues & Hampstead discover 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup opponents

Blues and Hampstead Lacrosse Clubs have discovered their groups and game schedules ahead of the 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup.

Reigning women’s champions Blues, who won both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the annual competition, have been drawn in Group A alongside Norway’s Oslo, Switzerland’s Wettingen Wild, and Spain’s Madrid Osos.

Hampstead, who finished third in 2023 and won the cup in 2019, will take on Oslo Saints (Norway), Amsterdam Lions (Netherlands), Olsen Saints (Switzerland), Madrid Osos (Spain), Milano Painkillers (Italy), and Hamburg (Germany) in a round robin competition followed by a knockout stage.

Taking place from 6-8 September, the 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup will be the last held at the Camps Municipals La Teixonera-Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona, Spain before the competition moves to its new home at LCC Radotin in Prague, Czechia for the 2025, 2026, and 2027 tournaments.

Originally named the Champions Cup, the tournament was renamed the Ken Galluccio Cup as a tribute to its creator after his death in 2009 and is the largest European lacrosse tournament with teams from all over Europe taking part.

English teams have traditionally performed well at the tournament, winning nine out of 13 titles in the men’s and six out of the last 10 titles in the women’s competition.

Groups

Women’s Group A

Blues
Oslo
Wettingen Wild
Madrid Osos

Women’s Group B

Rotterdam Jaguars
LCC Radotin
Edinburgh University
Ghent Gazelles

Men’s

Oslo Saints
Hampstead
Amsterdam Lions
Olten Saints
Madrid Osos
Milano Painkillers
Hamburg

Schedule (English teams)

Men’s competition

Friday 6 | Hampstead v Amsterdam Lions | 10:50am

Friday 6 | HTHC Hamburg v Hampstead | 12:10pm

Friday 6 | Hampstead v Olsen Saints | 5:30pm

Saturday 7 | Hampstead v Milano Painkillers | 10:50am
Saturday 7 | Hampstead v Madrid Osos | 1:30pm

Women’s competition

Friday 6 | Blues v Oslo | 10am
Friday 6 | Blues v Wettingen Wild | 16:00
Saturday 7 | Blues v Madrid Osos | 10am

British Lacrosse to compete at inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience

British Lacrosse men’s and women’s teams will compete at the inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience against Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the USA in Indianapolis, USA from 11-13 October.

As part of the international portion of the event, which aims to showcase the best of the Olympic sixes version of lacrosse to fans of all ages and abilities, British Lacrosse will compete in a round robin competition against the three international teams over the three-day event.

The competition will showcase the new sixes discipline that will be used in the LA28 Olympics; Sixes Lacrosse is a fast-paced version of the sport played on a smaller field, with fewer players, a condensed game length, and a 30-second shot clock.

The USA Lacrosse Experience will mark the first competition for the British Lacrosse men’s and women’s teams since the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Both men’s and women’s teams for the competition will be selected in due course from the wider 2024/2025 British Lacrosse squads announced earlier this month.

LA 2028, the next edition of the Olympic Games will feature lacrosse for the first time in 80 years since the 1948 London Olympics; lacrosse has been showcased in the Olympics four times before (1908, 1928, 1932, 1948) with teams from Great Britain taking part in three of those four editions (1908, 1928, 1948).

The next Olympics in 2028 will be the first edition of the event to feature women’s lacrosse after the previous occasions only allowed the men’s teams to compete.

In the most recent official international Sixes Lacrosse competition at The World Games 2022, Great Britain finished in fourth place in both the men’s and women’s sixes competitions with the men narrowly missing a medal after falling to Japan 19-18 in overtime in an epic bronze medal game.

In addition to the international competition featuring British Lacrosse teams, the USA Lacrosse Experience will feature a festival-type atmosphere with King & Queen of the Park events for players of all ages utilising small-sided formats along with educational and training opportunities for players, and officials all located within walking distance of each other in the downtown Indy area.

National team athletes will interact with the youth players competing in the King & Queen of the Park, including offering individual skill sessions included in the registration.

All international games during the USA Lacrosse Experience will be played at Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium on the campus of Indiana University Indianapolis (IUI).

Games will be played on Friday 11 October (9am - 7:30pm) and Saturday 12 October (4pm - 9pm) with the full game schedule being announced at a later date.

To purchase tickets for the event, click HERE and for more information about the King & Queen of the Park events, click HERE.