BOX SCORE
SPARKS, Md. — The jubilant crowd started early. Their cheers grew to chants and excited screams — and even the occasional shriek when a player acknowledged them — throughout the night. That’s just the vibe the U.S. women’s national team is giving off these days.
The U.S. women, armed with an embarrassment of riches up and down the roster, stole the show Friday night under the lights at USA Lacrosse headquarters, besting Canada 19-3 in an atmosphere that felt more like a championship event than a fall tune up at Fall Classic.
Young girls came out in droves. Their parents and coaches did, too. But the indelible mark left on the youth by players on the national team has been a focal point of Jenny Levy’s tenure as head coach. Not only does Levy want to be the best. She wants to grow the game, too.
Perhaps that’s why eager spectators waited upwards of 30 minutes after the game’s conclusion for players to emerge from the tunnel. Not a single autograph was turned down as fans filled their Fall Classic posters with the signatures of any player they could. Some posters barely had room for another set of initials, let alone a full name.
“A lot of that is a credit to Jenny Levy and what she’s done with the national team program,” attacker Kayla Treanor said. “One of her goals is to pack all the stadiums we play in. Just to see the turnout tonight, it’s so exciting and good for the game.”
Few players felt the love more than Charlotte North, Boston College’s dynamo and Tewaaraton Award winner who led all scorers with six points (three goals, three assists). Each one of her touches turned everyone in attendance into a videographer, as cell phones around William G. Tierney Field pointed toward the field. “Charlotte!” yells echoed through the night.
The 1,200 in attendance went bonkers after she made jaws drop — and defenders look the wrong way — when she faked left and shot low to give the U.S. a 5-1 lead in the second quarter.
It was more than a highlight for North, who ended a slow first quarter 0-for-3 shooting. Admitting that nerves were an early factor in her first international game, North settled down after getting back to her customary ways as an #SCTop10 candidate.
Starting on attack with Treanor (two goals, three assists) and Sam Apuzzo (two goals, two assists), North looked like she belonged. A younger North would have been floored to see her name in such company.
“I think she’d have passed out if you told her the two names that were next to me,” North said. “I wouldn’t have believed it for a second. I still don’t really believe it.”