Braga, Portugal, entertained the 2024 ELF Women’s Lacrosse Championship from July 10 to 20 in a display of 19 nations’ premier lacrosse talent. Israel left the Iberian Peninsula as one of the tournament’s brightest stars.
The Blue-and-White were dominant in Braga, remaining unbeaten until the tournament’s final and outscoring opponents 112-36 throughout the entirety of the event.
“I am super proud of what we put together in Portugal,” head coach Sophie Bass said. “Finishing in second place out of 19 teams is an incredible accomplishment, showcasing the team’s outstanding performance and efforts.”
Israel’s 2024 ELF Women’s Lacrosse Championship Results
Israel demolished its Group B opposition. First, it dispatched a 22-6 defeat Switzerland’s way behind four goals and an assist via attacker/midfielder Jordyn Lipkin and 15 different point scorers. Next, Poland felt the pain, 19-2, as defender Jackie Stoller racked up four goals and four assists. Attacker/midfielder Zoe Martin netted seven scores to help Israel take care of Latvia, 20-2, in the team’s third contest of the competition. Lastly, the Blue-and-White outdid Germany, 13-5, and Lipkin posted another four-goal game with four assists to boot.
Come the conclusion of pool play, Israel had amassed a combined score of 74-15.
To open the knockout phase, the Blue-and-White met a Italian team that went 3-1 in the group stage. The rout was on early as Israel started the game with a 9-0 run. Come the final whistle, Martin had found the back of the net on five occasions, and attacker Rachel Rosen had chipped in seven assists to the 19-5 outcome.
Wales was in the way in the semifinals. By halftime, the Blue-and-White had a 9-2 advantage. The scoreboard read 14-4 at the end of 60 minutes, launching Israel into the championship game. Attacker Hanna Hillcoff led all scorers with four goals, plus added an assist.
Israel clashed with England – the only other undefeated team left in the tournament – in the final. The English put the first two points on the board, but Israel responded right back with two of the own from Hillcoff and Martin. England then claimed six of the game’s next seven goals, cementing themselves in the driver’s seat until the end. The Blue-and-White departed Braga as silver medalists, 12-5.
Preparation Paid Off
The team showed strong unity in Braga, Bass said. A pre-tournament training camp warmed the players to one another and allowed for collective tactical preparedness.
“Having training camp in Israel prior to the tournament was vital to our success as a team,” she explained. “It allowed the team to bond with each other off the field as well as prepare the X’s and O’s as a unit. Offensively, we had a lot of threats, and for most of the tournament, we had the top-four point scorers in the entire event.”
Lipkin (30), Stoller (30), Martin (27), and Hillcoff (27) all finished among the tournament’s top-five point scorers, with Lipkin and Stoller splitting the 2024 ELF Women’s Lacrosse Championship points title between themselves. Martin’s 22 goals tied with two other players for the most in the tournament, while Hillcoff’s 19 and Lipkin’s 17 had them both in the top-10 among the event’s most notorious net-benders.
Israel’s attack menaced opposing defenses, but the team did an excellent job of keeping its own net clean, too. Through seven games, England was the only team to solve Israel for more than six goals. Goalie Kelly Layton, who featured in five contests, had the best save percentage in the tournament at 65%, and goalie Julie Krupnick’s 29 goals allowed was the fifth-fewest among goaltenders who played in at least seven games.
“We were strong defensively throughout the entire tournament,” Bass said. “Both of our goalies had save percentages better than 51%.”
Bass made note of how the native-born Israeli players fared in the event. She highlighted their labors as one of the team’s best overall takeaways. Midfielders Tayla Shnit and Shirin Atedgi mirrored one another with three goals and one assist each. Midfielders Batel Elkalay and Liel Hodara both scored two goals, respectively.
“Our native-born Israeli players all finished with some great offensive statistics and continued to grow as the tournament went along,” Bass said.
You can follow Israel Lacrosse in its next international event later this month at the World Lacrosse 2024 Women’s U20 Championship. From August 15 to 25, some of the most exciting young female lacrosse players from around the world will meet in Hong Kong for a peek into the sport’s future.