WITH lacrosse set to feature in the next Olympics, three Wye Valley players will be hoping to be there after helping Wales U20s finish seventh in the world championships in Hong Kong.

Twenty teams contested the 10-day tournament, which was extended from U19 this time and thus included some university students.

Wales lacrosse impressed at the U20 worlds
Wales lacrosse impressed at the U20 worlds (Haberdashers Monmouth)

Haberdashers' Monmouth School's Florrie Taylor, Zoë Cripwell and Freya Taylor launched their Pool B campaign in a tough encounter with Canada, and missed out 19-0 to the second seeded north Americans.

But they bounced back next day with a late surge to beat Chinese Taipei 18-9, and followed it up with a 21-7 win over Korea after drawing 6-6 just after half-time, Wales reeling off 15 consecutive unanswered goals.

That set things up for a winner-take-all final qualifier with the native American Indian Haudenosaunee team.

And the win-and-in scenario on the final day of Pool B action at the Hong Kong Football Stadium saw Wales narrowly edge it 8-6 for their third win in a row, to claim a spot in the last-eight play-offs.

Wales levelled 3-3 at the end of the first quarter and squeezed out to a two-goal lead in the third quarter.

Freya Taylor controls the ball for Wales
Freya Taylor controls the ball for Wales (Haberdashers Monmouth)

The Haudenosaunee hit back to make it 7-6 with minutes to play, but Wales had the last word scoring again with four minutes to play, putting Wales through in second behind Canada.

That set up a quarter-final clash with third seeds Australia, and pacey Aussie breakaways put their opponents 4-2 up at the end of the first quarter, which they stretched to 9-3 at half-time.

Wales flew high to take seventh at the world U20 lacrosse championships
Wales flew high to take seventh at the world U20 lacrosse championships (Haberdashers' Monmouth)

Wales pulled one back in the third quarter, but two more Australian goals in the final quarter and one more for Wales saw it finish 11-5.

The effort caught up with Wales in the next placement match, as Puerto Rico raced away to win 23-2.

But Wales again found renewed energy to beat Italy in the seventh/eighth play-off, squeezing home 9-8 and being indebted to keeper Hannah Gilland who made 10 saves, including seven in the second half, and was named player of the match.

It was tied at 5-5 entering the fourth quarter when Italy took a 6-5 lead on a free position shot a minute in.

Wales responded to tie and then took the lead 7-6 before Italy levelled things up.

Again Wales converted a free position shot to lead 8-7 before breaking up an Italy attack and racing the length of the field to secure a two-goal lead.

Italy hit back with a minute to play, but Wales then secured possession from the draw and held on to win.

Wales finished just behind England in sixth, with the US beating Canada 23-6 to claim the gold, and Japan beating Australia 14-5 to take bronze.

The tournament was hosted at prestigious venues like the football stadium within the Hong Kong Jockey Club racecourse and was given significant recognition across the city, in line with such events as the Hong Kong Sevens and the Hong Kong Open Golf Tournament. 

A special highlight for the Monmouth girls was reuniting with their former lacrosse coach and Lou Scott, who officiated at the tournament for World Lacrosse, and who was overjoyed to see her former students’ success on the world stage.

Their achievement continues the long-standing tradition of Haberdashers' girls earning Wales and England caps in lacrosse at both junior and senior levels.

And with the Wales Senior Women’s team, featuring former Habs pupil Madison Jones, recently qualifying for the World Women’s Lacrosse Championships in Japan in 2026 and the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, the future looks bright.