England open with World Championship win in weather-affected marathon match

England battled through an opening match against Puerto Rico that lasted nearly five hours to come out 15-8 winners and open their Nissin Foods 2026 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship campaign with a strong win.

The match was delayed three times across the duration, the longest of which lasting two hours, but England didn’t let that upset the rhythm too much turning in an impressive controlled display in difficult conditions.

The stage was set for things to come when after completing the anthems the teams were taken off the field before returning for the opening draw thirty minutes later. 

And it was England who eventually came out of the traps quickest, going 3-0 up at the end of the first quarter as the attackl got in to its work early; Emma Savage, Teagan Scott and Milly Home all on the scoresheet.

Jordan Carr put us four up at the start of Q2 before Puerto Rico got on the board and then along came another delay.

The teams then traded blows following the restart, England proving particularly devastating in transition as game MVP Emily Nalls scored twice following fast breaks up the field and England led at the half 7-3.

Only 45 seconds of the third quarter were possible before another delay, but once more on the return England were not put off scoring another four goals in the quarter.

Megan Whittle and Annie Mather both scored their first goals of the championship, while Sofia Wise got the first of what would prove to be a late hat-trick as after England went in to the ¾ time still with a lead of five at 11-6, Wise netted two individual efforts back-to-back to stretch the lead.

There was still time for Claire Faram and Liv Wimpenny to open their scoring accounts, while three more saves took Britt Read to seven for the match as England finished emphatically to take the tie 15-8.

England’s next match is against familiar opposition in Scotland on Monday 27 July, start time 15:30 Local/07:30 UK.

England Points: Sofia Wise (3G, 1A), Emma Savage (2G, 1A), Emily Nalls (2G), Teagan Scott (2G), Jordan Carr (1G, 1A), Megan Whittle (1G, 1A), Claire Faram (1G), Milly Home (1G), Annie Mather (1G), Liv Wimpenny (1G), Chloe Chan (1A)