Inaugural Women's Lacrosse Championship Captured With the Help of Three Peterborough Players; Erica Evans Named Tournament MVP

It was a historic victory for three Peterborough athletes and women’s lacrosse as Erica Evans, Lou Warner and Payton Crough won the inaugural Women’s North American Invitational (LAXNAI) tournament at the Utica University Nexus Centre in Utica, N.Y. on Sunday afternoon.

The women played for BP Lawyers (Bergmanis, Preyra LLP), a law firm based out of Toronto, where half the players came from the Mimico Mountaineers of the Women’s Major Series Lacrosse. They defeated the Salmonbellies in a close 7-6 game in the finals to capture the championship.

Evans led her team to victory with a hat trick, scoring two goals in the first quarter and another late in the third stanza. She was named tournament MVP at the game’s end, helping her squad get a 4-0 record, recording five goals and four assists in the championship run.

“I think as a team, we worked really well together offensively like picking for each other, giving us the time and space, then defence making stops and transitioning up the floor so I give it to my teammates,” explained Evans. “It's a team sport and we do everything together and I was just able to put it in the back of the net today.”

Warner was one of two goaltenders who helped BP Lawyers earn the inaugural title. She split time with teammate Davina Gillis and took over the second half of the game, allowing only three goals en route to the championship. She let two early goals in the first 3:16 but only allowed one goal late in the game to help snag the title for BP Lawyers.

“I knew I was going in (during) the second half so I was prepared mentally,” she said. “Those first few minutes are always tough though when you go in cold without a warmup so those weren't my proudest but stepped it up in the fourth quarter and we got it done.”

Crough was one of the younger teammates for BP Lawyers and had one goal in four games. Watson has coached her in Peterborough and says her experience with her hometown teammates helped give her a surreal experience and winning a championship.

“I always looked up to them and never thought I'd get the experience to play with older people,” she said. “It's an awesome opportunity to play with different girls and learn from them even though they're my teammates and seeing what I can do better.”

Last year’s event had an exhibition of women’s games. The first LAXNAI women’s tournament was designed to grow lacrosse and spread awareness for girls and women to be more involved with the sport. This year featured eight teams that competed in the inaugural event.

We started when we were younger and that's what we want to do is help the next generation to give them opportunities to play going forward so obviously, it's really special,” said Evans."

“It's really awesome to see how much it's grown, Erica and I were on one of the first-ever Peterborough teams when girls' lacrosse first started in Peterborough,” said Warner. “We're also on a few of the first Team Ontario (teams) that have ever happened so it's really exciting to be another first and paving the way for our young guns over here.”

I think it's a great opportunity being at the start of the women's lacrosse and being part of the first one in history,” said Crough.

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