USA Lacrosse standout Sydni Black steered the Maryland Charm to the team's first-ever Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) championship, netting four goals and one assist in Saturday's 16-13 win over the California Palms.
USA Lacrosse Stars Fuel Maryland Charm's WLL Win
The victory at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania cemented Maryland as the inaugural champion of the new WLL lacrosse circuit, sanctioned by USA Lacrosse. Black, the attacker who anchored Maryland all season, earned MVP honors for her performance.
Scoring defined the night on both ends. Maryland built a 9-4 cushion before the Palms clawed back to knot it at 9-9 near the break. Rather than fold, the Charm reeled off three unanswered goals to reclaim a 12-9 edge. California kept pressing but couldn't close the gap to earn the win.
Attacker Alex Holman added an unexpected wrinkle during the match with a hat trick, remarkable given she posted zero goals in the regular season. Along with her game-winner, Holman's goals came just 10 months after the University of Maryland product gave birth to her son.
Between the pipes, Caylee Waters and Jenika Cuocco combined for 17 saves. Their work in the cage sealed a milestone night for the budding league — and brightened USA Lacrosse's 2028 LA Olympics hopes.
Afterward, Black gave a nod to the players who paved the road for the league. "We stand on the backs of giants," she told ESPN's Dana Boyle. "We wouldn't be here without them."
