MVP Wills Backstops Team USA to World Cup Title Win over Australia

Former Dartmouth All-America goalie Devon Wills '06 earned match MVP honors as she and teammate Whitney Douthett '07 led Team USA to the 2009 Lacrosse World Cup Championship with an 8-7 victory over Australia.

Wills only gave up a staggering four goals to the mighty Aussies, who had stolen the World Cup crown from the US in 2005 after the Americans had taken four-straight titles. She made eight saves and scooped up three ground balls, earning Most Valuable Player honors for the championship game. Douthett also added two ground balls in the US victory.

With an 8-4 lead and just under five minutes to play, Wills was given a yellow card after coming out of the cage and colliding with an Australian player. She was sent to the bench for a three-minute penalty and Australia managed three goals against her replacement.

She returned to the game with 1:45 to play, clinging to an 8-7 lead and facing the Australian attack that had won the draw control after its seventh goal. She stonewalled Jen Adams' point blank shot, held onto the ball and in trademark fashion evaded her opponent while dodging around the goal to drain some time off the clock. She successfully cleared it to her midfielders and the US stalled out the last minute of the game to regain the title from its archrival.

In the first half, Australia answered an early US run to take a 3-3 tie into halftime, after Wills made three first-half stops. The offense gave her a boost in the second as the US opened with three goals in the first 13 minutes to take a 6-3 lead. The Americans added two more to Australia's one for the 8-4 lead with under five minutes remaining and looked to be on cruise control before the Wills yellow card set up the dramatic ending.

Douthett and Wills were both integral parts of the United States' impressive 7-0 run through the tournament that included two one-goal wins over Australia. The former Dartmouth All-Americas, who played in two NCAA Final Fours with the Big Green, were part of a unique 18-woman US National Team, as it was the first World Cup for every player on the squad.

Team USA after winning the World Cup. Wills (#3) sits center, Douthett center two rows above her.

Douthett (#27) and her teammates shake hands with the Aussies postgame. (Photos courtesy of FIL)

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