University of Exeter student Alice Ripper celebrates Christmas triumph as Great Britain Lacrosse secures Hong Kong Super Sixes 2023 trophy.
New Year victory for Exeter Sports Scholar Alice Ripper and her GB Lacrosse teammates as they come home with a belated Christmas present of the Hong Kong Super Sixes 2023 trophy.
Starting on the 29th December, one final tournament before the new year, GB Lacrosse ventured to Hong Kong for the highly anticipated Super Sixes Tournament only two months after it’s announced that Lacrosse will return to the Olympic Games in 2028
Their campaign kicked off with two matches on the first day where GB came out victorious with wins of 19-11 against Hong Kong China, followed by an impressive 4-22 win against China. These early successes set the stage for a remarkable tournament for Team GB.
Advancing through to the semifinal against Czechia, and once again they emerged victorious with a 22-5 score line. Leading them to a New Years Eve showdown against Germany where once again the girls came out on top with a phenomenal 6-17 final score.
Number 9, Alice Ripper, University of Exeter Women’s 1st team captain and postgraduate student, was one of the members of this star-studded success. We chatted to Alice who shared some insight into the tournament, what the win means for her and the statement made by GB Lacrosse!
- What was the highlight of the tournament? Other than lifting the trophy at the end!
Other than lifting the trophy as a team, my highlight was our development over the tournament; we had some incredible team meals and sightseeing which allowed us to bond off-pitch, and we improved as a team on-pitch throughout the tournament. Being given MVP for our semi-final by the coaches was also a great feeling.
- What was the overarching emotion when that final whistle went?
Fulfilment for sure! It was fantastic to come out on top with such a great group of players. The final was one of our best performances as a team, and it was rewarding that our hard work on tactics and game management served us so well. The GB Men’s squad also came out with a win, so getting the double gold as a programme was awesome!
- The Olympic committee have confirmed that Lacrosse Sixes will be in the Olympic games of 2028, do you feel that this statement from GB and its Lacrosse setup?
Yes – I think we ticked off a big goal of ours which was to show the lacrosse world what Team GB can do. We played with poise and discipline, working the ball to find the best opportunity, and I think we gave a great statement of how Sixes can be played.
- For your personally, how has this competition compared to others? Would you say the Olympics is a long-term goal for you?
The competition setup was fantastic – Hong Kong, China Lacrosse Association did a brilliant job of making the tournament and accommodation feel like a professional hub of excitement for the sport. It was great to participate and gain more experience playing highly competitive Sixes games against novel opposition for me, such as Philippines and China. I am absolutely striving for the Olympics in 2028; Olympic inclusion is such an incredible step forward for our sport, and I am so excited to seize all opportunities I can on the journey to see where the sport can take me.
- If you could summarise the competition in a singular quote, what would it be?
Another showcase for the future of lacrosse in its exciting Olympic format.
University of Exeter Head of Lacrosse and Team England Head Coach, Mike Molster shared some thoughts from the tournament
“GBs participation in the Super Sixes tournament was an amazing experience for all the players. It was good competition and the win by GB is a testament to the growth of the sport in the UK as well as the development of the individual players”
Reflecting on current player Alice Ripper, Mike said
“Alice played exceptionally well in the tournament while gaining vital international playing experience.”
The University of Exeter’s Lacrosse performance programme, led by Head Coach Mike Molster, has had a very successful start to the season with multiple wins as well as a spectacular show of talent. The programme itself enables the performance athletes to improve all aspects of their game from specialist coaching to S & C.
This upward trajectory which has been put in motion will hopefully continue for both GB and the University of Exeter and we wish all involved good luck for the season ahead!