During April’s WLL training camp in Philadelphia, Ally Mastroianni pulled aside California Palms coach Maddy Buss and pointed to nearby Subaru Park.
“We’re going to be here in August,” the midfielder said to her coach.
As California and the league’s three fellow inaugural members prepared for the summer’s regular-season slate on the Philadelphia Union’s sprawling training grounds, players and coaches alike knew all roads eventually led to the stadium situated on the Delaware River.
With a 21-9 victory over the Boston Guard on Saturday, the Palms vindicated Mastroianni’s preseason prediction, punching their ticket to the first-ever WLL Championship. They’ll take on the Maryland Charm this Saturday evening at Subaru Park.
“I’ve never had this much fun with a group of girls — you just feel so empowered and uplifted and every single person on [this] team has your back for the whole 60 minutes,” California midfielder Anna Brandt said in last weekend’s postgame press conference. “We’re so excited to get another week together because this group is so special and this season has been so special.”
Anna Brandt gets her fourth of the night!!!! pic.twitter.com/oP4MmK34E9
— California Palms (@wllpalms) August 8, 2026
Anna Brandt gets her fourth of the night!!!! pic.twitter.com/oP4MmK34E9
— California Palms (@wllpalms) August 8, 2026
Saturday’s championship clash marks a rematch of both teams’ season opener in late May, when Maryland outdueled California 18-17 in an overtime thriller at Loyola’s Ridley Athletic Complex in Baltimore.
The Charm and Palms entered their first bout in vastly different circumstances. California was fresh off a runner-up finish in the winter’s Championship Series, while Maryland was eliminated in round-robin play. The Charm coaching staff urged its players to harness their prior defeats as fuel.
“It really starts from the top with our leadership and coaching staff,” said Sydni Black, who netted a team-high 14 goals in four games this summer. “They’ve preached to us that the only way we’re going to be successful is if we believe in each other and focus on each other during practices, scrimmages and games. That’s where the Charm will take over.”
Reliving this moment over and over again 🔥
Cassidy Spilis’s overtime goal Fueled the Finish for the Maryland Charm. @Gatorade pic.twitter.com/asdypnssgN
— Women’s Lacrosse League (@wlacrosseleague) June 1, 2026
Reliving this moment over and over again 🔥
Cassidy Spilis’s overtime goal Fueled the Finish for the Maryland Charm. @Gatorade pic.twitter.com/asdypnssgN
— Women’s Lacrosse League (@wlacrosseleague) June 1, 2026
Although the Palms ended up on the wrong side of the season opener’s end-to-end action, they saw glimpses to build upon.
Rather than return to the drawing board, Buss doubled down on her scheme of running exclusively two-way midfielders and refined California’s situational subbing patterns and rotations.
“We have so many threats,” Buss said. “We lost to Maryland in overtime, and Jill Smith and Ally Mastroianni both had poor shooting games and didn’t score any goals. I was like, ‘I think we’re going to be OK.’ We had other people ready to step up. It allows everyone to play a little looser.”
In the near-three-month span following their initial meeting, both teams have reshuffled lineups, new stars have emerged and crucial turning points have paved the way for each squad’s pursuit of history.
“It’s been an unbelievable journey, and I’m thrilled that we get another weekend together for a championship,” Maryland coach Emily Parros said after her team secured its championship berth on July 17 in Fairfield. “We think about all the losses. We said in Championship Series we would be back and going for a championship, and here we are.”
After the Charm fell to 1-1 with a 12-10 loss to the New York Charging on June 20, their July 11 rematch with the Charging carried major postseason implications. Amid a gutsy effort, Parros dialed up perhaps the challenge of the season when she called for a review of a Brigid Duffy shot with less than two minutes remaining.
Video showed the ball eluding New York netminder Madison Doucette and bouncing off the net. The officials awarded Duffy’s goal, which ultimately proved the game-winner in a crucial 16-15 Maryland win.
The challenge of the century 🙌
Watch @joekeegs break down key moments from Saturday’s win in the latest episode of The Scoop. Tune in on the @PremierLacrosse App! pic.twitter.com/uol622CUXF
— Maryland Charm (@wllcharm) July 15, 2026
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The challenge of the century 🙌
Watch @joekeegs break down key moments from Saturday’s win in the latest episode of The Scoop. Tune in on the @PremierLacrosse App! pic.twitter.com/uol622CUXF
— Maryland Charm (@wllcharm) July 15, 2026
Six days later, the Charm staved off a Guard surge to prevail 21-17 and secure their place in Saturday’s title game.
“We really enjoy being in the moment and being with each other,” said Caylee Waters, the starter in Maryland’s two-goalie system. “We wanted another day to play. We’re all freaking competitors, so we took [losses], learned from it and made the most of the new faces and this new system of playing [10v10].”
A combination of returning contributors and newcomers allowed the Charm to capture the first of two championship spots last month. Rookies Jenika Cuocco, Sam Forrest and Duffy each stepped into feature roles shortly after their final college season, while Sam Apuzzo — the No. 1 selection in the Supplemental Draft — has carved out a niche on a dynamic attack.
Alongside a significant infusion of talent, Ashley Humphrey delivered an immediate statement of intent with a nine-point outburst in Maryland’s season opener on May 29. She and Duffy have each scored 20 points this year.
“A good freaking game,” Duffy said of what Maryland plans to bring to Subaru Park. “It’s just cool that we have so many threats. That’s what’s so special about our team. You give the ball to anyone, and they’ll make a play. It’s just so dangerous and hard to defend.”
The ball movement 😮💨
We’ve got a great one between the Maryland Charm and the Boston Guard on the ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/vOeQoV0Nji
— espnW (@espnW) July 18, 2026
The ball movement 😮💨
We’ve got a great one between the Maryland Charm and the Boston Guard on the ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/vOeQoV0Nji
Ever since they stared down a potential 0-2 start with a four-goal halftime deficit against the Guard on June 6 in Charlotte, the Palms have outscored opponents 41-22. California has deployed a true by-committee approach, with a league-high six players recording double-digit points.
Emma LoPinto, a crafty X attacker whom Buss selected in the Supplemental Draft’s second round, leads the charge with 19 points. The Palms’ vast array of threats was on full display in their regular-season finale, as nine players found the back of the net.
“You never know who’s going to go off,” said Ellie Masera, California’s leading goal-scorer in 2026 (15G). “Our depth is our superpower.”
Everything is coming up Palms 🌴 pic.twitter.com/Etg5OpEPyk
— TLN 🥍 (@LacrosseNetwork) August 10, 2026
Everything is coming up Palms 🌴 pic.twitter.com/Etg5OpEPyk
— TLN 🥍 (@LacrosseNetwork) August 10, 2026
More than a month separated California’s final two regular-season outings. The week before the Palms’ finale, a large contingent of the team was across the world, competing in the World Championship in Tokyo. Despite the weeks apart and time differences, the group ensured it remained connected as it geared up for a final push to the postseason.
This included a Google Meet between Buss and Jordan Dean that took place after one of the defender’s Team Canada games wrapped up around 10 p.m. local time in Tokyo. The two discussed Dean’s tenure at UMass and aspects of Canada assistant coach Dana Dobbie’s game plan Dean felt the Palms could incorporate.
“We tried to do a little more fun calls during our downtime,” Buss said. “They have their own separate chat without coaches, and that’s always going. And while the players abroad were thrilled to be playing for their countries, they were proud to be representing the Palms over there, as well.”
Seventy-eight days after their high-octane opening salvo, the Palms and Charm will renew a budding rivalry at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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