In a thrilling Israeli Women’s State Cup Final at Rishon LeZion’s Beit Maccabi on Thursday, Maccabi Ashdod emerged victorious over Hapoel Lev Jerusalem 78-62. The game showcased the dominance and skill of Shira Haelion’s team, which currently also sits in first place in the Israeli Women’s League, securing them the coveted cup title over last year’s champions.

From the outset, Ashdod established dominance, leveraging their experience and cohesive play to get out to a 28-18 lead after 10 minutes. They built a substantial lead in the first half, showcasing both offensive prowess and defensive resilience, however Jerusalem mounted a spirited comeback to narrow the gap to just 2 points at 39-37 going into the halftime break. Despite their efforts, Ashdod put in a big performance in the third quarter (colloquially referred to as the premiership quarter) to extend the lead to 19 points at 63-44 going into the final 10 minutes to help secure the win.

Abby Meyers (21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal), Stephanie Watts (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Stasha Carey (17 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals) led the scoring for the champs, while Alyssa Baron (23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals) and Emily Engstler (18 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block) were in double-figures for Jerusalem.

“This is one of the sweetest victories of my career,” Haelion celebrated. “Against all odds, we did it. I just hope that the injury of Ksenia [Malashka, who had 5 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 18 minutes) isn’t serious—she’s our anchor and incredibly important. Our defensive performance in the second half was outstanding. I couldn’t be prouder or happier. This club truly deserves it. After a tough year, these players stood by me every step of the way, and I’m glad I could give back to them. This victory is for the amazing fans of Ashdod, but above all, for these incredible players. Slogans don’t matter to me—we had the toughest draw and played through the hardest games. Odelia [Madmon, assistant coach] is amazing, and I’m so happy she’s part of my staff.”

“I’m really proud of every single one of us for fighting until the very end,” Ashdod captain Dor Saar (14 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals) said. “There are families who have lost loved ones, hostages in Gaza and the soldiers who are fighting and most importantly – that they return hope as soon as possible. From the start of the season, my teammates told me they trusted me, I’m grateful that they allow me to lead. We’ve won the Cup—now I hope we can win the Championship too. These teams have beaten us before, so we have to stay grounded. We’ll prepare and come ready for the next game, I believe that we are capable. As for celebrations? That depends on what Uri [Ben-Simon, team CEO] lets us do. Tonight, we celebrate — tomorrow, we get back to work.”

“I’m so happy, we worked really hard for this,” Carey said. “I don’t think any other team worked as hard as we did. Winning this against Jerusalem makes it even more special. A new team won today—I love that.”

University of Maryland product Meyers also shared her excitement.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with this victory. Experiencing it with my family, friends, and the Ashdod community was incredible and bringing the Cup home is just the cherry on top. I had so much hope and confidence, thanks to Shira and my teammates — they made sure I felt safe and supported, so my family back in Washington, D.C., had no reason to worry. Coming here was the right decision for me, I’m falling in love with this country and its people—it’s been a fantastic season. Is Ashdod home? It certainly feels that way — a home away from home. But the season isn’t over yet. It’s strange because it feels like it ended tonight, but we still have another title to fight for.”