Lorena and Ally Rivera, have both been playing lacrosse for about 10 years.
This summer, they will play at the highest level they’ve ever played.

They will travel to Hong Kong for the World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship tournament, which will be hosted by the China Hong Kong Lacrosse Association with support from World Lacrosse. Games will be played from Aug. 15-24.

However, the two sisters will play for different teams. Lorena, a junior at Valley Central High School, will represent Puerto Rico, while Ally, a freshman, will represent Mexico.

“It’s definitely going to be a lot and very interesting, but I’m very much for it,” Lorena said. “I like that we’re on two different teams, even though I would’ve liked for her to be on my team. I think it’s going to be very cool to be able to say in the future we’ve had this summer together.”

For Ally, it gives the younger sibling the chance to be independent.

“We’ll be able to meet different teams and people and be able to share our experiences and stories with each other because we’ll be on separate teams,” Ally said.

In order to be eligible for either team, their lineage had to be proved. Their paternal grandmother was born on the island, making them eligible for Team Puerto Rico.

Both tried out for Team Puerto Rico, but only Lorena was selected. Team Mexico had been showing interest in Ally, so she tried out and made that team. Both of their maternal grandparents were born in Mexico, which made Ally eligible.

As a territory of the United States, all Lorena needed was her paternal grandmother’s birth certificate to prove her lineage. For Ally, it’s a little more complicated. Their mother, Veronica Rivera, is applying for a dual citizenship with Mexico to get her a Mexican passport.

“We’re just as enthused and thrilled about the idea for us to be there as a family,” Veronica said. “The main thing is being able to show your heritage and be represented for lacrosse because that’s a big deal for us, and for the girls as well.”

They will depart for Hong Kong on Aug. 11, with play scheduled to begin on Aug. 15.

Lorena and Team Puerto Rico will compete in Pool A with China, Germany, Israel and the United States. Ally and Team Mexico will compete in Pool C with Australia, Italy, New Zealand and Scotland. Each team will play four games in six days.

There will be four five-team pools, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals.

“I have no words to even put with it because it feels like a dream,” Lorena said.

“But I’m so proud of myself to be able to represent my country and my culture and to show that through lacrosse – because not a lot of Hispanic people play lacrosse, so to be able to that from somewhere where it’s very small and to get to that point – is amazing.”