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USA Field Hockey Women, South Africa Battle to 0-0 Draw

Chestnut Hill, Mass. – The U.S. women’s national field hockey team battled South Africa to a 0-0 draw in the first of four games of the team’s Back in the USA Tour at Boston College.

      “It was a pretty lackluster performance,” said U.S. head coach Tracey Belbin. “Some of that can be expected from teams that haven’t played each other in some time.”

      Returning to the field for the first time since July, the U.S. team relied on its defense through out the first half as goalkeeper Peggy Storrar collected a pair of saves off the stick of South Africa’s Pietie Coetzee.  The U.S. did not get off a shot or attempt a penalty corner in the first half, while South Africa collected four shots and  five penalty corners.

      “We lost to much position, our basics were bad and our tackling was off,” said Belbin. “Some leniency can be given for not having played in three months, but we need to play far better than we did today.”

      The U.S. picked up the play in the second half, and appeared to take the lead at the 55^th minute mark when Kate Barber slapped a deflected ball past South Africa keeper Inke Van Wyke. However, the ball was ruled to have gone off Barber’s body and the goal was disallowed. Barber left the game late in the second half after sustaining a hand injury defending a penalty corner.

      The U.S. continues its tour with South Africa, Sunday, Oct. 14 at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, and Tuesday, Oct. 16 at Springfield (Mass.) College. The tour concludes Oct. 20 at the team’s new training center at Virginia Beach, Va.

      South Africa is currently ranked 10^th in the world following its 10^th place finish at the 2000 Olympic Games. The U.S. is currently ranked 11^th in the world.        

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at Boston College, Chesnut Hill, Mass.

USA 0, South Africa 0

USA Starters: Mimi Smith, Kristen McCAnn, Peggy Storrar (gk), Tara Jelley, Kelli Gannon, Tracey Fuchs, Melanie Meerschwam, Katie Kauffman, Jill Reeve, Natalie Dawson, Kate Barber

SUBS: Kim Milller, Antoinette Lucas, Carla Tagliente

South Africa Starters: Inke Van Wyke (gk), Carina Van Zijl, Candice Forward, Jonke Koornhof, Sophie Mayer, Lindsey Carlisle, Kerry Bee, Pietie Coetzee, Jenny Wilson,   Luntu Ntloko, Susan Wessels

SUBS: Marissa Alves, Marsha Marescia, Melinda Vos