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South Africa Corners USA Women’s Field Hockey, 3-0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – South Africa converted on two penalty corner plays and added another field goal to down the U.S. National Team, 3-0, in international field hockey action at Springfield College.

      “South Africa has a pretty formidable corner battery, and I think we do too, but we were just never able to see it because we didn’t win many corners,” said U.S. coach Tracey Belbin. “What let us down was our possessions in the last 25 where we didn’t  have enough confidence to to take on people one-on-one and created corners for us.”

      South Africa coach Rosalind Howell agreed.

           “The Americans put on huge pressure in the second half,” said Howell, who is making her first international tour as head coach of the South Africa squad. “But they never managed to get into the circle, which was a plus for us.”

      South Africa earned six penalty corners, while the U.S. attempted just one.

      South Africa’s Julia Henry put her team up early in the first half off a field goal in the 21^st minute of play.

      “There was lots of energy, and that was good,” said Belbin as her team rallied behind a vocal crowd of 1,200 spectators at Springfield. “But South Africa has scored in each game early on and that’s just lack of discipline and lack of communication. We had good tactical play in front of a screaming crowd, but I don’t think we communicate urgently enough or send the right messages. It’s all experience. A lot of our players haven’t played much international hockey and this is good experience for us.

      After taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, South Africa padded its advantage with a goal from Jenny Wilson who batted in a rebound off of U.S. goalkeeper’s Peggy Storrar’s save at the 50 minute mark.

            “I thought America, as always, played an exceptionally quick, hard-running game, and I think their goalkeeper is outstanding” said  South Africa’s Howell. “It’s always hard for us to get the ball in the net, and to be leading at halftime made me very happy.”

      Storrar picked up four saves before giving way to U.S. back-up keeper Jill Dedman in the 65^th minute. Dedman earned her first official international appearance in the game.

      South Africa concluded the scoring as time expired with a penalty corner blast from Kerry Bee.

       In the first two games of the series, the US and South Africa played to a 0-0 draw at Boston College, and South Africa won a thrilling 4-3 match in the final seconds of the second game at the Univ. of Connecticut.

      The U.S. concludes its tour with South Africa, Saturday, 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.       

at Springfield, Mass., October 16, 2001

South Africa 3, USA 0

RSA: Julia Henry (fg, 13:00)

RSA: Jenny Wislon (pc, 50:00)

RSA: Kerry Bee (pc, 70:00)

Cards: USA: Tracey Fuchs (Green, 29); Tara Jelley (Green,

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

SUBS: Kim Milller, Carrie Lingo

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

SUBS: Marissa Alves, Jenny Wilson, Marsha Marescia