USA Routs South Africa, 3-0, at Women’s World Cup

PERTH, Australia – The U.S. national field hockey team kept alive its hopes for a top 10 finish with a 3-0 win over South Africa at the FIH Women’s World Cup.

      Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.), Tara Jelley (Greenfield, Mass.) and Keli Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.) collected goals to lift the USA’s tournament record to 2-3 in the 16-team tournament.

      “It was very satisfying,” said McCann on the victory over a team that has become one of the USA’s fiercest rivals over the past two years. “We’ve always gone neck-and-neck with South Africa and this was a big boost for our morale today.”

      The U.S. victory came after two disheartening losses to Japan (2-1) and Spain (4-1) and put the U.S. back in position for a top 10 finish. The U.S. concludes pool play with England on Monday and pool co-leader The Netherlands on Wednesday.

      “It was very nice,” said U.S. head coach Tracey Belbin on the win. “It was particularly nice that we scored some field goals. But the biggest difference between today’s game is that we were much more disciplined and we kept to the plan for the entire game.”

      McCann put the U.S. on top in the 26^th minute when she tipped in a hard pass from Jill Reeve   into the South Africa net for the game’s first score.

      “It was a terrific ball by Jill into the circle,” explained McCann on her second goal of the tournament. “I think I caught the goalie thinking it was going over the end line, and I just got the edge of my stick on it.”

      The U.S. struck again early in the second half when Jelley batted in a loose ball off a penalty corner to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead in the 37^th minute. Smith concluded the scoring with a high blast into the net at the 49-minute mark.

      The team then relied on its defense for much of the remainder of the game to preserve the shutout.”

“They (South Africa) have such a good corner battery, our plan was to not give away any cheap corners and I thought our defense played particularly well,” said Belbin.  Jill Reeve had an awesome game and Katie Beach is really sound right now. Finally, we have more than just one or two players stepping up.”

USA 3, South Africa 0

USA: Kristen McCann (FG, 26:00)
USA: Tara Jelley (PC, 37:00)
USA: Keli Smith (FG, 49:00)
 
South Africa Starters:  Baroline Brit (GK), Anli Kotze, Natalie Haynes, Marsha Marescia, Johke Koornhof, Lindsey Carlisle, Kerry Bee, Peitie Coetzee, Jenny Wilson, Luntu Ntloko, Sharne Wehmeyer

Subs: Sophie Meyer, Bronwyn Ross, Julia Henry, Melinda Vos, van WYK Inke (GK)

USA Starters: Peggy Storrar (Mahopac, N.Y., gk), Tracey Fuchs (Centereach, N.Y.), Antoinette Lucas (Richmond, Va.), Katie Beach (West Lawn, Pa.), Keli Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Tara Jelley (Greenfield, Mass), Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.)

Subs:: Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.), Melanie Meerschwam (Princeton, N.J.), Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.), Carla Tagliente (Corland, N.Y.), Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.)

DNP:  Kim Miller (Virginia Beach), Jill Dedman (Orange, Conn.), Jenny Everett (Rutland, Vt.)