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World Cup Fever: US Field Hockey Women Anxious to Play for Final WC Spot

Cannock, England – After nine months of waiting, the U.S. Field Hockey women’s national team will finally get its chance to qualify for the World Cup this weekend when the U.S. meets India in a best of three series to determine which team will advance to field hockey’s premier event.

The series opens on Saturday, June 22 and continues with game two on  Sunday, June 23 with a third game, if necessary, on Tuesday, June 25. All games are scheduled for the Cannock Hockey Club, Cannock, Staffordshire.

            The much-delayed series became necessary when the U.S. team was unable to compete in September’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament following the terrorist attacks in the United States. At that time, the FIH granted the U.S. an alternative opportunity to qualify for the World Cup by playing the qualifier’s 7th place team. India eventually claimed seventh place at the Qualifier.

            World events further delayed the playing of the series including the most recent attempt to determine the final World Cup team. Scheduled for June 3-5 in New Delhi, the series was again re-scheduled when a U.S. State Department warning forced the U.S. team to return home prior to the start of the games.

            “(The past months) have been extremely emotionally and mentally draining for this team,” said U.S. coach Tracey Belbin.  “At a moment's notice, we have been prepared to play India at several sites and with extreme date changes.  It has been difficult to maintain momentum when it seemed there was never going to be light at the end of the tunnel.”

            Meanwhile, World Cup fever of the soccer variety has swept up the U.S. women while in England. The team has closely followed the U.S. men’s team on  its way to the World Cup quarterfinals.

            The World Cup road won’t get any easier for the winner of the USA/India series. The winning team will face host and defending world champion Australia on the first day of the World Cup. The World Cup runs from Nov. 28-Dec. 8. in Perth.

The U.S. team for the India series includes Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), Jill Jenny Everett (Rutland, Vt.), Tracey Fuchs (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Katie Kauffman (West Lawn, Pa.), Robyn Kenney (Readington, N.J.), Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.), Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Antoinette Lucas (Richmond, Va.), Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.), Melanie Meerschwam (Amstelveen, Netherlands), Kim Miller (Virginia Beach, Va), Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), Keli Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) and goalkeepers Peggy Storrar (Mahopac, NY) and Amy Tran (Grantville, Pa.)

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