US Field Hockey News

US Field Hockey U20 Team Edges USA U23 For JFK Title

 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Field Hockey’s women’s under-20 team edged the U.S. Under-23 team, 3-2, to capture the title at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Tournament at the U.S. Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va.

Making their first appearances in the 39-year old tournament, the two U.S. junior teams went undefeated through round-robin pool play and crossovers to earn spots against each other in the final.

"The U20s really played flawless hockey,"  said Ellis on her young team.  "They hung in there the entire tournament. They are all very excited about beating the U23 team and now they're saying 'bring on the national team'."

In the championship game, the U20 team jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead over its older counterpart on a pair of goals by high school All-America selection Jill Civic. A senior from Emmaus High School (Pa.), Civic is headed for the Univ. of Michigan next fall.

The U.S. Under-23 team fought back in the second half on early field goals by  U.S. national team member Jessica Coleman and the Univ. of North Carolina’s Kelsey Keeran (Columbus, Ohio). The deadlock would not last, however, as  Duke University’s Katie Grant connected on the gamewinner in the final minute to give the U20 team the victory.

Named the tournament's outstanding player, Coleman finished the tournament with 10 goals to lead the U.S. U23 team, while Civic connected on 4 goals to lead the U20 team. Grant, Gracie Sorbello, Natalie Martirosian  and Amy Stopford added two goals each for the tournament champions.

The U23 team was without the services of  All-America selections April Fronzoni, Kristi Gannon, Molly Powers and their Univ. of Michigan teammate, Stephanie Johnson,  for the championship game after the four teammates had to return home prior to the game. The Wolverine standouts accounted for 13 goals in the first five games of the tournament.

Played for years on The Mall in Washington, D.C., the tournament moved to the Training Center in 2003 and featured adult club teams as well as the U.S. junior squads. Traditional favorites Red Rose, Second Effort, Team Za and Mavericks were among the women’s team competing in the annual event.

U.S. junior team coach Ellis headed both U.S. teams at the tournament with help from Kristen Winn-Holmes (Univ. of Princeton head coach) and Michelle Madison (Michigan State head coach) on the U23 team and Tracey Griesbaum (Univ. of Iowa head coach ) and Andrew Smith on the U20 team.

The champion U.S. Under-20 team included U20 team was comprised of Heidi Beck (Leola, Pa.), Jill Civic (Wescosville, Pa.), Rachel Dawson (Berlin, N.J.), Katelyn Falgowski (Landenberg, Pa.),  Carrie Fetting-Smith (Baltimore, Md.), Katie Grant (Lehighton, Pa.), Anne-Marie Janus (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), Claire Laubach (Bristow, Va.), Cara-Lynn Lopresti (San Diego, Calif.), Natalie Martirosian (Richmond, Va.), Brooke Miller (Hummelstown, Pa.), Katy Moyneur (Escondido, Calif.), Lauren Powley (Mountaintop, Pa.), Elizabeth Schlossberg (Chevy Chase, Md.), Gracie Sorbello (Davis, Calif.), Amy Stopford (Hillsboro, N.C.), Katy Tran (Grantville, Pa.) and Sara York (Watertown, Mass.).

     The U23 team included Kelly Baril (Peabody, Mass.), Jess Coleman (Oceanport, Va.), Joann Engestrom (Middletown, Md.), Kerry Falgowski (Landenburg, Va.), April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa.), Kelsey Keeran (Columbus, Ohio), Meredith Keller (Wilmington, Del.), Tiffany Leister (Oley, Pa.), Abbey Martin (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), Lauren Mazziotto (Sewell, N.J.), Lindsay Miller (Gap, Pa.), Kristine Nesburg (Oak Park, Ill.), Katy Potter (Emmaus, Pa.), Molly Powers (Oak Park, Ill.), Tiffany Snow (Escondido, Calif.), Maria Whitehead (West Chester, Pa.), Kristi Gannon (Escondido, Calif.) and Stephanie Johnson (Houston, Texas).

The U.S. Under-20 team will next compete in U.S. Field Hockey’s Summer League scheduled for June 7-8, June 21-22 and July 5-6 in Virginia Beach.

May 25
FINAL

USA U20 3, USA U23, 2

USA U20: Jill Civic (fg, 11:00)
USA U20: Jill Civic (pc, 13:00)
USA U23: Jessica Coleman (fg, 39:00)
USA U23: Kelsey Keeran (fg, 41:00)
USA U20: Katie Grant (fg, 59:00)

USA U20  Starters: Jill Civic, Rachel Dawson, Katelyn Falgowski, Katie Grant, Anne-Marie Janus, Claire Laubach, Natalie Martirosian, Brooke Miller, Lauren Powley, Amy Stopford, Katy Tran

USA U23: Jessica Coleman, Joann Engestrom, Kerry Falgowski, Kelsey Keeran, Meredith Keller, Tiffany Leister, Abby martin, Lauren Mazziotto, Lindsay Miller Kristine Nesburg (gk), Katy Potter, Tiffany Snow, Maria Whitehead