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SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The U.S. Field Hockey women’s team faced a familiar foe with an all too familiar result as Argentina downed the USA, 3-1, in the gold medal game of the XIV Pan American Games. The only champion the Pan Am Games women’s champion has ever had, Argentina won its fifth Pan Am gold medal, and its fourth in a final victory over the United States. Uruguay won the bronze medal with a 5-4 penalty stroke victory over Chile, In spite of the loss, head coach Beth Anders sees a silver lining to match the team’s new silver medals. “I think we definitely grew today, and we grew through the whole tournament,” said Anders. “Nobody likes to lose, but when the dust settles, I think we’ll see some of the positive moves that we’ve made.” Argentina took the lead in the first half when Augustina Garcia broke free on a counter attack and blistered a shot past USA keeper Peggy Storrar (Mahopac, N.Y) for a 1-0 advantage. Argentina continued to apply the pressure in the second half when Garcia notched her second goal of the game in the 38th minute, and Cecillia Del Carril connected for a goal 12 minutes later to give Argentina a 3-0 lead. “We played them tough for most of the second half and had some corners and opportunities,” said the USA’s Tracey Fuchs, who has been a member of the USA team in each of its Pan Am championships games against Argentina. “But early in the game we made some critical mistakes where they were able to get a counter attack, and you can’t do that against the number one team in the world.” Argentina peppered Storrar with 29 shots, and the U.S. keeper came up big with 13 saves and multiple sliding tackles to keep her team in the game. “Against Argentina you get to see a lot of balls,” said Storrar. “It’s fun, but it wasn’t that much fun tonight.” Fuchs put the U.S. on the scoreboard in the 64th minute when she stole the ball on a tackle, sprinted into the Argentina circle and chipped a diving shot over Argentina keeper Marieta Antoniska. “Peggy played great, our defense scrambled the whole game and we had our opportunites,” said Fuchs. “But they were the better team today. With the win, Argentina earns the continent’s automatic berth in the 2004 Olympic Games. The U.S. will get a second chance to qualify for Athens when it travels to the Olympic Qualifier in Auckland, New Zealand in March, 2004. “We’re going to work, we’re going to work hard,” said Anders on her team’s plans for the Qualifier. “I think we’ve definitely improved and this has been a good tournament for us.” Argentina 3,
USA 1 ARG: Augustina
Garcia (FG, 16:00) United States Reserves:
Kristen McCann , Robyn Kenney, Abbey Woolley, Jessica Coleman Argentina Starters:
Mariela Antoniska (GK), Magdalena Aicega, Maira Paz Ferrari, Ayelen Stepnik, Alejandra
Gulla, Luciana Aymar, Augustina Garcia, Mariana Gonzalez, Mercedes Margalot, Cecilia
Rognoni, Natali Doreski Reserves:
Marina DiGiacomo, Cecilia Del Carril, Maria Pas Hernandez, Claudia Burkhart Cards:
USA: Keli Smith (G, 46:00) Umpires: Sarah
Garnett (NZL), Allison Hill (GBR)
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