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USA Women Top New Zealand in Series Finale

The young USA Field Hockey women's national team gave new head coach Lee Bodimeade his first victory with the squad as the USA topped New Zealand, 1-0, in the finale of their five-game series.

Competing in their first international competition since April 2004, the new-look U.S. team went 1-4 in New Zealand on a tour that included matches in Wellington, Levin and Napier.

With a team that featured 11 members of New Zealand's sixth place 2004 Olympic team, New Zealand quickly jumped on the young U.S. squad in the series, The host team team took the first four games 5-0, 2-0, 1-0 and 3-1 with a team that included 11 players off of New Zealand's Olympic squad.

With new coach Bodimeade at the helm, the U.S. team steadily improved in the series and was rewarded with a 1-0 win in the final game in Wellington. Veteran Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.) connected on a field goal in the 17th minute and goalkeeper Amy Tran (Grantville, Pa.) withstood 22 shots on goal to give the USA the win. For her efforts, Tran was named the player of the series for the USA by the New Zealand media.

The USA and New Zealand will meet again in July when USA Field Hockey hosts the Rabobank Champions Challenge, July 8-16 in Virginia Beach, Va.

A former Australian national team member and Olympic silver medalist, Bodimeade was named the U.S. women's coach in early April and joined the team for the first time in New Zealand.

In addition to Bodimeade, the series featured the U.S. senior national team debuts for eight U.S. players. The U.S. players earning their first international caps on the tour included Sarah Dawson (Berlin, N.J.), Kelly Doton (Greenfield, Mass.), Lauren Crandall (Doyelstown, Pa.), Claire Laubach (Bristow, Va.), Katie O'Donnell (Blue Bell, Pa.), Lauren Powley (Mountaintop, Pa.), Sara Silvetti (Wapwallopen, Pa.) and Barabara Weinberg (Louisville, Ky.).

The USA will return to international competition when the team hosts Australia, June 4,5, 8 and 11 in Virginia Beach, Va. The series will continue the USA's preparations for the Rabobank Champions Challenge in July. In addition to the USA and New Zealand, the Rabobank Champions Challenge will feature England, Japan, South Africa and Spain.

USA Field Hockey New Zealand Series Team
caps as of series final

Name	Pos	Hometown	Birth Date	Caps
Kate Barber	Fwd/Mid	West Chester, Pa.	22-Nov-76	125
Sarah Dawson	Fwd	Berlin, N.J.	17-Nov-82	4
Kelly Doton	Mid/Fwd	Greenfield, Mass.	2-Feb-82	5
Lauren Crandall	Mid/Def	Doyelstown, Pa.	17 Mar 85	5
Kristen Holmes-Winn	Mid	Princeton, N.J.	16-Apr-74	38
Robyn Kenney	Mid/Def	Readington, N.J.	6-Feb-79	19
Claire Laubach	Def	Bristow, Va.	29-Jul-83	5
Melissa Leonetti	Def	Erdenheim, Pa.	28-Jun-82	6
Carrie Lingo	Mid	Rehoboth Bch, Del.	27-Sep-79	81
Angie Loy	Fwd	Loysville, Pa.	23-Apr-82	21
Angie North	Back	Houston, Texas	22-May-80	0
Katie O'Donnell	Fwd	Blue Bell, Pa.	6-Dec-88	5
Lauren Powley	Mid	Mountaintop, Pa.	5-Mar-84	5
Dina Rizzo	Fwd	Walpole, Mass.	24-Mar-80	38
Sara Silvetti	Def	Wapwallopen, Pa.	6-Sep-82	4
Tiffany Snow	Fwd	Escondido, Calif.	2-Dec-81	9
Amy Tran	GK	Grantville, Pa.	2-Oct-80	20
Barbara Weinberg	GK	Louisville, Ky.	10-Jul-82	1

Head Coach	Lee Bodimeade
Staff	Terry Walsh, Steve Jennings, Nick Conway, Justine Sowry Kate Reisinger (Mgr), Chrissy Ames (Trainer)


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