USA Field Hockey News

Forward Pat Harris will lead the USA in its five-game series with Trinidad & Tobago.

USA Field Hockey Men to Host Trinidad & Tobago in Qualifier Warm-Up

Colorado Springs, Colo. - The USA Field Hockey Men's National Team will continue its preparations for February's Olympic Qualifying Tournament when the USA hosts qualifier foe Trinidad & Tobago in a five-game series Dec. 16-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

The five-match series includes games Dec. 16 (1 p.m. PST), Dec. 17 (noon), Dec. 19 (11 a.m.), Dec. 20 (2 p.m.) and Dec. 22 (11 a.m.).

Head coach Nick Conway will use the series to help determine the U.S. team to compete in the Olympic Qualifier, Feb. 2-10 in Auckland, New Zealand. The USA originally missed earning a spot in one of the three Olympic qualifying Tournaments, but received a second chance after Cuba withdrew from the event.

During the December series, the USA men will get a good look at a Trinidad & Tobago team they will face again at the Qualifier. Led by 2007 Pan American Games Player of the Tournament Kwan Browne, Trinidad & Tobago placed fourth at the Pan Am Games to earn a spot in the qualifier.

In a rivalry that dates back to 1979, the USA leads the series between the two teams with a 16-3-7 mark including a four-game sweep of Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain in April of this year. However, Trinidad and Tobago earned a signature win with a 2-1 victory over Cuba at the Pan American Games to earn a spot in the Pan Am semifinals. Trinidad & Tobago went on to place fourth at the event while the USA finished in 7th place.

The USA will be led in the series by leading goal scorer Pat Harris and captain Shawn Nakamura. Harris ranked second in scoring at the Pan Am Games with eight goals in five games and earned a spot on the 2007 Pan American Elite Team. A four-time USA Field Hockey Athlete of the Year, Nakamura anchors a USA defense that recorded 1-0 and 2-0 shutout victories over Trinidad & Tobago in the last two meetings between the two teams.

The USA and Trinidad & Tobago men will be joined in Auckland by Pan American Games runner-up Argentina (No. 7 world ranking), France (No. 16), Ireland (No. 19) and host New Zealand (No. 10).  The USA is currently ranked No. 27 in the world while Trindiad & Tobago ranks 24th. The winner of the six-team tournament will join the winners from two other Olympic Qualifiers in Santiago, Chile (March 1-9) and Kakamigahara, Japan (in earning the final three spots in the Olympic Games.

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