USA Field Hockey Women draw 1-1 with Japan in Game 2 of Series

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland – The USA and Japan continued their international tradition of tight games as the two teams played to a 1-1 field hockey draw in Game 2 of their five-game series at the Univ. of Maryland.

“I’m really pleased with the way we played,” said U.S. coach Lee Bodimeade. “I thought we played better tonight then last night (a 2-1 USA win) and I thought Japan played better as well. It is always a close competition between these teams and I don’t expect it will be any different for the remainder of the series.”

As in the previous night’s game, the USA again fell behind early when Japan’s Tomomi Komori skillfully tipped a hard pass off a free hit up and over U.S. goalkeeper Amy Tran for a 1-0 Japan lead five minutes into the game.

The USA battled back minutes later when Kelly Doton drilled a penalty corner shot past Japan keeper Ikuko Okamura to tie the game at 1-1 in the 22^nd minute.

Both teams picked up the tempo in the second half, but Japan denied U.S. attacks inside the circle early in the half and the USA survived three consecutive Japan penalty corners in the 62^nd minute as the teams settled for the 1-1 draw.

The game showcased some of the nation’s top collegiate stars as Bodimeade made free use of his extended roster for the series. Rachel Dawson (Univ. of North Carolina), Katelyn Falgowski (Univ. of North Carolina), Michelle Kasold (Wake Forest Univ.) and Katie O’Donnell (Univ. of Maryland) all saw time for the USA during the match.

Following a rest day on Wednesday (Oct. 9), the teams resume their series with Game 3 at 7 p.m.

“Japan’s a top six team in the world right now, and we want to be one of the top four teams in the world,” said Bodemeade. “Japan’s one of the teams we have to play and we have to beat to reach that goal.”

USA Starters: Kelly Doton (Greenfield, Mass.), Rachel Dawson (New Berlin, N.J.), Tiffany Snow (Escondido, Calif.), Dana Sensenig (Denver, Pa.), Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), Michelle Kasold (Chapel Hill, N.C.), Katie O’Donnell (Blue Bell, Pa.), Katelyn Falgowski (Landenberg, Pa.), Amy Tran (GK) (Grantville, Pa), Kayla Bashore (Shoemakersville, Pa.), Lauren Crandall (Doyelstown, Pa.)

Reserves: Melissa Leonetti (Erdenheim, Pa.), Lauren Powley (Mountaintop, Pa.), Dina Rizzo (Walpole, Mass.), April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa.), Natalie Martirosian (Richmond, Va.)

Japan Starters: Ikuko Okamura, Mayumi Ono, Chie Kimura, Yukari Yamamoto Misaki Ozawa, Mika IIMura, Chinami Kozakura, Chie Akutsu,

Reserves: Hikari Suwa, Rika Komazawa, Miyuki Nakagawa, Akiko Ota, Yuka Yoshikawa, Ayumi Ueno, Ai Murakami, Hazuki Yuda, Kana Nomura

USA Field Hockey Series Roster vs. Japan
Name	Pos	Hometown	Birth Date	Caps*
Kate Barber	Fwd	West Chester, Pa.	22-Nov-76	183
Kayla Bashore	Def	Shoemakersville, Pa.	20-Feb-83	40
Lauren Crandall	Def	Doyelstown, Pa.	17-Mar-85	30
Rachel Dawson	Mid/Def	Berlin, N.J.	8-Feb-85	47
Sarah Dawson	Fwd	Berlin, N.J.	17-Nov-82	51
Jill Dedman	GK	Orange, Conn.	24-April-78	5
Kelly Doton	Fwd	Greenfield, Mass.	2-Feb-82	63
Katie Evans	Mid	Newtown Square	8-May-85	0
Katelyn Falgowski	Fwd	Landenberg, Pa.	23-Oct-88	38
April Fronzoni	Fwd	Larksville, Pa.	18 Feb 82	53
Jesse Gey	Mid	Greenlane, Pa.	1-Jul-86	0
Michelle Kasold	Fwd	Chapel Hill, N.C.	26-May-87	12
Claire Laubach	Def	Bristow, Va.	29-Jul-83	42
Melissa Leonetti	Def	Erdenheim, Pa.	28-Jun-82	63
Carrie Lingo	Mid	Rehoboth Bch, Del.	27-Sep-79	116
Angie Loy	Fwd	Louisville, Pa.	23-Apr-82	77
Natalie Martirosian	Mid	Richmond, Va.	11-Jul-82	0
Caroline Nichols	Def	Virginia Beach, Va.	15-Dec-84	6
Katie O'Donnell	Fwd	Blue Bell, Pa.	6-Dec-88	21
Lauren Powley	Mid	Mountaintop, Pa.	5-Mar-84	52
Dina Rizzo	Fwd	Walpole, Mass.	24-Mar-80	91
Dana Sensenig	Mid	Denver, Pa.	20-Nov-84	17
Tiffany Snow	Fwd	Escondido, Calif.	2-Dec-81	65
Amy Tran	GK	Grantville, Pa.	2-Oct-80	73
Barbara Weinberg	GK	Louisville, Ky.	10-Jul-82	11

Head Coach
Lee Bodimeade

*Caps as of July 25, 2007