USA 3, BELGIUM 1

Tournament Final - Sunday, April 27, 2008

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KAZAN, RUSSIA (April 27, 2008) – On a guided tour through Kazan Friday, members of the USA Field Hockey Women’s National Team visited Söyembikä Tower inside the city’s Kremlin. According to local legend, if you placed your hands on the centuries-old tower’s brick façade and wished for something hard enough, it would come true.

The players indulged, laid their palms on the tower, and, for a brief moment, stepped back from game planning and training to simply hope.

On Sunday, some of those wishes were fulfilled.

The USA Field Hockey Women’s National Team earned a spot in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with a 3-1 defeat of Belgium in the final game of the World Hockey Olympic Qualifiers in Kazan, Russia.

Tiffany Snow redirected a pass from Lauren Crandall across the scoring zone for the game-winning goal in the 26th minute.  Snow was named Top Scorer in the tournament with six goals.

Kayla Bashore opened the U.S. scoring in the 17th minute, tipping a penalty corner strike from Kelly Doton past Belgium goalkeeper Elizabeth Achten. Belgium leveled the score at 1-1 with their own penalty corner shot by Anne-Sophie van Regemortel.

U.S. team captain Kate Barber capped the tournament scoring with a shot along the goal line in the 58th minute.

Belgium had early scoring opportunities and challenged the U.S. defense in the first half. They were awarded their first penalty corner just 90 seconds in the contest and flustered the American attack.

“We were happy halftime came when it did, so we could adapt our game plan to what Belgium was doing,” said U.S. coach Lee Bodimeade. “I’m extremely happy and proud of my team they were able to change.”

The USA regrouped in the second half, showing renewed intensity. The defense denied Belgium any more goals, as the offensive pressure finally resulted in the third American goal to cap the victory.

“The tournament to go to the Olympics is tough,” he said.

“I think the USA was the best team,” said Belgium head coach Michel van den Boer. “They deserve to go to the Olympics.”

Defender Rachel Dawson was named Player of the Tournament.

The U.S. never trailed in any game and routed three opponents in shutout victories. The USA outscored the field 27-4.