CHULA VISTA, Calif. – February 12, 2016 – Today signifies the finale of a four-match capped tournament against the U.S. Women’s National Team and FIH World Ranked 18th Canada. The red, white and blue dominated the event with a total of four victories including today’s 8-0 win that contained two hat tricks and a first cap. This series is part of Team USA’s February training block at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center’s venue.
"A great strength of today's game was our conversion from circle entry to outcome was very high," said Craig Parnham, USWNT Head Coach. "Over the course of the week we've been very pleased with the number of opportunities we continued to create. Canada is an organized and well-structured team. At times it was very difficult, but I'm pleased with the way the players have committed to learn new things and adapt to new strategies."
Canada was the first to find entry into their attack circle. A crossed ball threatened to change the score in the opening minutes, but the pass went unanswered. Farther up the pitch, Marie Elena Bolles (Phoenixville, Pa.) challenged the Canadian goalkeeper by pulling her off of the goal line in a 1 v 1 situation. USA wasn’t able to convert on the chance but at the 5th minute mark the USA earned their first penalty corner of the game with a successful finish. Off of Lauren Crandall's (Doylestown, Pa.) rebounded drive, Katelyn Falgowski (Landenberg, Pa.) fired a shot from the top, right of the circle to turn the score USA 1, Canada 0. On the opposite end of the pitch, Juila Reinprecht (Perkasie, Pa.) showed great recovery defense by halting a dangerous play at midfield to regain possession.
Displaying a relentless forward mentality in the 13th minute, USA gained their second corner of the match and capitalized off the play when Caitlin Van Sickle (Wilmington, Del.) slid the action to Bolles who was poised to strike the ball into the mesh at close range changing the scoreboard to USA 2, Canada 0. Fast into the second quarter, Bolles again upped USA’s tally when a goalmouth scramble permitted her to blast the ball past the goal line from the right side of the pitch making the score USA 3, Canada 0. A whirlwind of goals only continued as the match drove on. During a penalty corner, Katie Reinprecht (Perkasie, Pa.) was able to redirect an aerial ball into the net to transform the score USA 4, Canada 0. In the 21st minute, Falgowski sprinted down the pitch to rip a drive on target to notch her second goal and then again in the 24th minute she made another dent in the backboard but this time off penalty corner with a sharp strike from the top of the circle to establish an impressive hat trick. The halftime score was recorded as USA 6, Canada 0.
In the 34th minute Canada’s attack earned their first penalty corner of the match but the drag flick attempt went wide of the left post. Shortly after, USA received a penalty corner where Kathleen Sharkey (Mossic, Pa.) approached an incoming lifted ball but hit it high above the crossbar. The USA would test Canada with four penalty corners in the final moments of the third quarter without a result.
A strong offensive presence kept a steadily upward pattern in the final quarter when Bolles secured a second astounding hat trick for the the USA off of a field goal at the stroke line to change the score USA 7, Canada 0. In the 47th minute, Melissa Gonzalez (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) crushed a drive into the left corner of the goal to solidify a final score of USA 8, Canada 0. Also in the fourth quarter, USA made a goalie substitution. Lauren Blazing (Durham, N.C.) earned her first international cap at the senior level, a landmark achievement.
"I feel so much pride and am so grateful to everyone on this team, all of the coaching staff and all of the support staff," said Blazing. "It's amazing the amount of work it took to get to this point. Watching everyone out on the field is really inspirational. It was a great tournament."
"It's a great pleasure to give players their first opportunity to play at this level," said Parnham. "Lauren has been with the group for some time and today is a nice moment for her, one she won't forget. The first of many I'm sure."
Continue Chasing The Dream with our USWNT as they prepare for the Champions Trophy and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by following @USAFieldHockey on Twitter and visiting usafieldhockey.com.