COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – June 14, 2018 – Four years ago in the wake of the London 2012 Olympic Games, field hockey’s biggest stage was the 2014 Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague, The Netherlands. As the stage shifts back to the home of Big Ben and the London Eye for the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup, the U.S. Women’s National Team is eyeing a better finish than their last appearance with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on the horizon.

USA entered the 2014 World Cup as the 10th seed of the 12 competing teams, just in front of South Africa and Belgium. The team earned their bid to The Netherlands by qualifying at the Investec Hockey World League Semifinal in London. USA placed fifth in that tournament, but with second reserves Japan and the already qualified Argentina winning their respective continental championships, the World Cup ticket was handed to USA as the third reserve. From there, USA sailed through pool play one after another before ultimately claiming the top spot with a record of 4-0-1, totaling 13 points ahead of Argentina, and advancing to the semifinals. That set a date with No. 4 Australia in the second semifinal matchup on June 12.

The two squads went scoreless in the first half before Australia claimed the game’s first goal courtesy of Kellie White in the 38th minute. It would remain that way until late in the fourth quarter when Kelsey Kolojejchick (Larksville, Pa.) tied the game 1-1 in the 48th minute. However, the celebration would be short lived for USA when Anna Flanagan gave the Hockeyroos the 2-1 advantage on a successful penalty corner in the 52nd minute. With time running short, USA set up one last press as Kolojejchick scored her second of the game to tie it in the 68th minute, forcing the match into shootouts. Katie (O’Donnell) Bam (Blue Bell, Pa.) and Paige Selenski (Shavertown, Pa.) would both miss for USA on the team’s first two attempts. On the other side, Australia captain Madonna Blyth also missed, but the next three shooters gave the team a 3-1 advantage, putting the pressure on USA. Michelle Kasold (Chapel Hill, N.C.) could not convert on USA’s fourth attempt, sending the team into the third-place match against Argentina.

Argentina and USA met previously during pool play where they tied 2-2. In their second meeting, Luciana Aymar put Los Leones out to an early 1-0 lead in the 8th minute. Moments later, Lauren Crandall (Doylestown, Pa.) tied the game for USA on a penalty corner in the 11th minute. Ten minutes later, Aymar would score her second of the game on a field goal to put Argentina up for good, ending USA’s World Cup run and a fourth place finish.

Four years later, under the guidance of Janneke Schopman, USA is primed to return to the semifinal stage in London after a rigorous training schedule following the team’s first place finish at the Hockey World League Semifinal in Johannesburg, South Africa. The U.S. Women’s National Team is currently in Tucuman, Argentina for a five-game test series against the host nation from June 7-10. Tune in to usafieldhockey.com for a live stream throughout the series and cheer on USA next month at the World Cup! #Gr1tForGlory