SVETI IVAN ZELINA, Croatia - January 6, 2019 - The final day of the Croatia Cup in Sveti Ivan Zelina, Croatia concluded Sunday with the senior U.S. Women's National Indoor Team finishing strong with two wins to secure first place and the Croatia Cup championship. In their first match of the day, the team defeated Hungary 17-0 before taking on host nation Croatia, where the senior squad used a strong second half to pull away to a 8-3 victory. The U-21 Indoor USWNT, whose lone loss of the tournament was to the senior squad on the first day, finished second in the standings. In their last two games, the U-21 Indoor USWNT faced the U-21 Croatia team, winning 10-2, before wrapping up the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Slovenia.

USA 17 - Hungary 0

The Indoor USWNT were pitted against Hungary in the first game of the final day. The new hockey nation had made a marked improvement with every game during the tournament. Although they employed a tight defensive zone, USA scored at regular intervals throughout the game. Zinolli scored four and Ali Campbell (Boyertown, Pa.) converted three penalty corner and a penalty stroke to lead the team. Hope Rose (Dauphin, Pa.) and Madison Orobono (Macungie, Pa.) scored three goals each, while Elizabeth Yeager (Rye, N.Y.), Ashley Sessa (Schwenksville, Pa.) and Nathalie Friedman (Phoenix, Md.) scored one each.

U-21 USA 10 - U-21 Croatia 2

The U-21 USA team jumped out to a fast start against Croatia's U-21 squad. Mia Leonhardt (Media, Pa.), on the right of the circle, converted a square pass from Josephine Palde (Schwenksville, Pa.) to open the scoring. Croatia fought back, pressing USA's defense high, bringing a good save from goalkeeper Sierra Espeland (Fredericksburg, Va.). Rayne Wright (Bethlehem, Pa.), who had an outstanding tour, made a timely interception and sent a hard pass to Palde, who swept the ball on to Leonhardt to deflect into the net. With the game swinging from end to end, Palde scrambled a loose ball home to give USA a 3-0 lead in the sixth minute. The young Croatian team continued to work hard and press forward, who then won a penalty corner to put the host nation on the board. In the 12th minute, Leonhardt made a good interception, took the ball into the circle, and shot passed the onrushing goalkeeper to restore the three-goal lead. Croatia won another corner and converted again, this time Una Litvic shot high to make the score to 4-2 in the 14th minute. Both teams went close and both goalkeepers were called into action as the squads battled for another goal. They had to wait until the 18th minute when a well worked move from Kelly Smith (Downingtown, Pa.) to Leonhardt to Olivia Bent-Cole (Ventor, N.J.) on a penalty corner attempt gave USA a 5-2 lead which they took into the break.

An exciting second half ensued, but it took ten minutes for another breakthrough. A shot by Palde hit the post but Evelyn Murray (Virginia Beach, Va.) was on hand to push the ball home. One minute later, a five-player move ended with Leonhardt deflecting the ball into the net to extend USA's lead to 7-2. With players tiring the pace slowed as USA took full advantage and scored three more goals in the final two minutes. First, Bent-Cole set up Murray, then Smith laid on a goal for Murray. Finally, Megan Maransky (Blue Bell, Pa.) intercepted a pass, took the ball into the circle and scored the tenth goal with an accurate low shot to give USA Juniors the 10-2 victory and take the test series 3-0.

“This was a well played game and the score line does not reflect how well the young Croatia team played,” said head coach Jun Kentwell after the game. “We wish them the best of luck in their European Under 21 B Division Championship in two weeks.”

U-21 USA  3 - Slovenia 0