Heading into today’s match at the Tasmania Hockey Centre in Hobart, Australia, the No. 16 U.S. Women’s National Team knew they would be up for a challenge when they faced hosts No. 3 Hockeyroos in the FIH Hockey Pro League. After chances for both sides went unscored during regulation, the match went into a shootout to decide the winner. The United Eagles earned the extra point after finishing 3-1 following five rounds and again behind a great shootout performance from USA goalkeeper Kelsey Bing (Houston, Texas).
“Although delighted with the result and a dominant second half, we can’t forget how we started and need to bring the same front foot and aggressive mentality to tomorrow’s match,” said David Passmore, USWNT Head Coach. “We had a positive and aggressive game plan today and we played it well in the second half but our 1v1 defense will have to be better tomorrow against the talented Argentina.”
Australia wasted no time to get possession into their attacking end and earn a penalty corner within just 28 seconds. To the relief of the USA defensive unit and goalkeeper Bing the drag sailed over the crossbar. Play was static for a period, before the Hockeyroos upped the pace and threatened forward. The last 5 minutes saw multiple circle penetrations defended well by the United Eagles, a backhand shot by Hannah Cullum-Sanders saved and an Australia penalty corner get overturned to keep the game scoreless.
Almost identical to the previous frame, Australia earned a penalty corner 24 seconds into the second. Alexandra Hammel (Duxbury, Mass.) came up with a big defensive save off the post to deflect the high drag away. Two minutes later, the Hockeyroos earned another set piece, but this time Bing came up with the save. A good passing sequence by USA led to their first shot of the match. Ashley Sessa (Schwenksville, Pa.) used a small elimination to set herself up for an upright reverse, but her attempt was saved off the glove of Australia goalkeeper Aleisha Power. Possession was shared between the 25-yard lines for bit before the United Eagles registered their second shot in the 26th minute. A long ball by Josie Hollamon (Delmar, Del.) got through to Sanne Caarls (Nieuw-Vennep, Netherlands) who ripped a backhand that was saved by Power. USA threatened one more time through Sessa, but the deadlock remained heading into the break.
The third quarter started with USA on the front foot, having more control than the previous half. This maintained for a period, but the United Eagles were unable to find an outcome. Australia had a close chance after a deep USA turnover led to a shot but Bing made the stop. The score line remained unchanged heading into the final frame.
Australia jumped out in the fourth quarter producing a shot and a circle scramble, where both were saved and stopped by Bing. In the 51st minute, Brooke DeBerdine (Millersville, Pa.) was issued a green card but that didn’t stop USA from earning their first penalty corner a minute later. Unable to cleanly trap it at the top, the United Eagles then saw themselves in an athlete up advantage after an Australia green card but couldn’t make the most of the opportunity. In the final 2 minutes the Hockeyroos had a close chance after a deep USA turnover got to Cullum-Sanders but before she could pull the trigger, Hammel came in and took it away and a penalty corner saved by Bing, to force the game into a shootout.
In the shootout, Australia’s Cullum-Sanders scored on their first attempt as USA missed but the United Eagles answered through Leah Crouse (Virginia Beach, Va.), Sessa and Charlotte de Vries (Malvern, Pa.). Bing also came up with two saves to seal the shootout win and bonus point.
Following the game, USA’s goalkeeper Kelsey Bing was named Player of the Match for her multiple key saves during the game and great shootout performance. Today’s contest also marked a career milestone for Bing who played in her 50th international cap for Team USA.
USA will take on No. 2 Argentina tomorrow, March 2 at 1:10 p.m. ET in their second FIH Hockey Pro League game of the mini-tournament in Hobart, Australia.
