Canada used a well executed corner in the first half and a second goal from the field in the second half to come out with a 2-0 win over the US team. US fans no doubt were looking for the second half surge that characterized the previous wins by the US, but it was not to happen. Captain Kathleen Sharkey was right on point as she described the Canadian counterattack as a key difference in the game.
Canada got their first goal off a corner with a well executed shot by Karli Johansen in the second quarter. The US responded with several close chances but just couldn’t find the connections to result in the tying goal. Both teams came out with purpose in the second half, as the US again saw several close chances, but didn’t find the back of the cage. The US goal keeper Kelsie Bing was kept busy, and made several close saves. But as the half wore on, Canada did again find the goal by the way of a shot by Madeline Secco.
It was after the second goal, it seemed to me, the US got more and more desperate and there was a lot of individual effort to spur a comeback. But all credit to the experienced Canadian defense as they seemed to be everywhere, tackling, blocking passes and closing spaces.
Canada now moves on to the finals and a shot at an Olympic berth, and US will play Chile to capture a bronze medal. This will be the rubber match with Chile, who showed their skill even in a loss to the US in the Pool B match up. Coach Shopman expressed her disappointment, but resolved to do her best to keep the team together for a final medal opportunity.
Again, experience was the key in the game and although individually talented, this young US team must find ways to stay together, and develop, to reach it’s full potential, I believe.
Off a 9-0 victory against Cuba on Sunday, the US Women’s team earned the right to play Canada, the second place team from Pool A at the Pan Am games. The US finished the quarter finals undefeated, as has Argentina in Pool A. Canada has one loss, against Argentina. Argentina will play Chile whose one loss is with the United States in Pool B.
The Pan Am championship is an automatic qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics next year. Argentina by virtue of its ranking and performance in the pro-league already has a ticket. So for Canada and the US this is the most direct path to Tokyo.
Erin Matson skirts the Cuban defender
Looking at the stats in this tournament and at the rosters, the obvious difference is the Canadian team’s experience. Twelve of their players have 100 caps or more, the US has only 3. The most experienced US player has 170 caps. However, Canada’s average age is very close. Two US players got their experience as teenagers. In fact MacKensie Allessie, who has yet to play a college game is second in scoring for the tournament with six goals to her credit. Canada’s leading scorer is Sara McManus with 5 goals, 3 from the field and 2 penalty corners.
US Goalie Bing stretches out to defend
Significantly , scoring has been spread around the US team and one of the US’s advantages is their ability to score from anywhere on the field. Canada has scored 24 goals, two on penalty strokes, 9 on corners, and 13 from the field. The US has 26 goals, 1 penalty stroke, 11 penalty corners, and 14 from the field.
The US is ranked 13 and Canada 18 in the world. Games between these two hockey rivals have been contentious and battles are right to the end. The stakes are high as both teams are looking for that precious Olympic spot. No doubt coach Schopman, the US Coach would like to see a faster start for the US team given their late game rallies in the previous games. Game time is 6:15 Tuesday but it will not be televised. The championship game will be Friday evening and will be on one of the ESPN channels.
The US was certainly on hostile ground as they took on the Peruvian National Team in their last game in Pool B competition. Despite the large home crowd, band and enthusiastic fans the US came away with an 8-0 victory characterized by their typical second half surge. But it was MacKensie Allessie, a recent high school graduate from Mt. Joy, Pa. who became the story of the game. Mackenise holds the national high school record for a career at 331 goals. The eighteen year old joined the senior national team this march after a notable career on the junior teams. She will play hockey for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Today, encouraged by the chance to be in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 lit up the scoreboard with 4 goals! The US had numerous chances in the first quarter to score but it was a Froede to Moyer combination that but the US on the board in the seventh minute of play. That would be the only score of the quarter.
Despite several. penalty corners it looked as though that might be only score of the half until the 2 last minutes, which resulted in as many goals with Danielle Grega and Erin Matson scoring for the end of the half. Grega found the back of cage after a scramble followed a minute late by Matson firing a shot between the Peruvian GK.
The second half started out in explosive fashion when it looked like the US connected for an early goal but it was called back by the officials. However, it was only one minute later the MacKensie found the first of her four goals of the afternoon. US fans had little time to wait when the young striker made it 5-0. A minute later she was to capture at least a hat trick for her efforts.
She was to get her fourth in a Froede to Paolino to Allesssie combination to make it 7-0 going into the 48th minute.
Captain Kathleen Sharkey closed the scoring off a direct hit to the right corner during a penalty corner. in the last minute of the game. The US is now finished their Pool play in first place and will play the last team in Pool A on Sunday.
Magadan looks to pass against Mexico in the Pan Am Games
In the first game of the Pan Am Field Hockey Tournament, the US took a 5-0 win against Mexico. The first half was a back and forth affair as Mexico turned back several good chances by the US. The US had 9 penalty corners alone in the half. With three minutes left in the first half, midfielder Danielle Grega found the back of the net with a deflection to give the Red, White and Blue the 1-0 lead going into half time.
Coach Janneke Schopman must have had a lot to say to the team as they came out with renewed vigor and Amanda Magadan got on the scoreboard in the thirty fourth minute with a deflection off a Sharkey straight shot to right post, where Magadan dutifully put it in the cage for a 2-0 lead for the US.
Amanda deflects the ball for the score!!
This started a torrent of scoring when, after only 3 minutes having ticked off the clock, Lauren Moyer emerged out of a scramble in front of the cage to get the ball past the Mexican goalkeeper making it 3-0. One minute later Erin Matson made it 4-0 scoring off a rebound, initially delivered by a Hoffman drag flick during a corner. Matson, the inserter deftly lifted the ball for the score.
Two minutes later Ashley Hoffman finished the scoring after Mexico pushed a US player inside the circle, and the US was awarded a penalty stroke. This was the final score in a 5-0 dominating win for US.
Step one completed, and now on to Chile on Wednesday at one o’clock.
For Lafayette alumnus Amanda Magadan ,and the US National Field Hockey Team, the quest for Olympic glory begins today in a stadium in Lima Peru. The opening ceremony is over for the Pan Am games and the US team gets down to work, defending their previous gold medal. Another Pan Am gold in 2019 punches their ticket to the Tokyo Olympic games. This young hard working team has been reconfigured by Janneke Schopmann and has spent the past year sharpening their skills in the World Professional field hockey league where they played with the best. Amanda, in the past several years has earned over 69 caps in her time on the Junior and Senior squads. She is one of the final 16 established athletes selected for this effort.
The games will run through early August. The team currently ranked 13 in the world and is assigned to Pool B which includes Mexico, Chile, and host country Peru. Pool A includes the ever dangerous Argentina who is currently ranked number 3. So a repeat championship game with Argentina looks likely. However Coach Schopman cautions that Canada and Chile, in particular, have made great strides in recent months. We all know the game, and the ball can take funny bounces, but the team seems ready!!
Today the team will kick of off play at 3pm against Mexico. Mexico is currently ranked 30th in the world and finished 6th in a recent tournament in Japan. The last time the two met it ended in a 6-0 win for the US, with team captain Kathleen Sharkey scoring a hat trick in the process.
Don’t think for a moment that the team is taking this game for granted. Unfortunately this game will not be live streamed but I will try to cover the result, and action in a timely manner. Hopefully the semi-final and final will be telecast on ESPN 2.
Meanwhile, the Lafayette Field Hockey team begins a quest of their own in several weeks.with their first scrimmage set in a mere three weeks.
In an unusual Sunday afternoon release on go leopards and a concurrent video , Head Field Hockey Coach Jennifer Stone rounded out the incoming class for the fall. Previously on Twitter and followed on this blog six months ago a group of five was announced, Tara Hamilton from North Vancouver, Shea Balderson from Moorestown N.J, Hanna Lewis from Lebanon, Pa, Sydney Woolston from Berlin N.J., and Natalie Fuertsch from Pottstown,Pa. In her interview, she was obviously excited by her incoming class. Many have performed at various tournaments and camps since graduation. Tara Hamilton has already played with current Lafayette midfielder Audrey Sawers in the national under 21 Canadian tournament. Sydney Woolston has been seen at Spooky Nook the national training headquarters for the US Team and Hanna Lewis was singled out by Stone for her efforts at a camp this summer.
Left out in the initial announcement but known by those close to the team are two recruits from Europe who could be difference makers, Felcitas Hannes a 5’3″ forward from Cologne, Germany and Simone Hefting a 6′ defender from Den Bosch, Netherlands.
Last spring, captain Lisa Van der Geest mentioned the incoming class at the team banquet. Not only is the head coach excited about the incoming class but the current players are looking forward to the new class to replace a very talented senior class who graduated two months ago.
Simone Hefting played for HC Den Bosch her entire youth. They were champions of South Netherlands from 2012-2015. They won the Dutch outdoor championships in 2017 and repeated in 2018. Van der Geest, an all American last year described Simone to me this way. Gesturing with hand near her waist, Lisa opined, ” I am here.” Then moving her hand over her head, “Simone is here.” Not good news for Patriot League opponents!!! Our defense looks well in hand.
Felicitas Hannes
Felicitas Hannes played forward for Rot-Weiss Koeln and play in 10 German championship runs first being in the U12 division in 2012, She and her club won West German U18, and U19 indoor championships. Her talents are not limited to hockey as she tutored her peers in math and voluteered for a sport program for refugee children in Cologne. She will enjoy teaming up with our talented forward line once she arrives at Lafayette. And so will our fans.
We are down to a mere few weeks before our young women return to the Hill and Rappolt Field. This could be a fun season!!
Summer break is nearly over and the pages of summer work outs, the clinics and camps are slowly behind the Lafayette student athlete, and in less than a month, they will be returning to campus to begin the final preparation and rehearsals for the fall season. By this time next month, their first division one competition, in the form of a scrimmage will be upon them. About 85 percent of the seventy plus schools have already published their schedules, and they are beginning appear in publications like “Field Hockey Corner.”
But the campus itself is beginning to come alive. You can see small bands of athletes organizing for captain’s practices. The Football team will be the first to arrive and the start of their summer workouts might be more of a subtle change in routine, as you can already see larger and larger groups working out under the hot sun at Fisher Field.
For those of you thousands of miles away in Germany, Holland, and Vancouver it’s been very hot here in the US Northeast with temperatures reaching close to 100 degrees, I can only imagine the heat on the astro-turf surface. As parents and student athlete alike arrive in less than a month, they will see a campus in the midst of large changes.
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The new integrated science center is nearly completed, Just in time, as STEM offerings are being enhanced. The school will be offering a new BS in engineering which will complement the other more specific engineering offering. The new dorms have begun construction on Cattell Street. They will be ready for occupants in 2020. They will include a plethora of new retail shops on the bottom floor replacing the old worn out housing and retail space that has occupied the Hill for years.
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The freshman college population will well exceed 700 as the school advances to their short term target of 2900 students. In the coming years we will see additional changes and renovation to accommodate the new populations. On the list of renovations according to highly placed sources, will be the science building, Kunkel Hall, the student housing at Marquis, McKean, and others.
The college is also committed to change and improvements in the athletic department. Sherryta Freeman, now more than a year into her job as Athletic Director, is changing the face and resources of the department for a reinvigorated sports program. There is a new women’s Lacrosse Coach, and additional staff for the Men’s Lacrosse program as well as the women’s basketball program. There is a new administrator for compliance ,who I understand will also have some sports responsibilities.
I have also learned from high sources that a new fence surrounding the field hockey field is in the works, and upon inspection recently I see small flags on the outside where the fence will go. Upon arrival at Metzgar Fields the new construction of fences and welcoming signage finally makes Metzgar have the look of the beautiful campus Lafayette is. Also in the works are permanent bathrooms adjacent to the field hockey stands, which will bring comfort to our many fans. The timing is unclear but I am assured they are on the way.
We will welcome seven new families and they will learn quickly how the program is a family friendly activity. There is excitement always, and this season is no exception. The Patriot League is as competitive as ever and as we begin that schedule, Lafayette will be facing familiar coaching organizations, each with the goal of not only making it to the post season league playoffs but the NCAA national tournament.
There will be some new opponents and according to their already published schedules we will be seeing App State, and Monmouth among others for the first time in a while. There will also be the familiar names we have seen in the past according their schedules, Penn, Temple, Liberty, and Richmond have us on their websites. More about that in later posts. I plan to go over each Patriot League team later this summer and I eventually will have something to say about our out of conference games as they approach.
For me its been a long summer waiting. but its almost over!!
Head Coach of the Lafayette Leopards, Jennifer Stone, has annually organized two camps in early July to help young players develop their skills, and to improve team dynamics. The first of those camps is a camp devoted to individual skill development, and the second camp is a team camp. The camp instructors and demonstrators are the Lafayette coaching staff, and some of the current Lafayette players. This year there was an added opportunity for athletes preparing for the fall season. Stone invited two members of the USA Field Hockey team defender Julia Young and Midfielder Amanda Magadan to instruct. For those of you looking for a metaphorical comparison, it would be like two members of NFL champion New England Patriots giving instruction on how to play football.
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The two USA players are part of a young squad, that will be defending their title at the important July 26-August 11 Pan Am Games this summer in Lima Peru. As an olympic qualifier, the games have added significance. Both athletes have a list of honors too long for this blog. Amanda and Julia both graduated from college in 2017, Amanda from Lafayette, and Julia from UNC. Both were named all-Americans and first team all-conference. Both were members of the World Gold Cup semi-final teams in South Africa in 2017. That was after working their way up to the US Team through the various junior national teams. Amanda has 67 international caps, and Julia has 44 caps. Illustrating the youth of our national team, only 7 team members of the 27 listed on the roster have more caps.
I was able to have a short conversation with both of these athletes and posed a few questions to them:
What makes or defines an “elite athlete.?”
Both agreed elite athletes have to be able to put in the work, and prepare every day. In Amanda’s USA bio she quotes Emerson, ” What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside you.” In Julia’s bio she says, ” Hold yourself to a high standard and don’t stop raising the standard as you grow and get better.”
Can you spot a future US Team member early?
Both agreed, you can only see potential, but that potential has to be nurtured. Julia started playing futures in 7th grade in 2004, Amanda an excellent softball player, only began playing field hockey in 2009.
What is the one skill you practice everyday?
Again the two elite athletes agreed, as they almost said in unison “the right foot pass.” Now as a 25 year hockey dad, that was a new one, and it had to be explained to me. Since the stick is always in essence a ” right handed” instrument, the tendency is to step with the left foot when passing. Developing a right foot step can give you an advantage against a defender and a player can shield the ball from the defender.
How do we “grow the game.”
As a trustee for the US Field Hockey Foundation I was curious about their vision. Julia felt people need to hear more about the game, and there is a need for more publicity about Field Hockey to get people interested. Amanda pointed out the need for equipment for younger players to play, and cited that the team has been giving sticks to younger players to encourage them. That was symbolically demonstrated at the FIH game with Germany this year when before the game sticks were given away by the team.
Julia and Amanda demonstrate for campers
The rest of the day was filled with drills and Coach Stone organized stations around the field where individual skills were demonstrated and tried under the watchful eye of Julia, Amanda, Coach Stone and her staff.
The 30 or so campers were certainly advantaged to have the opportunity to learn skills that will used in their respective fall seasons.
I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak to these young women. This fall I will be expanding my writing beyond just Lafayette Field Hockey. I may start covering and attending other college games in the future, and I will certainly be covering the journey of the US Team in their quest for Olympic recognition.
Audrey Sawers and Tara Hamilton display their gold
As the earth makes it annual journey, so too our field hockey student athletes begin their annual preparation for the tasks at hand this fall. It’s a little more than a month away when our team will report for the challenges of preseason. Certainly circled will be the first scrimmage with Fairfield on August the 18th. For the first year teammates, it will be their first taste of Division One hockey as a Leopard. For the veterans, it will be the time of reconstruction and dedication for the challenges ahead. By accounts, this is a team that could be in the hunt. There are only 17 scheduled “obstacles” in the way and two playoff games during the chill of November.
Sidney Woolston at the Futures National Tournament at Spooky Nook
In fact, no team in a Division One environment is standing still, so the challenge is not one of passing a static opponent, but keeping up and surpassing those along the way. Aside from summer study, family and personal travel, we have had a chance to see and an occasional Leopard in action. Arguably, it’s seeing our newest Leopards in action that is the most interesting. Yesterday, I had a chance to see Sidney Woolston, a freshman defender/midfielder in a game at the Futures Championships at Spooky Nook. Sidney was playing on a New Jersey team ( London), and saw lots of crucial minutes in her first two games of the three day tournament. The weather was challenging ( it must have been over 100 degrees on the turf). They played under the old high school rules, and did not separate the game into four quarters, but played two long halves in a challenge to fitness as well as skill. The 5’7″ defender showed her potential to those of us on the sidelines and I was to get several action shots for my camera.
Meanwhile, 3000 miles away Tara Hamilton was to join one of our key leaders, Audrey Sawers in a Tournament at their club in Western Canada. They led their team to the gold medal. I have no report yet as to any scoring by either athlete. But their working together might portend a combination this fall. Audrey of course earned her first caps in Ireland playing for the Canadian under 21 team in Ireland. ( cheered on by her Lafayette teammates)
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We all know about Grace Angelella and Molly McAndrew’s play after bering selected for the 2019 Young Women’s National Championship. Molly was reported to score a nifty goal in her final game of the tournament. I hope that will be a warm up for the fall season.
Meanwhile, I hear the rest of team is playing pick up games once a week at Rappolt, and I am sure they have been following Coach Stone’s fitness regimen. The first day of preseason is no time to begin getting fit. I expect all will arrive ready to learn and play.
In a couple of weeks camps will begin at Lafayette and it will give Coach Stone and her staff a chance to evaluate where the team is, as perhaps some freshmen and veterans participate or teach at the camp. There will be additional instruction from Lafayette alumna and national team player, Amanda Magadan, who will be joined by US teammate Julia Young. Traditionally, our first year players are in plentiful supply at the individual camp.
Jenn Delongis snags the ball against Maryland
No doubt league rivals are getting ready as well, as will our out of conference foes. We can’t be more excited by the potential of the team this year, because there is no doubt about the talent. No doubt the skill is there to return to the PL tournament and perhaps make that next step to be champions and play in the NCAA tournament. Championships are won in the off in the season as the saying goes. A little more than 30 days and counting….
