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June 24, 2005
The USA World Cup team defeated Wales 11-4 today in Annapolis, MD at the IFWLA World Cup, held at the United States Naval Academy, as the American defense held the Welsh off the scoreboard for the first 24:28 of the game and then again for a stretch of 20 minutes in the second half. At the other end of the field, Kelly Amonte-Hiller led all players with three goals and three assists, her second consecutive hat trick in the tournament. She also added a game-high three draw controls en route to Player of the Match honors. Lauren Aumiller also had three draw controls while Quinn Carney led all players with five ground balls.
Carney won the opening draw of the game but the Americans turned the ball over and the Welsh went on the attack. Kara Cooke gained possession back for the Stars and Stripes as Wales set an illegal pick on her. The Yanks again took the ball upfield but again turned the ball over in the offensive zone, giving possession back to the Welsh. Dani Gallagher caused a turnover on the Welsh transition and Cherie Greer was there to pick up the ground ball, giving the USA the ball. At the other end of the field, Kate Kaiser took the ball in from the top and scored at 4:18, putting the Yanks on the board. Aumiller won the ensuing draw, and the Americans attacked the cage immediately. A goal circle violation on the Welsh gave the Yanks possession on the goal line extended. Gallagher fired the ball to the top of the arc, where Randee Goldsborough took the ball into the cage and scored 59 seconds after Kaiser, putting the Welsh up 2-0.
Kaiser won the next draw, and the Stars and Stripes’ Jo Connelly passed the ball to Amonte-Hiller behind the cage. Amonte-Hiller fired a pass to Carney, who quick-sticked the ball into the net for a 3-0 lead just 45 seconds after Goldsborough.
Amonte-Hiller won the next draw to herself, and she brought the ball into the arc where she was fouled on a drive to the cage. Amonte-Hiller converted the shot for the fourth goal of the game, putting the USA up 4-0 at 7:26. The Welsh won the next draw, but Amonte-Hiller stripped the ball immediately and took the ball to the cage, drawing a defender before leading a pass to Goldsborough, who scored 12 seconds after Amonte-Hiller to put the USA up 5-0 at 7:38.
The Welsh won the draw control, but Rachael Becker stripped the ball from her opponent giving the Americans possession. On the clear, however, the Americans lost the ball and the Welsh attacked the cage. Jess Wilk made a save on the Welsh shot, and the Yanks attempted a clear. The Welsh got the ball back, and again Wilk was up to the task, making a save to preserve the shutout. Carney picked up the loose ball and the Americans tried to advance the ball upfield but again turned the ball over before Greer caused a turnover and Aumiller was there to pick up the ground ball. She passed the ball ahead to Cooke, who advanced the ball into the arc. There, Goldsborough drew a shooting space foul. Her shot was wide but Gallagher was there to pick up the loose ball. The Americans worked the ball back to Amonte-Hiller, who drew another shooting space foul on the left side of the cage. Placed on the arc for a free position on the left side of the cage, she fired a left-handed shot that skimmed on the ground and scored at 22:45, putting the USA up 6-0. Aumiller won the draw, but the Americans lost the ball and at the other end of the field Wales scored at 24:28 to get on the board. Wales won the draw but Kaiser caused a turnover and Aumiller picked up the ground ball, bringing the ball upfield. An American charge gave the ball back to the Welsh, who scored on a fast break at 27:27, making the score 6-2 at the break.
Wales won the draw to open the second half, and they attacked the cage immediately, but Chris Lindsey was there to make the save. At the other end of the field, Sommar fired a shot that went wide, and Wales was there to get the ground ball. Jo Connelly caused a turnover and scooped up the ground ball in the American defensive arc to give the Yanks possession again, but on the clear the Welsh gained the ball back. A Wales shot was saved by Lindsey, but the ball squirted out to the Welsh, who were fouled on the way back to the net. The free position shot was converted at 36:33, pulling the Welsh within three at 6-3.
Amonte-Hiller won the draw to herself and the Americans advanced the ball into their offensive zone, where Gallagher fired a pass in front of the cage that Sarah Nelson batted into the net 58 seconds after the Welsh goal to move the margin back to four at 7-3. Wales won the draw again and in their offensive zone got off a shot that Lindsey saved, giving the Americans possession. The Yanks turned the ball over, but the Welsh gave it right back and Connelly was there to pick up the ground ball. A Gallagher shot was saved, but Becker caused a turnover on the attempted Welsh clear and Aumiller was there to pick up the ground ball. Samaras got off a shot, and Amonte-Hiller outraced her defender to pick up the ground ball. Gallagher attempted a shot, but the Welsh gained possession and attempted a clear, but again Becker was there to cause a turnover and pick up the ground ball. A Samaras shot hit the pipe and she regained possession for the Americans, and Aumiller took the ball in for a shot that was saved. On the ensuing clear, Carney caused a turnover and picked up the ground ball. The Stars and Stripes brought the ball behind the cage where Amonte-Hiller fired a pass in front of the net to Aumiller, who quicksticked the ball into the cage for a goal at 48:08 to put the USA up 8-3.
Amonte-Hiller won the draw to herself, took the ball behind the cage and rolled the crease to score 59 seconds after she assisted Aumiller, putting the USA up 9-3 at 49:07.
Becker won the draw and the Americans took the ball upfield where Carney shot the ball, but Gallagher was there to keep possession for the Americans. An Amonte-Hiller shot was saved, and on the Welsh clear Goldsborough knocked down the pass from the Welsh keeper. Her shot went wide, but the Americans kept possession and just missed scoring as the Welsh keeper made a great save. Samaras picked up the loose ball, but the Welsh keeper intercepted a pass and started a clear. At the other end of the field, the Welsh brought the ball behind the cage and attempted a dump into the arc. The ball caromed off a stick and fell into the cage, breaking a 20-minute scoreless streak and making the score 9-4 at 56:05.
Connelly won the draw for the Americans and brought the ball into their offensive zone where Aumiller fired an opposite post pass that Connelly quicksticked into the cage 70 seconds after the Welsh goal to move the Americans into double digits on the scoreboard. Again Wales won the draw, but Carney caused a turnover and picked up the ground ball. The Americans turned the ball over, but as the Welsh brought the ball into their offensive zone lost the ball and Lindsey was there to pick up the loose ball. At the other end of the field, Gallagher was fouled as she drove to the cage. She passed the ball off to Carney, who drew a shooting space from the center hash. She converted the free position shot at 59:20 for a score of 11-4. Cooke won the draw and the Americans held on for the win, their second of the tournament.
The USA will play Canada tomorrow (Saturday) at 5:00 pm.