It’s only one game, but the United States U-21 women’s field hockey team opened in impressive form yesterday with a 5-2 win over New Zealand.
The States relied heavily on players who have just finished their collegiate seasons, as Alaina McVeigh, as is her wont, cannot stop scoring. The Duke product had a brace, including an impressive backhand goal into the side netting from a deep angle.
Minutes after the McVeigh goal, the United States got a goal from one of its senior national team members, Josie Hollamon. The Maryland defender laced a backhander from just inside the striking circle and somehow got the ball through the moonboots of the Ferns’ goalkeeper. It was an absolutely sublime piece of play.
And, for that matter, was the pass that Reese D’Ariano struck for the third goal of the game, a through pass that veered onto McVeigh’s stick, and allowed her to pull wide, run past the goalkeeper, and slot it in.
A bonus skill: The United States scored on a dragflick from Mia Schoenbeck in the first minute of the final term, leading to a Reese D’Ariano goal five minutes later which was set up by a brilliant curling run up the right wing by McVeigh.
It’s interesting to note that, two years ago this week, New Zealand and the United States played one of the wildest group stage matches you could ever see. The game was a 2-0 margin for the Americans heading into the last 10 minutes, but the teams split six goals in the final 10 minutes, four in the last 180 seconds. On the day, the United States won the game 6-2, but did not advance into the top half of the elimination bracket by one goal on the goal-differential table.
It’s up to the current group to ensure that it doesn’t get to that point this time around.