USA Women Defeat China 10-9; Will Play For Gold At FINA World Cup
8/21/2010 12:00:00 AM
Christchurch, New Zealand – August 21 – The USA Women’s National Team will play for Gold at the FINA World Cup after defeating China 10-9 in the semifinal round. Three goals by Courtney Mathewson (Anaheim Hills, CA/NYAC) and stellar even strength defense spurred the team to a victory over the previously undefeated Chinese. The win pushes Team USA into the title match with Australia and assures the United States of their first World Cup medal since 2002.
The United States wasted no time in scoring as just 49 seconds into the match Kelly Rulon (Point Loma, CA/NYAC) worked inside on a power play and found the cage for a 1-0 lead. Less than a minute later Elsie Windes (Portland, OR/Tulatin Hills) drew a five meter penalty and Lolo Silver (Long Beach, CA/NYAC) converted for a quick 2-0 advantage. China would get on the board around the four minute mark for a 2-1 game but the United States quickly answered when Mathewson hit from six meters deep for a 3-1 lead after one period of play.
In the second quarter China found an offensive rhythm piling up three straight goals in the first four minutes and change to take a 4-3 lead, their first lead of the night. The red, white, and blue showed off their resiliency with a rally started by Rulon dropping in a lob shot for a 4-4 match. The USA held off a power play try by the Chinese on a save by Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, MI/NYAC) one of her eight on the night. After that it was two more goals from Team USA, the first coming from Mathewson who hit a penalty shot after Annika Dries (Laguna Beach, CA/SET) drew the penalty. Then Dries had her chance to shoot when she powered inside with less than a minute remaining in the period for a 6-4 lead going into intermission.
The third quarter saw the teams trading goals which and China started first with a skip shot on a power play at the 6:21 mark in the period for a 6-5 game. Again the USA countered when Windes drilled a shot from deep for a 7-5 lead. China answered with a goal using a player advantage and it was 7-6, but the United States came back with just 14 seconds left in the period when Brenda Villa (Commerce, CA/Commerce) fed Kami Craig (Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara) on a one-timer for an 8-6 lead going to the fourth.
Less than thirty seconds into the final period China scored and they were back within a goal at 8-7. The two sides traded defensive stops until the 3:45 mark when Craig wheeled inside for a goal and a 9-7 lead. Mathewson came calling again at the 2:51 mark burying a shot from deep for a 10-7 lead and a three goal cushion. China wouldn’t go away scoring a power play goal at the 1:48 mark to draw within two goals at 10-8. The United States was then able to whittle down the clock on offense as Craig drew an exclusion to prolong the USA possession at the 1:14 mark. China would get one last score on a power play with just 20 seconds remaining to draw within a goal at 10-9. The United States was able to salt away the rest of the clock and come out victorious at 10-9.
Team USA went 2/6 on power plays while China was 7/11. The United States went 2/2 on penalty shots. Australia and the United States meet for the second time this week and the sixth time this summer. Australia won earlier this week 7-5 in group play and defeated the United States last week in Sydney to claim the Six Nations Tourney crown. The United States defeated Australia twice in July in La Jolla, CA in winning Gold at the FINA World League Super Final. The match is set for 2pm local time August 22 in New Zealand/ 7:00pm pacific time on August 21
Quarters: 3-1, 3-3, 2-2, 2-3
Referees: Radu MATACHE (ROU), Balasz FEKETE (HUN) Extra Man: USA 2/6 plus 2/2 on penalty. CHN: 7/11
Saves – USA – B. Armstrong 8
TEAMS:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Elizabeth ARMSTRONG (C), Anne BELDEN, Brenda VILLA, Margaret STEFFENS, Juliet MOSS, Courtney MATHEWSON (3), Lauren SILVER (1), Elsie WINDES (1), Kelly RULON (2), Annika DRIES (1), Kameryn CRAIG (2), Melissa SEIDEMANN, Emily FEHER. Head Coach: Adam KRIKORIAN.
CHINA: YANG Jun, TENG Fei (1), LIU Ping (1), SUN Yujun (1), HE Jin, SUN Yating, SONG Donglun, GAO Ao (5), WANG Yi (1), MA Huanhuan, SUN Huizi (C), ZHANG Lei, CHEN Yuan. Head Coach: Juan JANE GIRALT.
FLASH QUOTES:
Juan JANE (CHN) ‹ Head Coach
“It was a very good game for us. I’m not happy we lost, however, Some moments we play well and some moments we didn¹t. But I am very, very happy with the progress of the team. After five days four wins and a loss and we lost to the USA by only one goal. China is now on the right track one year out from Shanghai (FINA World Championships) and two years from London (Olympic Games).²
Adam KRIKORIAN (USA) ‹ Head Coach On playing for gold:
“Excited, we are excited to get the opportunity to play Australia who in my opinion is playing like the best team in the world. We’re excited about that and we are thankful to get by such a well coached well disciplined team like China.”
On USA’s comeback ability:
“It’s showing me a lot, it shows me how much they want to compete and how much they want to win this thing and sometimes that’s 90 per cent of the game.”
On USA's defence against China:
“It certainly was (important), if you don’t count our five-man defence, which wasn't very good; our half-court defence, our counter-attack defence has been superb. We have to do a little bit better job on our five-man defence and Number 8 from China (Gao Ao) was shooting lights out today and you have to give her credit but at the same time we can do a little bit better job there.”
On playing Australia:
“I think they have all the talent in the world, they are a scary team, they are big, strong, fast and no offense to my team but I think this is the most talented team in the tournament. We are just looking forward to that challenge.”
Women's National Team