Sept. 14, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Field Hockey and women's national team coach Lee Bodimeade has finalized the USA team for the Samsung World Cup with the addition of former Lady Monarch defender Melissa Leonetti (Erdenheim, Pa.) to the 18-player roster. Leonetti joins former teammates Angie Loy (Loysville, Pa.) and Tiffany Snow (Escondido, Calif.) who were named to ther roster in late August.
The World Cup is scheduled for Sept. 27 - Oct. 8 in Madrid Spain.
With their selections to the team Leonetti ('04) will be making her first-ever World Cup appearances. She competed in May's World Cup Qualifying Tournament where the USA earned a fourth place finish to gain a spot in the final 12-team World Cup field. Leonetti along with former Michigan standout April Fronzoni were added to the U.S. roster after the initial 16 players were named to the team on Aug. 28.
In her fourth year as a member of the national team, Leonetti solidifies a USA defense that continues to gain international respect. Leonetti has appeared in 38 international contests for the USA and scored her first career goal against Australia at the March on Madrid Four Nation Tournament in August.
The USA will meet world No. 2 Argentina in the team's World Cup opener on Sept. 27 and will play world No. 4 Australia in the second game on Sept. 28. The USA earned its first victory over Argentina in 16 years with a 2-1 win during the AstroTurf March on Madrid in August and earned a 1-1 draw with Australia during the first round of the event.