Sept. 29, 2006
Courtsey of US Field Hockey
MADRID, Spain - Third-seeded Australia scored two unanswered goals to break open a tight game and down the USA Field Hockey Women's National Team, 3-1, in the second day of play at the Samsung World Cup.
The loss drops the USA to 0-2 at the tournament while Australia raises its record to 2-0.
"The cold hard fact is we were outplayed," said U.S. coach Lee Bodimeade. "We had a game plan that we thought would work and we probably didn't adhere to that plan as much as we should have. When you do that against these top sides - when you get away from the things you are supposed to do - you get punished and that's the end of the story."
Australia opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Sarah Taylor knocked in a ball in a scramble off a penalty corner for a 1-0 Australia lead.
The USA answered just three minutes later when Kelly Doton connected on her second penalty corner goal of the tournament to tie the game at 1-1.
The teams continued to exchange counterattacks until the final minutes of the half when Australia's Nikki Hudson drove a diving shot past U.S. goalkeeper Amy Tran to give her team a 2-1 halftime lead.
The U.S. threatened to draw even once again but after the team could not get off a shot in on a penalty corner attempt and forward Keli Smith could not get a stick on a pass in front of the Australian goal, Australia sealed the victory on Angie Skirving's penalty corner goal with 13 minutes left in the game.
The USA will take a day off on Friday before resuming Pool B play against Japan.
"You might argue that based on our rankings as No. 11 in the world, that our tournament really starts now - now that we're no longer playing teams in ranked in the top four," said Bodimeade whose team face No. 2 Argentina in the tournament opener before taking on third-seeded Australia. "Unfortunately, I just believe that based on how much we've improved, that we should be winning every game."