Team USA Defeats Japan in 26-12 Shootout
by Clare Lochary |
Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff | The Blague from Prague
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Caroline Cryer scored five goals and added two assists Saturday in Team's USA's 26-12 victory over Japan in FIL Women's World Cup pool play. The U.S. returns to action Monday for a showdown with reigning world champion Australia. © Pellerins Photography |
Box Score: U.S. 26, Japan 12
PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Linsdey Munday and the U.S. women's national team put on a show Saturday in a 26-12 victory over Japan in the 2009 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Women's World Cup.
The combined 38 points scored by both teams set a tournament
record, outpacing the 36 points from Ireland's 23-13 win Friday
over the Netherlands.
Munday (Mountain Lakes, N.J./Northwestern ‘06) led all
scorers and won Player of the Match honors for her six goals and
five assists.
“Lindsey was just fantastic. She probably could have had five or six more points,” said head coach Sue Heether.
She wasn't the only one. The diversity of offensive output from Team USA was staggering, with six players scoring multiple goals.
Attacker Caroline Cryer (Centennial, Colo./Duke '09) also contributed five goals and two assists. Kristen Kjellman (Westwood, Mass./Northwestern '07) and Sarah Albrecht (Braintree, Mass./Northwestern '06) each contributed three goals and three assists.
Sarah Bullard (Needham, Mass./Duke '11) scored a pair of goals, and Acacia Walker (Sherwood Forest, Md./Maryland '05), Erica LaGrow (Skaneateles, N.Y./North Carolina '08), Whitney Douthett (Newtown, Pa./Dartmouth ‘07) and Katie Chrest (Hampstead, Md./Duke '06) each scored a single goal. The entire team combined for 43 shots.
“This is a great team, a very close team," Heether said.
"When we do get a lot of touches and a lot of people involved,
we’re at our best.”
The U.S. is now 3-0 and has a rest day before heading into
Monday’s showdown versus Australia, the reigning world
champions. The fast-paced, high-scoring game stood in contrast to
the Americans’ slow starts versus their last two opponents,
England
and Canada.
“We really wanted to focus on coming out right from the
start with a lot of energy, which we obviously didn’t do in
our other games,” said Munday.
Munday got things started just 1:38 into the first half, on an
assist from Katie Rowan (3g, 4a), giving the U.S. a lead it never
relinquished. Japan briefly closed the gap to 9-4 after midfielder
Taeko Hanawa's left-handed goal at 10:52, but never got within
striking distance of the American squad.
Attacker Akiko Wada (4g, 1a) was the heart of the Japanese attack,
along with midfielder Kana Uwai (1g, 5a).
Team USA has Sunday off, and will face Australia at 4:30 p.m. Monday (Prague time) on Pitch A.
OTHER SCORES
Pool A
United States 26, Japan 12
Canada 10, England 9
Pool B
Scotland 22, New Zealand 0
Czech vs. Germany, 11:30 a.m. EST
Pool C
Haudenosaunee 16, Denmark 2
Netherlands 24, Korea 1
The U.S. women's national teams program is coordinated by US Lacrosse, the national governing body of the sport. deBeer Lacrosse is the official exclusive equipment and apparel supplier to the U.S. women's national teams program.
Related Links |
Team USA Schedule/Results |
| * Official Event Web Site | U.S. 17, England 8 - Boxscore | Recap |
| * Live Game Video Feed | U.S. 11, Canada 4 - Boxscore | Recap |
| * Team USA Home Page | U.S. 26, Japan 12 - Boxscore | Recap |
| U.S. vs. Australia - Monday, 4:30 p.m. Local (10:30 a.m. EST) |
