June 26, 2008

Ann Carpenetti, the US Lacrosse Women's Division Director and primary staff liaison to the U.S. national teams, provides periodic updates from the Czech Republic, where Team USA has taken the Prague Cup by storm.

The U.S. touring team consists of 18 players and six alternates that we selected from the U.S. Elite and Developmental teams - perhaps a precursor to the 2009 IFWLA World Cup, also to take place in the Czech Republic.

Click here for a roster of U.S. touring team players.

Click here for the official Prague Cup tournament Web site.

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Saturday, June 28, 5:45 p.m.
(9:45 a.m. U.S. Eastern time)

Hi all,

Well, it's all over. Just five hours ago, Team USA's touring team defeated England's Hope Team for the Prague Cup championship, 13-1, after a heated match - and in just five hours, we'll be headed back to the airport on our way home.

The final game was definitely the most competitive and exciting game of the tournament for us. The first half only had us leading by five goals (6-1), and England really turned up the heat. The crowd was also significant, with all of the tournament teams sticking around to watch - I'd say about 600 people were there.

Between the English chants of "Sweet Chariot" and the USA crowds answering back with "Let's go U.S.," we all were on our feet in the stands, enjoying a great match.

Lindsay Munday won the player of the match.

After the game, all the teams were brought out in order of their placement in the tourney. For the women, the placement was as follows:

1. Team USA Elite (U.S. touring team)
2. England
3. AIST - American Touring team
4. Another American Touring Team
5. Scotland
6. Wales
7. Czech Republic
8. Germany

We were presented with a tournament trophy and certificate, as well as some bottles of champagne. We took lots of photos, and then headed back on our bus back to the hotel.

The Prague Cup hosted a nice dinner reception for all the teams, umpires and TDs at our hotel between 8 and 10, where they presented teams with MVP awards. Team USA took four of the six awards for the tournament, including Devon Wills for MVP goalie, Quinn Carney for MVP of the tournament, and Sarah Albrecht and Carolyn Cryer as top scorers.

Our team looked beautiful and enjoyed mixing it up with other teams, making trades with shirts and hats with the likes of Germany, Wales and Scotland. After the reception, they all headed out on the town to continue their celebration. The coaches and staff opted to stay in.

It was a great trip, all in all. We got time to sightsee by bus, metro, cab, foot, boat and tram. Prague is an absolutely beautiful city, whose architecture, history and people are full of stories to tell, and we all look forward to returning in June of 2009 for World Cup, where we hope to experience the sweetness of victory in this glorious place, once again.

I will have lots more pictures to share when I get back, but thank you for all you have done to support us on this trip - leading up to it, and while we were here. The players and coaches very much appreciate the fact that our friends back home care enough to follow us on our adventures in Europe. I'll see you soon.

Dekuji and Dobrou noc! (Thank you and Good night)
Ann

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Friday, June 27, 1:22 p.m.
(7:22 a.m. U.S. Eastern time)

Check out these photos of Team USA during its tour in the Czech Republic.

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Thursday, June 26, 6:25 p.m.
(12:25 U.S. Eastern time)

Some U.S. team stats from today's games:

Prague Cup Quarterfinal: Team USA 19, AIST 0

Goals: Quinn Carney 6, Sarah Albrecht 2, Kelly Berger 2, Caroline Cryer 2, Lindsey Munday 2, Erica LaGrow 2, Nikki Lieb, Kristen Kjellman.

Assists: Lindsey Munday 5, Quinn Carney.

Draw Controls: Nikki Lieb 3, Kristen Kjellman 3, Regina Oliver 3, Elizabeth Pillion, Michi Ellers, Erica LaGrow, Acacia Walker.

Caused Turnovers: Sarah Albrecht 2, Lindsey Munday 2, Caroline Cryer, Quinn Carney, Kristen Kjellman, Regina Oliver, Amber Falcone, Acacia Walker, Michi Ellers.

Saves: Amy Altig 1.

Prague Cup Semifinal: Team USA 17, Wales "A" 0

Goals: Kristen Kjellman 4, Caroline Cryer 3, Sarah Albrecht 2, Lindsey Munday 2, Michele DeJuliis 2, Katie Chrest, Quinn Carney, Nikki Lieb, Michi Ellers

Assists: Quinn Carney 4, Lindsey Munday 3, Kristen Kjellman 2, Acacia Walker, Whitney Douthett.

Draw Controls: Nikki Lieb 5, Acacia Walker 3, Caroline Cryer 2, Whitney Douthett 2, Elizabeth Pillion, Katie Chrest, Kristen Kjellman.

Caused Turnovers: Sarah Albrecht 2, Michi Ellers 2, Caroline Cryer, Katie Chrest, Acacia Walker, Regina Oliver, Quinn Carney, Elizabeth Pillion, Whitney Douthett, Amber Falcone, Kelly Berger.

Tomorrow we have friendly matches against Wales "A" (again) and England's "A" team, who we play in the Cup finals Saturday evening.

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Thursday, June 26, 9:06 a.m. -- UPDATED 6:25 p.m.
(3:06 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. U.S. Eastern time, respectively)

Greetings from Praha.

We are on our second official day of competition, and after defeating the Wales Dragons, 16-0, and England's "A" Team in an unofficial match, 13-4, it seems we're in great shape this week.

In our first game against the Wales Dragons on Wednesday, Caroline Cryer (Duke) won the player of the match after scoring four goals. There were also opening ceremonies, where eight teams came out in Slavia Stadium and took the players' oath for the tournament.

Kristen Kjellman scored three goals in Team USA's 17-0, Prague Cup semifinal win Thursday over Wales "A."

There was also a very modest press conference that I attended with the German and Czech team reps, where we talked about the differences in our programs and how we prepared for this trip. All of the European teams here (Czech Republic, Germany, Wales, Scotland and England) are all using this event to prepare for the European nationals in Finland this August, and many came to Prague after competing in the Berlin Open last week. All of these teams have worked so hard to get here, receive minimal funding and are really just striving to do the best they can and have fun.

We then played half a game against Germany, before a lightning-filled rainstorm postponed the match with the U.S. ahead, 9-0. The teams played out the rest of that game this morning to determine who would go through to the quarterfinals, polishing off another shutout, 17-0. Amber Falcone (North Carolina) won player of the match.

Next up Thursday was a game against AIST, an American touring team. The U.S. won, 19-0, behind six goals and an assist by player of the match Quinn Carney.

That set up a Prague Cup semifinal against the Wales "A" team, in which we coasted to a 17-0 win behind player of the match Lindsey Munday (Northwestern), who had two goals and three assists.

We advance to the Prague Cup championship game Saturday against Team England.

Team USA's involvement with this event has really raised the bar, and teams are enjoying the challenge of playing us.

The U.S. players are still getting used to the international game and adapting to the "comforts" that traveling abroad brings - different food, no laundry facility, rooms without air conditioning, mass transit to and from games, complete language barrier and no home field advantage. For all but two (Quinn Carney and Michele DeJuliis) of these young players, this experience is the first they've ever had in competing internationally, and they are all just so appreciative of the opportunity and are having a blast.

There are several sets of U.S. parents here, and even some grandparents - the Cryers, Douthetts, Walkers, Falcones, LaGrows, Wills and Carneys. It's great to have a cheering section and see the pride in their faces when talking to them about their daughters' experience on Team USA.

These days are very long otherwise, and, personally, I am EXHAUSTED! We wake up every day at 6:30a.m. to be at the fields by 8. We seem to get home from dinner after 9, and by the time Beth Stone (my roomie) is done washing uniforms in our shower, or burning the games from the computer, or recording stats from the games, it's usually after 11 p.m.

Some funny moments:

- The grazing goats on the fields. They don't bother anyone, but they seem to help keep the grass nice and tidy.

- An elderly archer shooting arrows into targets about 20 feet behind me while I was filming the Wales game.

- And of course, it wouldn't be a women's national team event without a DP (dance party). These ladies have the moves - some can even pull off a mean Double Dutch!

We can't ever seem to get enough still water. It's hot, and I am lugging around a 50-pound backpack with all of the computer and video gear everywhere we. Along with Claudia O'Grady, president of the Women's Division Board of Governors, we're filming every U.S. game.

There was a break-in in our hotel a few nights ago, and three of Team England's laptops were stolen and lots of money, so we are all wary of leaving anything in the room. Also, hardly anyone accepts American Express, so we've been trying to watch our spending. That has been stressful at times, since it's pretty expensive here, even though their currency is slightly weaker than the dollar

Also, lots of U.S. officials here, including National Umpiring Committee members Laurette Payette and Lynn Beltram. It's always great to see the umpires!

Hope you are well and enjoying the comforts of home that we are missing a bit - like a decent pillow, a leisurely shower or a nice cup of coffee. And of course, we miss our families and friends.

Drink a cup of coffee for me, would ya?

Take care,
Ann