US Defeats Wales 17-1 in World Cup Opener

The USA's Sue Heether pitched a shutout in the first half of the game and notched an assist on the opening goal of the IFLWA World Cup as the United States defeated Wales 17-1 today in High Wycombe, England. After Wales won the opening draw, Bonnie Rosen blocked a Welsh pass and Heether scooped up the ground ball. She then threw a long clear to Randall Flynn who took it 35 yards for the score, putting the USA up 1-0 after just 49 seconds.

The Americans scored two more goals in the next minute as Flynn won the next draw and Kelly Amonte Hiller fed a pass to Cristi Samaras who quick sticked the ball into the next for a 2-0 lead. On the ensuing draw, Kristin Sommar won possession and after the US lost the ball, she intercepted the Welsh pass and brought the ball back down to the offensive end where Amonte cut across the fan for her first goal and a 3-0 lead for the Americans.

The Welsh won the next draw but Amonte intercepted the outlet pass, giving control to the Americans. The USA had a series of 11-meter shots but were unable to convert. On the clear, Flynn picked up the loose ball and passed the ball around with Amonte, who scored to put the Americans up 4-0, forcing the Welsh to take a timeout.

Dani Gallagher won the ensuing draw and fed a long lead pass to Amonte, who scored just 12 seconds later for a 5-0 lead and her third consecutive goal.Wales won the next draw but Carney caused a turnover and scooped up the ground ball, and the Americans tried a couple quickstick shots but were stopped. On the clear, Christie Jenkins intercepted a pass and on the offensive reset for the Americans, Samaras quicksticked a pass from Amonte in for a 6-0 lead.

Amonte won the next draw but the USA lost the ball on a called charge. The Welsh brought the ball downfield where they took their first shot of the game, which sailed wide. An American shot hit the outside of the net, and as the Welsh attempted to clear, Flynn picked up a loose ball and the Americans worked for a shot. Amonte fed Michele Uhlfelder who was cutting across the arc, and Uhlfelder converted for a 7-0 American lead.

Carney had a hand in the next two goals for the USA as she caused a turnover and scooped up the ground ball, and then found Erin Brown on the crease for an 8-0 American lead with 5:26 to play. After Flynn won the ensuing draw, she got the ball to Carney who drove the crease for a goal just 19 seconds later.

Jenkins won the draw for the USA but the Americans lost the ball on a feed into the crease. Sommar intercepted the clear and as the Stars and Stripes set the offense, Sarah Nelson was fouled in the arc, placing her on the 11-meter. Nelson scored on the free position with 46 seconds to play in the half, giving the USA a 10-0 lead going into halftime.

The Welsh won the opening draw of the second half, but a Rosen ground ball gave possession to the Americans. Samaras hit another quickstick feed from Carney 1:19 into the stanza, pushing the margin to 11-0. Sommar won the draw but the Americans turned the ball over. Wales brought the ball downfield where they shot but Jess Wilk made the save to keep the shutout alive. The Americans worked the ball downfield where they had two 11-meter shots, but they were unable to score. An American foul gave possession to the Welsh, who raced downfield and got off a shot, but it was saved by Wilk. The USA brought the ball back to their offensive end where they were awarded an 11-meter, but the shot sailed wide and the Americans kept possession. A turnover gave the ball back to the Welsh, who took off downfield and shot, but hit the pipe and the Americans picked up the ground ball.

The USA reached a dozen goals as they executed a fast break after Amonte's ground ball. Amonte fed Brown who was on the crease, and Brown danced around the goalie and deposited the ball in the net for a 12-0 lead with 19:20 to play in the half. The Welsh gained the the next draw control but Amonte stripped the ball and the Americans worked the ball downfield where Brown was awarded a free position. She did not shoot but instead passed it off, and Amonte rolled the crease for the USA's 13th goal of the match.

The Welsh won the next draw control but lost the ball on a charge. After the USA was called for an illegal pick in the arc, the Welsh overthrew the pass and Jenkins picked up the loose ball and the Americans again worked the ball aorund. Jenkins scored off a feed from Brown at 11:13, putting the USA up 14-0.

The teams worked back and forth for the next couple minutes, and the Welsh got off one shot that was saved by Wilk while the Americans had five shots in that time. On one Welsh possession, the Dragons were given an 11-meter and they converted it at 3:38 for their only goal of the game.

Wales won the ensuing draw and were able to get off a shot, but it sailed wide and Wilk was able to chase the ball down and get possession for the Americans. But the USA turned the ball over on the clear attempt before Amonte intercepted the Welsh pass and fed a streaking Uhlfelder with just over two minutes to play, giving the USA a 15-1 lead.

Samaras scored her game-high fourth goal of the game off yet another quickstick feed from Brown with 1:21 to play, putting the Americans up 16-1. After Greer won the draw, the Americans lost it briefly before Kara Ariza picked up the ground ball and fed Jenkins, who settled the ball for the Americans. Jenkins then fed a streaking Carney from the top of the arc, giving the USA a 17-1 lead and victory in the World Cup opener.

The Stars and Stripes will face Australia on July 8 at 2:30 GMT (9:30 EST). Australia defeated England 9-7 in the second match of the day. The USA defeated Australis 3-2 in triple overtime in the finals of the IFWLA World Cup in 1997.

Statistics:
Wales 0-1=1
USA 10-7-17

Scoring summary:
29:11 Flynn (Heether) 1-0
28:49 Samaras (Amonte) 2-0
28:11 Amonte 3-0
23:21 Amonte (Flynn) 4-0
23:11 Amonte (Gallagher) 5-0
18:40 Samaras (Amonte) 6-0
13:52 Uhlfelder (Amonte) 7-0
5:26 Brown (Carney) 8-0
5:07 Carney 9-0
0:46 Nelson (FPG) 10-0
28:41 Samaras (Carney) 11-0
19:20 Brown (Amonte) 12-0
17:47 Amonte 13-0
11:13 Jenkins (Brown) 14-0
3:38 WALES 14-1
2:08 Uhlfelfer (Amonte) 15-1
1:21 Samaras (Brown) 16-1
0:07 Carney (Jenkins) 17-1

US Goals: Amonte Hiller 4, Samaras 4, Brown 2, Carney 2, Uhlfelder 2, Jenkins, Flynn, Nelson.

US Assists: Amonte 5, Brown 2, Carney, Jenkins, Flynn, Gallagher, Heether

Ground balls: USA 36, W 20
Caused turnovers: USA 8, W 4
Turnovers: USA 14, WAL 26
Shots: USA 35, WAL 5
Fouls: UVA 10, WAL 9B

Free positions: USA 5 shots on 8 attempts
Goalies: USA Heether (30 mins, 0 saves, 0 goals against)
Wilk (30 mins, 4 saves, 1 goal against)