Medal Round of the Women's Indoor Pan American Championship

Day 5 – Women – 3^rd place – United States vs. Trindad and Tobago: 2-1

The match for third place in the Women’s Indoor Pan American Championship was between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. At the start of the match, both teams were fighting for possession. Trinidad and Tobago generated more attacking opportunities; but the United States’ keeper Donna CHUNG made saves to keep them from scoring. In the 5^th minute, Trinidad and Tobago received the first penalty corner of the match, but could not get the shot off. Trinidad and Tobago’s captain Stacey SIU BUTT was awarded a penalty stroke in the 9^th minute, but CHUNG prevented the score. As the half progressed, so did the intensity of the match. Trinidad and Tobago continued to attack and received another corner in the 13^th minute. The United States defense held strong to keep the match scorless. In the 16^th minute, Trinidad and Tobago’s keeper, Sarayahu PLAZA, made a big save at the top of the area to prevent a United States shot on goal. The momentum and control of the match started to shift in favour of Trinidad and Tobago, as they had more attacking opportunities in the rest of the first half. Yet, both teams were unable to score in the first half, which kept the halftime score 0-0.

The second half of the match began with Trinidad and Tobago continuing its attacking pressure. In the first minute of the half, Trindad and Tobago had two penalty corners, but one shot was blocked by the United States defense; the other went wide of the goal cage. Soon after, the United States received a couple penalty corners, but PLAZA denied a score. A penalty corner shot by Trinidad and Tobago in the 25^th minute went wide. PLAZA also prevented the United States’ from scoring in the 27^th minute. Midway through the second half, CHUNG saved a penalty corner shot. Then, SIU BUTT was awarded another penalty stroke from which she scored; giving Trinidad and Tobago the 1-0 lead over the United States. The United States persisted and tied the match 1-1 off a shot by Dana ALLABAND in the 35^th minute. A minute later, the United States was awarded a penalty corner; and Ali MCEVOY’s lifted penalty corner shot gave the United States a 2-1 lead. With less than two minutes remaining, Trinidad and Tobago substituted PLAZA for a kicking back. In the last minute, Trinidad and Tobago was awarded a penalty corner, but CHUNG made the save to preserve the United States lead. With Trinidad and Tobago unable to score another, the match ended in a 2-1 victory and third place tournament finish for the United States.

Day 5 – Women – Final – Uruguay vs. Argentina: 0-0 (0-1 PS)

The Women’s Indoor Pan American Championship final was between Uruguay and Argentina. From the start, the match was a hard fought battle for possession. Play was mostly in the midfield and both teams constantly prevented each other from generating any kind of attacking opportunity. Midway through the first half, Argentina was able to get a shot on goal, but it went right past the goal cage. With under a minute remaining, Uruguay received the first penalty corner of the match. Argentina’s keeper blocked Carolina MUTILVA’s shot, but the ball went high. As a result, Uruguay was awarded another corner. The Argentian defense blocked the shot and the score remained 0-0 at halftime.

With loud cheering by Argentinean and Uruguayan fans, the second half of the match began. Play continued with neither team being able to dominate much of possession. Five minutes into the match, Uruguay’s Isabel OLASO had Argentina’s keeper, Soledad MONTILLA, beat, but Lucrecia REBELLO made the defensive save to prevent the score. In the 26^th minute, Argentina was awarded a penalty corner, but they could not get the shot off. A few minutes later, Uruguay was awarded a penalty corner. The shot by captain Patrícia CAMPOS was blocked, which kept the 0-0 score. Play continued to be a battle. With just under three minutes remaining, Argentina received a penalty corner, but the shot by Julia GOMES FANTASIA went high. Both teams prevented each other from scoring and with the score still 0-0 the match went into extra time.

In the 42^nd minute, Argentina received a penalty corner, but it was blocked hard by the Uruguayan defense. Thus, Argentina was awarded another penalty corner, but MONTILLA made the save. OLASO had a breakaway and looked to feed CAMPOS for a score, but captain Agustina GONZALEZ MINGUEZ came up with the defensive save. MUTILVA’s lifted penalty corner shot was saved by MONTILLA, which ended the first extra time period. The match went into a second five minute period of extra time. In the 47^th minute, Uruguay received a penalty corner, but could not get the shot off. Play continued to be a fierce battle in the midfield. With no time remaining in the second extra time, Uruguay received a penalty corner.  The shot was blocked and another penalty corner resulted. MONTILLA made the big save that send the match into penalty strokes. Argentina’s first stroker Emma YANZI scored. All the next strokes, on both teams, were blocked, except for one by Uruguay that went wide. Uruguay’s final stroker had a chance to tie the strokes, but the shot hit the post. Thus, Argentina won the Women’s Indoor Pan American Championship as well as a spot in the 2011 Indoor World Cup in Poznan, Poland.