The first day of the 2015 Pan American Games Women began with a sea of orange volunteers that made way for smooth operations on day one. The day included four matches each with a dominant attacking team. Throughout the day, the stands were full with fans from all over the world cheering for the teams. The competition also features umpires from all over the world, not just the Pan American region; including Michelle Joubert (RSA), Nor Hafizah Azman (MAS), and Aleesha Unka (NZL). Host Canada sits atop Pool A having scored the most goals (12) of a team on day one. Canada’s Kate Gillis and Stephanie Norlander, respectively, each had three goals in Canada’s dominating win over the Dominican Republic. In Pool B, Chile and the United States are tied at the top each with three points and a five goal difference over their opponents.
In the final match on Day 1 of the 2015 Pan American Games, host Canada played Dominican Republic. The match started with both teams battling for possession. Canada had the first shot, but the Dominican Republic’s keeper Cindy De La Rosa was there for the save. Dominican Republic’s Lucia Navamuel worked hard near her teams attacking goal, but Canada’s Sara McManus defended well to keep the match scoreless. Canada had the ball back in their attacking half. After a good crossed ball by Hannah Haughn, Alex Thicke was able to get a shot past De La Rosa to give Canada the lead in the 10th minute. One minute later, Canada’s Captain Kate Gillis gave her team a two goal lead. In the 12th minute, the Dominican Republic broke up a Canada penalty corner, but it resulted in a penalty stroke for Canada that Karli Johansen converted in the14th minute. At the end of the first quarter, the score remained Canada 3, Dominican Republic nill.
The second quarter started with Canada still pressuring hard on attack and Stephanie Norlander put Canada ahead by four goals in the 18th minute. Canada continued to dominate possession and Maddie Secco increased Canada’s lead with a hard shot from the top of the circle. The Dominican Republic did not let up and quickly after Canada’s fifth goal earned their first penalty corner of the match. The Dominican Republic penalty corner was broken up by Canada’s defense and Canada regained possession and went back on attack. Gillis got her second goal of the match as she sent in a hard shot past De La Rosa to make it Canada 6, Dominican Republic nill in the 26th minute. Again, Dominican Republic came back with greater intensity and immediately earned two penalty corners. Following their third penalty corner of the match, the Dominican Republic was awarded a penalty stroke. Benifer Moronta converted the stroke to put the Dominican Republic on the scoreboard. The halftime score was Canada 6, Dominican Republic, 1.
The third quarter started with both teams battling for possession and the Dominican Republic playing stronger defense to keep play away from Canada’s attacking circle. The Dominican Republic as a team was able to break up Canada’s attacking plays. Canada’s Shanlee Johnston scored off a penalty corner drag flick in the 38th minute. Two minutes later, Gillis scored her third goal of the match off a penalty corner to make the score Canada 8, Dominican Republic, 1. Johansen then scored her second penalty stroke of the match in the 43rd minute. Canada continued their attacking intensity and Norlander was also able to score her third goal of the match. Haughn had another great run on attack to find Thea Culley to score in the 53rd minute to make the score Canada 11, Dominican Republic 1. Two minutes later, Danielle Henning converted a penalty corner goal for Canada. With the Dominican Republic able to hold off the Canada attack in the final minutes, the final result was Canada 12, Dominican Republic 1.
In the first Pool A match in the Women’s competition, Argentina and Mexico met. Argentina earned a penalty corner in the first minute, but the shot went wide. In the fifth minute, Noel Barrionuevo’s penalty corner shot was blocked by Mexico’s keeper Jesus Castiilo. Two minutes later, however, Delfina Marino found the back of the net for Argentina to give her team the lead. Argentina kept up their attacking pressure and Paula Ortiz quickly put Argentina ahead by two goals over Mexico in the 10th minute. In the remaining minutes of the first quarter, as Argentina could not capitalize off two more penalty corner opportunities the score remained Argentina 2, Mexico nill. To start the second quarter, Argentina continued to dominate possession in their attacking half. Behind the strong defense of Mexico’s Cindy and Maria Correa, Mexico kept Argentina from having scoring opportunities. ln the 21st minute, Barrionuevo was able to convert a penalty corner to put Argentina ahead by three goals. Soon after, Castillo came up with another save to stop another penalty corner goal. But Argentina kept up their attacking pressure and Merino scored another in the 22nd minute to making the score Argentina 4, Mexico nill. Two minutes later, Agustina Albertarrio converted a penalty corner and then had a field goal to put Argentina ahead by six goals. With Mexico staying strong to keep Argentina from taking advantage of two more penalty corners, the score remained Argentina 6, Mexico nill at halftime.
Immediately at the start of the second half, Argentina kept up where they left off as Barrionuevo converted another penalty corner. A minute later, Florencia Habif scored for Argentina to increase her team’s lead by eight goals over Mexico. Mexico’s defense was able to hold off two more penalty corner shots. In the final minute of the third quarter, the hard work of Mexico’s defense led to Mexico with a shot on goal, but it went wide. To start the fourth quarter, Argentina’s Martina Cavallero was given a yellow card. A man-up Mexico could not take advantage as Argentina continued to keep pressure in their attacking half. Castillo made more saves to keep Argentina from scoring throughout the first part of the fourth quarter. In the 55th minute, Marlet Correa had a breakaway for Mexico, but could not get a shot off before the ball went over the end line. In the 57th minute, Macarena Rodriguez made the score Argentina 9, Mexico nill; with Mexico able to break up an Argentina penalty corner in the final minute that remained the final score.
For Pool B match on Day 1, the United States and Uruguay played. The United States came out pressuring on attack and Kate Reinprecht’s quick goal gave them the early lead in the third minute. The United States continued to force the play in their attacking half, but Uruguay’s defense prevented the United States from taking many more shots on goal during the first quarter. Uruguay did not let up and earned the first penalty corner of the match in the 12th minute. Unable to convert the penalty corner, Uruguay kept pressuring more on attack. As a United States shot went wide at the end of the first quarter the score remained United States 1, Uruguay nill. Play continued to be in the United States attacking half to start the second quarter. Uruguay’s keeper Rosanna Paselle came up with a big save, but Michelle Kasold was there for the rebound shot to give the United States a two goal lead in the 18th minute. Uruguay continued to play strong defense behind Paselle to block a United States penalty corner in the 21st minute. Late in the second quarter, Constanza Barrandeguy and Anastasia Olave had a rare attacking opportunity for Uruguay deep near their attacking circle. The United States quickly regained possession and Michelle Vittese scored in the 28th minute to make it United States 3, Uruguay nill to end the half.
The second half started with the United States continuing to pressure on attack. In the 35th minute, Katelyn Falgowski converted a well-executed penalty corner play to put the United States ahead by four goals over Uruguay. Janine Stanley and Sofia Mora played strong in the defense to keep the United States away from their attacking circle for the next five minutes. Stanley regained possession for Uruguay, but Uruguay was unable to generate any attack. For the rest of the third quarter the United States dominated possession, but Federika Kempner and Cecelia Casarotti played strong defense and Paselle made another big save to stop a United States penalty corner shot to keep the score USA 4-0 URU at the end of the third quarter. To start the fourth quarter played continued to be in the United States’ attacking half. In the 50th minute the United States had another penalty corner, but the shot went wide. Casarotti continued to play strong defense to hold off more United States attack. Kelsey Kolojejchick sent a hard shot from the right side to the left corner past Paselle to give the United States a five goal lead in the 56th minute. With Uruguay able to hold off further United States attack, the final result was United States 5, Uruguay nill.
In the first match of the 2015 Pan American Games featured a Pool B match between Chile and Cuba. Chile earned the first penalty corner of the match early in the first quarter, but the shot went wide. Chile kept up their offensive pressure and Daniella Caram put Chile ahead 1-0 in the 6th minute. Cuba’s keeper Heidy Gonzalez made many big saves to keep Chile from scoring further in the first quarter. Daniella Caram continued her attacking intensity to give Chile a two-goal lead one minute into the second quarter. Yuraima Vera Rojas and Marisbel Sierra had some attacking runs for Cuba that led to Cuba’s first penalty corner in the 22nd minute. Cuba’s Sierra deflected the penalty corner shot to bring Cuba within one goal from Chile. Cuba continued to pressure on attack and Yunia Milanes’shot went just wide. Chile’s Javiera Villagra immediately countered the attacking pressure to make it CHI 3-1 CUB in the 27th minute. Right off the restart, Cuba went on attack and Sierra scored again to again pull Cuba within one goal from Chile. Chile held the possession on attack for the rest of the second quarter, but the score remained CHI 3-2 CUB at halftime.
Chile continued their attacking pressure at the start of the third quarter, but Gonzalez saved a penalty stroke shot by Sofia Filpek to prevent Chile from increasing their lead. Chile’s Manuela Urroz sent a hard shot, but it went wide. Chile kept the possession in their attacking half for much of the third quarter. In the 44th minute, Chile’s Carolina Garcia increased Chile’s lead over Cuba 4-2 to end the third quarter. Two minutes to start the fourth quarter, Chile earned a penalty corner and Francisca Pizzaro converted. A minute later, Filpek found the back of the net to put Chie ahead by four goals over Cuba. Gonzalez saved more Chilean shots in the third quarter. Chile’s Camila Caram scored a penalty corner goal in the 58th minute to result in a final match score of CHI 7-2 CUB.
