Chile and Canada will play for bronze. Mexico and Uruguay will play for 5th/6th place; while Cuba and the Dominican Republic will play for 7th place. With the competition almost complete, Argentina’s Noel Barrionuevo still leads all scorers with 9 goals, United States’ Kelsey Kolojejchick has 7 goals and Argentina’s Delfina Merino has 6 goals. Argentina has also scored the most goals in the tournament (41). Both Argentina and the United States have yet to be scored upon. Please check back here on 24 July to follow all the score updates, social media, reports and more on the final day of the women’s competition of the 2015 Pan American games.
Semifinal: Canada vs. United States: 0-3 (ht: 0-1)
In the other women’s semifinal Northern neighbors Canada and the United States played. The first five minutes was a battle of possession with both teams playing strong defense to keep each other from taking a shot despite each having possession within the 23 meter line. In the 9th minute, the United States took the lead when Kelsey Kolojejchick hit a hard ball from the top of the circle past Canada’s keeper Kaitlyn Williams. In the 11th minute, Canada’s Amanda Woodcroft had a fast run on attack and found Thea Culley at the top of the circle but Culley’s high shot was just saved by United States keeper Jackie Briggs. Canada continued to attack for the rest of the first quarter. Stephanie Norlander had a good shot opportunity for Canada in the 13th minute, but the shot went wide. With the United States defense anchored by Captain Lauren Crandall preventing Canada from taking more shots in the first quarter the score remained Canada 0, United States 1 to finish the first quarter.
The second quarter started with the United States fast on attack and earning the first penalty corner of the match in the 17th minute. Canada’s defense broke up the United States’ penalty corner play and a minute later Canada had their first penalty corner of the match. Canada’s Karli Johansen flicked the ball off the corner, but Briggs was there for the save. Canada’s Brienne Stairs had a shot for Canada go wide in the 19th minute and Canada continued to pressure on attack. For the next six minutes, Canada had most of the possession, but the United States’ defense kept Canada from getting a shot off. The next shots of the match took place in the 26th minute when United States’ Katie O’Donnell and Michelle Vittese each had shots blocked by Canada’s defense. In the 28th minute, the United States earned a penalty corner, but Williams saved Crandall’s hard shot. Canada had possession in the final minutes of the second quarter, but the United States prevented Canada from getting the ball past the midfield to keep the score Canada 0, United States 1 at the halftime break.
The third quarter started with both teams battling for possession. In the 32nd minute, O’Donnell ran fast by herself on attack and nearly got a shot off, but the United States was awarded a penalty corner. The United States failed to execute the penalty corner play. In the 34th minute the United State got another penalty corner, but the shot went high. For the next five minutes Canada and the United States continued to battle for possession. In the 42nd minute, Canada’s Abi Raye looked to generate attack near Canada’s attacking circle, but the United States regained possession. In the final minute of the third quarter both teams got really physical in fighting for possession and the stands were full of loud cheering fans as the third quarter ended Canada 0, United States 1.
The fourth quarter started with the United States fired up on attack and Kolojejchick scored her second goal of the match two minutes into the quarter to give the United States a two goal lead. In the 48th minute Canada earned a penalty corner and Norlander had the shot after the initial shot was blocked by Briggs. The umpire however had called another penalty corner and so the apparent goal by Norlander did not count. Canada’s shot on the next penalty corner went wide and the United States regained possession. In the 51st minute the United States earned a penalty corner, but could not complete the play. The United States continued to hold the possession, but Canada did a good job defensively to keep the United States from having many shot opportunities. The United States earned two more penalty corners in the 57th minute, but could not get the first shot off and the second shot went wide. Canada ran fast back into their attacking end, but with solid defense by United States’ Stephanie Fee the United States regained possession. Fee’s hard work led to the United States running back on attack and Alyssa Manley put a goal past Williams to make the score Canada 0, United States 3 in the 58th minute. With the United States maintaining most of the possession in the final minutes of the match, the final score remained Canada 0, United States 3.
With the win, the United States will face Argentina in the gold medal match; while Canada will face Chile in the match for the bronze medal. The final matches will take place on 24 July.
Semifinal: Argentina vs. Chile: 5-0 (ht: 2-0)
The first womens semifinal was between South American neighbors Argentina and Chile. The match was intense right from the start. In the opening minutes, Argentina had most of the possession, but Chile often had three players around each Argentina with the ball. After Argentina’s Delfina Merino beat Chile’s Sofia Walbaum in the right side of her attacking circle, Merino crossed the ball to Martina Cavallero who gave Argentina the lead in the 6th minute. A turnover by Walbaum in her backfield led to more Argentina attack and the first penalty corner of the match in the 8th minute. Barrionuevo shot her signature drag flick that Cavallero deflected for the score right past Chile’s keeper Claudia Schuler to make the score Argentina 2, Chile 0. Two minutes later, Argentina immediately earned another penalty corner, but Schuler saved the shot by Barrionuevo. Chile ran back on attack and had a shot blocked by Argentina’s keeper Belen Succi. Argentina continued to pressure on attack, but Walbaum and Chile’s Camila Carram played good defense to force Argentina to pass the ball in the midfield. In the final minute of the first quarter, Chile tried to get the ball into their attacking circle, but unable to do so as time expired the score at the end of the first quarter remained Argentina 2, Chile 0.
Argentina continued to attack to start the second quarter, but Francisca Pizzarro and Walbaum played tough defense to keep Argentina from penetrating their attacking circle for the first four minutes of the second quarter. In the 20th minute, Argentina earned a penalty corner, but the shot went wide. In the 22nd minute, Pizzarro stole the ball and hit the ball down field, but it went out of play and Argentina regained possession. Argentina continued to pressure on attack and Chile continued to play incredibly strong defense. Pizzarro stole the ball again and found Agustina Venegas. In the 24th minute, Venegas shot the ball to the opposite post, but Succi was just there to make the leg-split save. After more strong defense by Chile, Chile went on the attack and the strong attack by Manuela Urroz near her attacking goal lead to Chile’s first penalty corner of the match. In the 29th minute, Argentina’s defense blocked up Chile’s penalty corner play. Thus the halftime score remained Argentina 2, Chile 0.
The first five minutes of the third quarter was a battle for possession in the midfield. Camila Carram continued to play good center defense for Chile that helped keep Argentina from penetrating their attacking circle until the 37th minute. Agustina Albertarrio took advantage of Argentina’s first real attacking opportunity of the third quarter by slamming the ball from the top of the circle past Schuler to make the score Argentina 3, Chile 0. Argentina continued to pressure on attack, but Chile continued to play strong team defense, including Francisca Tala and Venegas on the forward line. In the 44th minute Argentina earned another penalty corner, Schuler saved the initial shot, but Merino collected the rebound and slammed it in to make the score Argentina 4, Chile 0.
Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Merino continued to prove her scoring ability by shooting a rocket past Schuler for her second goal of the match to increase her team’s lead over Chile by five goals. Chile didn’t let up, however, and earned a penalty corner in the 49th minute, but the shot was saved by Argentina’s Florencia Habif. In the 54th minute, Tala had a hard shot on goal saved by Succi, but the play resulted in another penalty corner for Chile. Daniela Carram could not complete the play and Argentina regained possession. With Camila Carram and teammates holding off the Argentina attack in the final minutes, the final result remained Argentina 5, Chile 0. Thus, Argentina will move on to the gold medal match, while Chile will play for bronze on Friday 24 July.
Crossover 5-8: Uruguay vs. Dominican Republic: 7-1 (ht: 2-1)
In the other women’s 5-8 cross-over, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic played. The Dominican Republic ran on attack to start the match, but Uruguay’s Federika Kempner blocked runs by both Lucia Navamuel and Maria Disanti, respectively. In the 9th minute, Uruguay had the first penalty corner of the match, but the shot was blocked by the Dominican Republic defense. Play continued in Uruguay’s attacking half and Uruguay was awarded a stroke. Florencia Norbis put in the stroke in the 13th minute to make the score Uruguay 1, Dominican Republic 0. The Dominican Republic ran down into their attacking end after the restart, but Uruguay’s Kempner and Manuela Vilar played strong defense to get the ball back to close out the first quarter with the score Uruguay 1, Dominican Republic 0.
Dominican Republic started right on attack to start the second quarter. Agustina Birocho shot the ball and it deflected off a Uruguay foot right to Magalys Ortega who slammed the ball into the back of the cage. Ortega’s goal in the 17th minute tied the match Uruguay 1, Dominican Republic 1. In the 20th minute, Uruguay earned a penalty corner and Norbis’ flick regained the lead for Uruguay to make it Uruguay 2, Dominican Republic 1. Four minutes later Uruguay earned another penalty corner and the Dominican Republic blocked the shot and ran back into their attacking circle. Navamuel kept trying to attack from the right side, but Uruguay regained posessession. With either team able to get another shot off in second quarter, the score remained Uruguay 2, Dominican Republic 1 at the halftime break.
Less than one minute into the third quarter, Uruguay earned a penalty corner and Cecilia Casarotti put in a hard shot to make the score Uruguay 3, Dominican Republic 1. In the 34th minute, Uruguay failed to execute a penalty corner play, but Uruguay kept pressuring the Dominican Republic in their attacking circle. Uruguay’s Mercedes Coates had a slow shot slip past two Dominican Republic defenders to make the score Uruguay 4, Dominican Republic 1 in the 36th minute. In the 40th minute Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but the Dominican Republic defense stopped multiple Uruguay shots to prevent Uruguay from increasing their lead. Thus, the score remained Uruguay 4, Dominican Republic 1 at the end of the quarter.
Uruguay started the fourth quarter like they did the third, with a penalty corner goal this time by Vilar to make the score Uruguay 5, Dominican Republic 1 by the 48th minute. Uruguay kept up their attacking intensity and a minute later, Janine Stanley found the back of the net to make the score Uruguay 6, Dominican Republic 1. Uruguay then earned another penalty corner and Vilar’s flick trickled past reserve keeper Nayrobi Pichardo making the score Uruguay 7, Dominican Republic 1. The Dominican Republic did not let up, however, and had the ball in their attacking end in the 52nd minute to earn a penalty corner. Uruguay’s keeper Paselle made two big saves and then the Dominican Republic was awarded another penalty corner and Paselle again saved the hard shot. The Dominican Republic continued to pressure on attack and earned another penalty corner in the 56th minute, Navamuel lifted the shot and again Paselle was there to make the save.1 In the 59th minute, the Dominican Republic earned another penalty corner, but could not execute. Then in the final minute, Uruguay earned a penalty corner, but the Dominican Republic played good defense to keep the final result Uruguay 7, Dominican Republic 1.
With the win, Uruguay will play Mexico in the 5th / 6th place match; while Cuba will play the Dominican Republic in the 7th / 8th place match.
Crossover 5-8: Cuba vs. Mexico: 0-1 (ht: 0-1)
In the second day of crossover competition for the women’s Pan American Games, Cuba and Mexico played. From the start, play was in Cuba’s attacking half. In the fourth minute, Roseli Harrys hit a hard shot on goal, but it went wide. Soon after, Cuba’s Yuraima Vera Rojas also tried to score from the left side off a deflected pass, but the ball narrowly missed the goal cage. In the 6th minute, Cuba earned the first penalty corner of the match and the shot by Harrys on the left went wide to keep the match scoreless. In the 9th minute, Mexico had its first attacking opportunity of the match as Michel Navarro shot a ball just wide of the goal. Mexico then earned its first penalty corner and Navarro found Cindy Correa to give her team the lead in the 10th minute. After Mexico’s goal, Cuba tried to pressure on attack, but Mexico’s defense held Cuba to one shot in the rest of the first quarter that was saved by Mireya Bianchi. Thus, the score at the end of the first quarter remained Cuba 0, Mexico 1.
The second quarter started with Mexico immediately earning two penalty corners. The first of which was not well executed and Maria Correa’s shot was saved by Cuba’s keeper Heidy Gonzalez. In the 18th minute, Cuba then had a shot blocked by Mexico’s keeper Jesus Castillo. Cuba continued to pressure on attack with Yunia Milanes and Helec Carta pressuring right in front of Castillo. For the final four minutes of the second quarter Mexico had most of the possession near or in their attacking circle. Mexico’s attackers, however, Marlet Correa, Fernanda Oveida and Karen Orozco had trouble finding scoring opportunities with Cuba’s hardworking defense. As a result, the score was still Cuba 0, Mexico 1 at the halftime break.
The third quarter started with play in Mexico’s attacking half. Mexico’s Captain Jennifer Valdes and Marlet Correa kept trying to pressure on attack down the center of the pitch. Navarro had a shot blocked by Gonzalez. When Cuba was able to regain possession, Mexico’s Jessica Sanchez and Eliana Cota continued to play strong defense to hold off Vera Rojas who kept trying to attack down Cuba’s right side of the pitch. The hard work of Vera Rojas with her teammates led to three penalty corners in the 42nd minute. The first shots by Yaniuska Paso went wide and the shot by Carta was saved by Castillo. With either team unable to score, the score remained Cuba 0, Mexico 1 at the end of the third quarter.
Vera Rojas ran on attack and hit a hard shot that was saved by Mexico’s Jessica Sanchez to start the fourth quarter. Cuba kept on attack and earned a penalty corner in the 49th minute, but Castillo was there for the save. Carta received a yellow card in the 51st minute, but then Cuba immediately earned a penalty corner. Again, a shot by Vera Rojas was saved by Castillo to prevent Cuba from tying the match. In the 54th minute, Navarro had a hard shot, but it went high over the goal cage. In the 56th minute, Cuba had the ball in their attacking circle and Vera Rojas found Carta whose shot was saved by Castillo. Mexico immediately went back on attack and earned a penalty corner in the 58th minute. The penalty corner shot by Navarro went wide. Cuba kept fighting to attack and earned penalty corner in the final minute of the match. Paso could not get the penalty corner shot off past Mexico’s Cota and Mexico earned the one goal win over Cuba.
