1st place: United States
2nd place: Argentina
3rd place: Canada
4th place: Chile
5th place: Uruguay
6th place: Mexico
7th place: Dominican Republic
8th place: Cuba
Together, Briggs in goal and penalty corners were the keys for the United States gold medal win. Stairs goal leads Canada to Bronze medal over Chile.
1st /2nd place: Argentina vs. United States: 1-2 (ht: 0-0)
The gold medal match was between Argentina and United States. Both teams have yet to be scored upon. The match started with Argentina on the attack and earning two penalty corners in the third minute of the match. Both were blocked by the United States’ defense led by keeper Jackie Briggs. For the next five minutes, both teams kept battling for possession. In the 9th minute, the United States’ Alyssa Manley had one of the next shots of the match go high. A minute later the United States attacking pressure resulted in their first penalty corner of the match that led immediately to another corner. United States’ Lauren Crandall’s hard shot went just wide of the goal cage to keep the match scoreless. Both teams again kept battling and in the 14th minute, Katie Reinprecht looked to have some good shot opportunities, but Argentina’s defense recovered the ball each time. With both teams playing a close match, the score remained Argentina 0, United States 0 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter began with big cheers for both Argentina and United States, respectively. In the 19th minute, Delfina Merino looked to score, but Crandall made an incredible tackle to keep Merino from getting a shot off. Argentina continued to pressure on attack. Merino again had a shot denied by the United States’ defense, as Julia Reinprecht came up with the ball. The United States went down into their attacking circle, but could not get a shot off. Argentina earned a penalty corner in the 25th minute, but the shot was saved by Briggs. The crowd then started cheering loudly for the United States. Both teams kept trading possession while running fast in the midfield. In the final minutes of the second quarter, the United States worked hard to pressure on attack, but Argentina’s defense prevented the United States from getting a shot off. In the 30th minute, Merino again looked to score down the left side and United States’ Stefanie Fee came up with the ball to keep the match scoreless at the halftime break.
The third quarter started with the United States on attack and earning a penalty corner in the 34th minute. The shot was blocked by the Argentina defense. The United States got another penalty corner and beautifully executed it such that Succi dove and the United States’ Katie Reinprecht pushed the ball into the open net to give the United States the one goal lead and Argentina’s first goal against. The crowd then started cheering loudly for Argentina. Argentina immediately earned a penalty corner in the 35th minute and the United States defense blocked up the shot. The match started to have an even more intense energy with both teams being physical, loud and sending multiple players to each ball. In the 40th minute the United States earned another penalty corner and Michelle Vittese hit a hard shot into the corner of the goal. The crowd erupted into cheers for United States as the score became Argentina 0, United States 2. Argentina rushed back on attack and earned a penalty corner in the 43rd minute. Briggs stopped the shot and both teams kept fighting each other for possession. The score at the end of the third quarter remained Argentina 0, United States 2.
The fourth quarter looked like it was going to be an incredibly intense battle for possession. The United States earned the first penalty corner of the quarter in the 50th minute, but the shot was blocked by multiple Argentine defenders. Yet after the United States penalty corner, the United States continued to dominate possession and successfully tackle the Argentineans to prevent them from holding possession for any significant amount of time to generate a play. In the 57th minute, the crowd again erupted into cheers for the United States, but Argentina showed more energy and earned a penalty corner. The United States team defense blocked up the penalty corner, but Argentina immediately got two more penalty corners. Briggs stopped the two more penalty corner shots, but Argentina immediately got another penalty corner. As a result in the 58th minute, Florencia Habif’s penalty corner goal made the score Argentina 1, United States 2. With the United States holding off any more Argentina attack the United States came away with the gold medal and Argentina the silver.
3rd/4th place: Chile vs. Canada: 0-1 (ht: 0-0)
The bronze medal match was between Chile and Canada. In the first five minutes of the first quarter, play was mostly in Chile’s attacking half. Chile’s Francisca Vidaurre kept working hard on attack that resulted in the first penalty corner of the match in the 7th minute. The penalty corner shot by Sofia Walbuam went wide, but Chile regained possession and went back on attack. Canada’s defense played well to keep Chile from penetrating their attacking circle. In the 12th minute, Canada’s Hannah Haughn had a breakaway on attack, but Chile’s keeper Claudia Schuler came far out to make the save right from Haughn. Soon after, in the 14th minute, Canada earned their first penalty corner of the match. The shot by Danielle Hennig was blocked and Canada earned a second penalty corner right after, but could not execute. Canada continued to pressure on attack, but could not get another shot off before the end of the first quarter. Thus, the score remained Chile 0, Canada 0.
In the first minute of the second quarter, Chile’s Daniela Caram found Agustina Vengas whose shot on goal was saved by Canada’s keeper Kaitlyn Williams. Canada regained possession and had possession near their attacking circle, but had trouble getting a shot off. In the 19th minute, Daniela Caram had another break away on attack, but lost the ball off the endline. Both teams kept battling for possession and in the 23rd minute Brienne Stairs had a run on attack, but turned the ball over. Canada’s Captain Kate Gillis and Stephanie Norlander kept trying to attack on Canada’s right side and their hard work helped lead to a penalty corner in the 25th minute. The shot by Karli Johansen went wide and Norlander kept trying to attack. A shot by Abi Raye went wide and Chile ran down near their attacking circle. Canada regained possession and Thea Culley ran fast on attack. Yet, with both teams able to capitalize off possession near their attacking circle in the final minutes the score at halftime remained Chile 0, Canada 0.
In the opening minutes of the third quarter, Canada was pressuring on attack. Both Stairs and Natalie Sourisseau looked to take shots for Canada, but Chile’s defense came up with the ball. In the 34th minute, Venegas had a shot stopped by Williams. Cheers for both Canada and Chile were heard from the stands. For the next five minutes, Chile had the majority of the possession, but Canada’s defense prevented Chile from entering their attacking circle. In the 38th minute, Culley had another run on attack and found Haughn, but Walbaum was there to take the ball from Haughn. Chile continued to have the ball near their attacking circle, but Chile’s Josefa Villalabeitia could not find an opening to pass the ball into the circle. In the 41st minute, Canada regained possession and in the 43rd minute Daniela Caram received a yellow card. Canada then earned a penalty corner in the 44th minute, but could not capitalize. Canada continued to pressure on attack, but Chile’s defense held strong despite a yellow card to Daniela Caram keep the score Chile 0, Canada 0 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter started with Canada pressuring on attack. Both Karli Johansen and Hannah Haughn tried to attack near Canada’s left side of their attacking circle, but kept losing the ball. Chile’s Manuela Urroz then got a yellow card in the 49th minute. Canada was able to take advantage and earned a penalty corner in the 51st minute. Canada’s Stairs put in the penalty corner goal past Chile’s keeper Schuler to make the score Chile 0, Canada 1. In the 55th minute, Chile earned a penalty corner, but the shot by Daniela Caram went wide. A minute later, Chile had another penalty corner, but Carolina Garcia’s shot was saved by Williams. In the 58th minute, Chile had another penalty corner, but the injected pass hit a Chile foot. In the 59th minute, Chile pulled Schuler for an extra field player. In the final seconds of the match, Williams blocked a shot by Chile’s Carolina Garcia to preserve the win for Canada. With the score Chile 0, Canada 1 Canada came away with the bronze medal in front of a roaring crowd. Chile placed fourth.
5th/6th place: Mexico vs. Uruguay: 1-1 (ht: 1-0) SO: 2-3
The match to decide fifth and sixth place of the women’s competition of the 2015 Pan American Games was between Mexico and Uruguay, respectively. From the start, Uruguay dominated possession and earned the first penalty corner of the match in the 6th minute. Mexico’s keeper Jesus Castillo saved the shot by Matilde Kliche; and then another penalty corner shot by Uruguay’s Manuela Vilar was saved by Castillo. Two minutes later, Uruguay earned another penalty corner and again Vilar’s shot was blocked by Castillo. Mexico’s Jessica Sanchez then defended another Vilar hit off a penalty corner to keep the score Mexico 0, Uruguay 0. Uruguay kept pressuring on attack and quickly earned another penalty corner, but Vilar’s shot went wide. In the 13th minute, Castillo came out to make a big save to keep Uruguay from scoring. With Mexico’s defense preventing another shot by Uruguay the match remained scoreless at the end of the first quarter.
During the second quarter, Mexico played strong team defense throughout the field to prevent Uruguay from entering their attacking circle during the first eight minutes of the second quarter. In the 24th minute, Mexico’s Marlet Correa made the most of one of Mexico’s only attacking opportunities by slamming a ball at the top of the circle past Uruguay’s keeper Rosanna Paselle. Marlet Correa’s goal broke open the scoreless match and made the score Mexico 1, Uruguay 0.
The third quarter started with Uruguay on the attack that led to a penalty corner in the 32nd minute. The shot by Agustina Nieto looked like it was going to go into goal, but it hit the bar at the top of the goal and bounced out. Mexico then earned a penalty corner in the 34th minute, but the shot went wide. For the next five minutes, both teams battled for possession in the midfield. Uruguay got a corner in the 40th minute, the initial shot by Constanza Barrandeguy was blocked by Mexico’s defense and Sofia Mora came up with it, but Mora’s follow-up shot was blocked by keeper Castillo to preserve her team’s lead. Uruguay got another penalty corner in the 42nd minute, but Mexico came up with the ball. Also in the 42nd minute, Mexico’s Karen Orozco and Uruguay’s Florencia Norbis each received yellow cards. Two minutes later, Uruguay had two more penalty corners and Uruguay’s Cecilia Casarotti penalty corner goal tied the match Mexico 1, Uruguay 1 that would remain at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, play was more in Mexico’s attacking half. Mexico’s Captain Jennifer Valdes ran through the middle of Mexico’s attacking circle in the 52nd minute and earned a penalty corner, but the shot was blocked by Uruguay’s defense. In the 54th minute, Marlet Correa and Valdes continued to pressure on attack for Mexico. Mexico earned another penalty corner in the 57th minute, but Uruguay’s defense blocked up the shot. Mexico, regained possession, however, and Michel Navarro looked to attack. With Uruguay’s defense holding off the Mexico attack in the final minutes the match remained tied Mexico 1, Uruguay 1 at the end of regulation. Thus, the match went into a penalty shoot out to decide the winner and who would take fifth place in the tournament.
Karen Orozco went first for Mexico in the shoot out and lifted the ball wide of the goal cage. Manuela Vilar then went for Uruguay and, with Castillo beat, put the ball in just as time expired. Maria Correa then went for Mexico and had her shot saved by Paselle. Norbis then went for Uruguay and her shoot out play resulted in a stroke that she took for the goal. Marlet Correa then went for Mexico and she pushed the ball past Paselle. Lucia Lamberti then earned a stroke on her play and Norbis went to take the stroke and she put it in again. Fernanda Oveido then lifted in the ball past Paselle. Soledad Villar then went for Uruguay, but did not get the shot off in time. Finally, Michel Navarro went for Mexico, but also could not get a shot off before the end of the eight seconds. Thus, Uruguay won the shoot out 3-2 over Mexico and finished in fifth place; Mexico finished in sixth place.
7th/8th place: Cuba vs. Dominican Republic: 1-2 (ht: 0-1)
In the match for seventh place Cuba and the Dominican Republic played. Cuba started the match with nine players including keeper Heidy Gonzalez. For the first half of the first quarter both teams battled for possession. In the 6th minute, the Dominican Republic’s Magalys Ortega had a shot saved by Cuba’s keeper Heidy Gonzalez. Despite being down players, Cuba was able to largely keep possession for the next seven minutes. Cuba’s Brirzaida Ramos had a shot go wide in the 13th minute and then Cuba’s Yunia Milanes also had a shot go wide. With Gonzalez coming far out of goal to hold off the last minute Dominican Republic attack, the match remained scoreless at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started with the Dominican Republic on attack. In the 18th minute, the Dominican Republic’s Agustina Birocho got the ball past Cuba defender Sunaylis Nikle to Ortega for the hard shot past Gonzalez. Ortega’s goal in the 19th minute gave Dominican Republic the lead. Cuba immediately went back on attack and earned the first penalty corner of the match in the 19th minute. The penalty corner shot by Yaniuska Paso went wide and Dominican Republic went back fast into their attacking circle. The Dominican Republic continued to try to attack, but Cuba’s Captain Mileysi Argentel and Ramos played good defense to keep the Dominican Republic from many more shots off in the second quarter. In the 29th minute, the Dominican Republic had their first penalty corner of the match. The penalty corner drag flick by Lucia Navamuel went wide. Cuba went back fast on attack and Milanes had two shots blocked by Dominican Republic’s keeper Cindy De La Rosa that ended the second quarter with the score still Cuba 0, Dominican Republic 1.
The third quarter started with Cuba on attack and earning two penalty corners. Both of Cuba’s penalty corner shots were blocked by the De La Rosa and the Dominican Republic defense. Dominican Republic went back on attack and Cecilia Oflaherti put in hard goal past Gonzalez to make the score Cuba 0, Dominican Republic 2 in the 34th minute. In the 41st minute, Cuba had a penalty corner, but Paso’s shot was blocked by De La Rosa. In the 44th minute, Cuba’s Yuraima Vera Rojas had a shot blocked by De La Rosa. With either team unable to get another shot off in the final minute, the score at the end of the third quarter remained Cuba 0, Dominican Republic 2.
The fourth quarter also began with Cuba continuing to attack and earning two penalty corners a few minutes into the fourth quarter. Both shots by Paso were blocked by the Dominican Republic defense. Cuba had a third penalty corner in the 50th minute, but could not get the shot off as the ball was not stopped and the Dominican Republic regained possession. The Dominican Republic could not get a shot off and Cuba then earned another penalty corner in the 54th minute, again the hard shot by Paso was blocked by De La Rosa. A minute later Cuba had another penalty corner, but failed to execute the play. In the 56th minute, Cuba had yet another penalty corner. Argentel passed to Milanes whose shot was blocked by De La Rosa. The Dominican Republic then earned a penalty corner, but could not capitalize. Cuba ran fast back on attack and after Vera Rojas’ shot just missed a fairly open goal, Vera Rojas regained possession and pushed the ball past De La Rosa. The goal by Vera Rojas in the 59th minute made the score Cuba 1, Dominican Republic 2. The Dominican Republic defended well in the final minute to maintain their lead to earn the victory over Cuba and the seventh place finish. Cuba finished in eighth place.
