With a 4-2 win over Australia in the semifinal, Argentina advances to the Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup Final against the Netherlands tomorrow, December 4th at 18:30. Unable to silence the attacking pressure of Belgium, the United States finds themselves playing in match to decide 7th/8th place against England, also tomorrow, at 11:45. And with a disappointing five goal loss to Japan, Chile will play against Korea to try to finish in 11th place today, December 3rd, at 18:30.
Semifinal: Argentina 4-2 Australia
In the first semifinal of the Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup, Argentina met Australia. Argentina came out on the attack early, earning two penalty corners in the 4th minute. Bianca Donati converted the second penalty corner to give Argentina the one goal lead against Australia. Argentina had another close scoring opportunity when Milagros Fernandez Ladra found Priscilla Jardel right in front of the stroke mark, but an Australia defender swiped the ball from Jardel. Whenever Australia looked to attack, Argentina played strong defense and did not allow Australia to get into the circle. In the 10th minute, Argentina had two more shots saved by Australia’s keeper Aleisha Power. Two minutes later, Argentina had another penalty corner, but Power just barely stopped the shot with her boot. Argentina then had two more penalty corners, but both plays were blocked up by Australia’s defense.
In the 19th minute, Argentina’s Agostina Alonso had a shot blocked by an Australian player and then her teammates looked to score, but again Power was there for the save. The Argentina fans kept cheering loudly as Argentina continued their attacking pressure. Then Eugenia Trinchinetti and Julieta Jankunas, respectively, both had shots blocked by Power. In the 29th minute it was Rossetti, Argentina’s keeper, making the big save to keep Australia off the scoreboard. A minute later Argentina was back on attack and had another penalty corner blocked by Australia’s defense. Argentina continued to attack and Alsonso looked to pass to teammates near goal, but could not connect. With Argentina unable to capitalize of its last minute attacking pressure, the score at halftime remained Argentina 1, Australia 0.
Argentina found themselves playing defense to start the second half. In the 41st minute, Argentina was able to get the ball into their attacking circle off a run by Fernandez Ladra. Argentina’s hard work on attack led to their first penalty corner of the second half in the 43rd minute. A hard push by Eugenia Sanguinetti from the left side of the circle to the bottom right of the goal found Argentina up two goals over Australia. Three minutes later, Argentina had another penalty corner, but Power made two very quick saves. Guadalupe Fernandez Lacourt and Captain Agustina Gorzelany played strong defense to hold off Australian attacking pressure midway through the second half. In the 54th minute, Argentina earned another penalty corner and their first scoring opportunity since their last goal. Soon after, Ferandez Ladra’s hard work paid off with a shot past Power to make it Argentina 3, Australia 0 in the 57th minute. Australia continued to pressure on attack, but Argentina continued to play incredibly strong defense; until Australia’s Greta Hays managed to score in the 66th minute. Immediately off the restart, Argentina earned another penalty corner that was again saved by Power. In the 67th minute, Australia scored again off a goal by Captain Mariah Williams that she lifted over Rossetti. With just seconds on the clock, Julieta Jankunas pushed in a shot to make the final score Argentina 4, Australia 2.Thus, the win advanced Argentina to the finals of the Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup against the Netherlands.
Classification match for 5th-8th place: United States 1-2 Belgium
United States faced Belgium to decide who would play for 5th-8th place. Three minutes into match the United States earned a penalty corner, but the shot was right into the pads of Belgium keeper Elena Sotgiu. Belgium got on the board first when Captain Julia Young got beat and Belgium’s Daphne Gose scored in the 7th minute. The United States countered and ran onto attack, forcing Sotgiu to make a quick save. It was not until the 14th minute that the United States was able to have the ball again down in their attacking circle. However, the United States was unable to get a shot off and continued to battle Belgium for possession. After a water break for the heat, the United States earned another penalty two more penalty corners around the 21st minute. Again, both shots were blocked by Sotgiu. Along with Young, Ashley Hoffman and Laura Hurff did a lot of hard work on defense to prevent Belgium from taking more shots in the final ten minutes of the first half. In the 30th minute, Big made a big save to keep Belgium from increasing their lead. Erin Matson then had a good defensive jab in the midfield to try to generate attack for the United States. Matson had a hard shot go wide in the 33rd minute. Unlucky for the United States, Belgium was able to break through the United States’ defense in the final minute of the first half and Lien Hillewaert’s goal made the halftime score United States 0, Belgium 2.
The United States had their first attacking opportunity of the second half five minutes in, but Belgium forced the shot to go just wide of the goal cage. For the next five minutes, the United States was able to keep play in their attacking half. Meanwhile, school children and USA families continued to cheer from the stands. Gab Major pressured hard on attack in the 48th minute, but had the ball taken away by Belgium in the USA attacking circle. Play continued in the USA’s attacking half, but Belgium kept playing strong defense to prevent the USA from having shot opportunities. To the United States’ credit, in the 55th minute Belgium had one of their first shots of the second half and Bing was there for the quick save. A few minutes later, Gab Major then had a breakaway blocked by Belgium’s defense, but the United States was able to keep pressuring in their attacking circle. The attacking pressure paid off and the United States earned their first penalty corner of the second half in the 63rd minute, but Belgium’s defense continued to keep USA off the scoreboard. Finally, off a penalty corner in the 68th minute Matson’s hard shot got USA on the board to make it USA 1-2 Belgium. Yet, United States was unable to score again and with the loss 1-2 loss to Belgium secured a spot in the 7th/8th place match against Englad.
Classification match for 9th-12th place: Japan 6-1 Chile
Chile played against Japan to decide if they would advance to the 9th/10th classification match of the Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup. Japan controlled possession from the start and Chile’s keeper Noemi Abusleme Bascur was tested early. Japan’s Ayaka Nakahana was able to get a shot past Abusleme Bascur in the 10th minute to give Japan the one goal lead. Once again, there was a large and loud crowd on hand to support the Chilean squad. In the 14th minute, Chile had possession for the time in the match in their attacking circle, but Sofia Machado’s shot was blocked by a Japanese defender. Chile then looked like they had more intensity and continued to try to push the ball forward when they had possession. Four minutes later, Florencia Martinez had a direct shot for Chile, but it was slow paced and saved by Japan’s keeper Akio Tanaka. Abusleme Bascur had another big save off a Japan breakaway in the 22nd minute, but then Japan’s Mai Toriyama collected the deflection and scored. Making it Japan 2, Chile 0 in the 23rd minute. Chile immediately ran into their attacking circle. Japan, however, quickly recovered the ball. In the 26th minute, Japan earned the first penalty corner of the match. Chile played excellent team defense to prevent a Japan penalty corner shot. Japan’s Motomi Kawamura then hit a very hard shot past Abusleme Bascur’s leg to put Japan ahead of Chile by three goals in the 28th minute. Three minutes later, Kawamura scored again to make it Japan 4, Chile 0. To Chile’s credit, Chile earned their first penalty corner of the match in the final minute of the first half, but Japan broke up the play.
Chile again faced a strong Japanese attack to start the second half. Japan’s Maho Segawa put Chile down by five goals in the 38th minute. Toriyama then scored again off a deflected penalty corner shot over reserve keeper Sachi Ananias who had dived to stop the initial shot to make the score Japan 6, Chile 0 in the 47th minute. Chile’s fans kept cheering loudly throughout the half, just like the first. Ananias and the Chilean defense stopped a number of Japan penalty corners before earning their first penalty corner of the second half in the 54th minute. Fernanda Villagran Verdaguer put in a beautiful penalty corner drag flick to get Chile on the scoreboard. Japan continued to dominate possession and Ananias made a big save in the 60th minute to prevent Japan from increasing their lead. Chile then had a shot blocked by Japan’s keeper. Chile battled hard for possession for the rest of the match and had more possession down in their attacking half than the first half. Forcing Japan’s keeper to come far out of cage; and then earned two more penalty corners in the 66th minute. The first shot went wide and the second was blocked by Japan’s defense. Chile held off last minute Japanese attack, including an amazing defensive save off a penalty corner by Josefina Cambiaso. With Chile preventing another Japan penalty corner as time expired in the match the final score remained Japan 6, Chile 1. As result, Chile classified for the 11th/12th place against Korea.
