Indoor USWNT Punches Ticket to FIH Indoor World Cup with Shootout Win Over Argentina

CALGARY, Canada – There wasn’t just the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup gold medal on the line – the only Pan American women’s spot in the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup was up for grabs. The No. 8 U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team found themselves trailing to No. 30 Argentina early but fought back to even it. There were six traded goals in the second half as regulation finished deadlocked, 5-5. In the shootout, USA scored all three chances, while Las Leonas missed one, for the 3-2 thrilling final.

In the first 2 minutes, both teams earned penalty corners although the score did not change. USA had control and tried to threaten but every time they did was met by a compact press. Midway through and down a player from a card, Argentina earned a penalty corner and opened the scoring through Lara Irianni. Moments later Las Leonas almost doubled their lead when an open player received it in front of Elizabeth Tamburro (Phoenixville, Pa.) but she made the stick save and Ryleigh Heck (Ocean City, N.J.) was in the goal to make the stop, but Argentina earned a set piece. Fortunately there was no shot off the chance and immediately down the other way, USA earned back-to-back chances but couldn’t convert.

Argentina made the most of another chance and added to their lead in the 12th minute when Martina Navarro put it over Tamburro. Immediately down the other way, USA earned a set piece but the shot by Hope Rose (Dauphin, Pa.) was well defended and deflected wide. In the 18th minute, Argentina was issued a yellow card and on the resuming play, after a bit of a scramble, Erin Matson (Chadds Ford, Pa.) got USA on the board to make it 1-2. The clock was winding down and looked like the halftime horn was going to sound, but Reese D’Ariano (West Chester, Pa.) broke through and evened the game with 2 seconds left on the clock.

After digging themselves out of the hole, USA had a scare at the start of the third when an undisciplined error outside the circle gave Argentina an upgraded set piece – but to no avail. This sparked an action packed period. Las Leonas regained the lead in the 23rd minute when a good passing sequence was finished by Irianni. Two minutes later, D’Ariano was on a breakaway in the middle and was taken to the court, well outside the circle, but earned USA a penalty corner. Unable to score on that chance, D'Ariano found the equalizer moments later when she flipped it over goalkeeper Camila Zuk. Seconds later D’Ariano tallied again, to register her hat trick, but it was Argentina’s Victoria Amaya who evened it again, 4-4, in the 28th minute off a penalty corner.

Taking it down to the wire, goals were traded in the 37th minute. First, Amaya converted on a spinning shot, then D’Ariano scored off a penalty corner into the top right of the net. USA had two close chances in the final minute, but both were saved by Zuk. With 3 seconds remaining in regulation, Argentina earned a penalty corner but were unsuccessful.

In the shootout, USA scored on all three chances through Heck, Matson and Rose, while Argentina missed their second, for the red, white and blue win.

With the victory, the Indoor USWNT will return to the 2025 FIH Indoor World Cup. In the last edition in 2023, they finished in ninth.

Following the tournament, Reese D'Ariano was named the Most Valuable Player and Top Goal Scorer, with 16 goals.

For more information regarding the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cups, visit the event page.

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