USWNT End FIH Hockey Pro League Europe Swing with Loss to Netherlands

AMSTELVEEN, Netherlands – The No. 15 U.S. Women’s National Team was met with another tough defensive challenge against world No. 1 The Netherlands in their second FIH Hockey Pro League match. Three first half penalty corner goals and another seven-goal performance in the second led to the Oranje having a dominant scoring performance on their way to a 10-0 win.

 

The Netherlands resumed their offensive prowess and put USA under immediate pressure to start the game. The red, white and blue maintained their composure and denied the threats until 10 minutes in when the Oranje capitalized. Off their second penalty corner of the game, Yibbi Jansen buried a low drag into the corner for the lead. USA didn’t fret and immediately took possession down the right side. Olivia Bent-Cole (Philadelphia, Pa.) used great individual skill to get into the circle and get off a backhand sweep, that forced Netherlands goalkeeper Josine Koning to the ground, but it was well defended. The Netherlands were limited to one more look on goal in the frame that was saved by USA goalkeeper Kelsey Bing (Houston, Texas).

 

The Oranje continued on the front foot in the second quarter holding much of the possession as well as adding two more goals to their lead. The first came in the 19th minute off a penalty, Renee van Laarhoven swept it hard into the right corner and the next in the 23rd minute, again off a penalty corner, through Jansen, for her second of the game. Bing recorded an impressive eight saves in the first half, making it tough for the Netherlands’ attack to get around her. The most notable was in the same minute as the second goal when Bing was found 1v1 with Fiona Morgenstern at close range and she denied the lift with a quick reaction save. The Oranje held a 3-0 lead heading into halftime.

 

USA kept everyone back in the defensive end, determined to maintain the deep press and make it tough for The Netherlands to break through. The strong attack of the Oranje kept threatening and the third quarter saw them add three field goals. In the 37th minute, quick passing led to Frédérique Matla open at the top right of the circle and she sent a hard shot into the net. Five minutes later Joosje Burg received a pass, spun and swept it high into the far corner. One minute later, it was Matla again, this time with a backhand goal to make it 6-0.

 

The Netherlands continued to show scoring dominance in the fourth quarter, adding another four to the scoreboard. The seventh goal came when Jansen dribbles down the left baseline and passed it to Lidewij Welten for the deflection. Next, Freeke Moes got a little poke under Bing and then Burg added her second when she received a long ball and was found 1v1 with Bing as she tucked it under. Jansen rounded out the scoring with 1-minute remaining in the match grabbing her third of the game off a penalty corner. The final score was in favor of The Netherlands, 10-0.

 

“There is a lot of learnings we have to take from today,” said Bing. “We tried to attack a little bit more, and when you try to attack you open up their ability to counterattack. We are going to have to clean up some of our defensive penalty corners. There is a lot to learn moving forward to our next games.”

 

“We are focused on building our team culture. We have upcoming games in Argentina and we will just have to start looking forward to that.”

 

Following the game, the Netherlands Yibbi Jansen was named Player of the Match for her hat trick.

 

Next, the U.S. Women’s National Team will return to the United States before traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina where they will take on No. 2 Las Leonas in another two-game series at Cenard on Saturday, April 16 at 3:00 p.m. ET and Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET. For more information, visit the FIH Hockey Pro League Event Page.

 

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