Helsinki Takes Home 2022 U-14 Nexus Championship

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The U-14 Girls concluded play today at the 2022 Nexus Championship (NXC), presented by Osaka Hockey, at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. Helsinki took gold, Sapporo won silver and Nagano claimed bronze.

The bronze medal game was a close one between Nagano and Stockholm. Stockholm held the lead going into halftime, having scored off a penalty corner with 6 minutes remaining before the break. Nagano came from behind to find the equalizer at the end of the third quarter off a lifted shot from the top. Nagano took the lead in the 50th minute after a full-field build up led to a reverse goal to claim the 2-1 win.

The gold medal match saw Helsinki win 5-0 over Sapparo. The first goal came in the 6th minute off long ball that was tipped in off the post. They doubled the lead in the 12th minute on a sweep buried into the corner. The other goals came in the 20th minute off a backhand, 35th minute on a forehand strike and 50th minute on another sweep into the corner. 

Over the course of the three days, hundreds of athletes from around the country showed off their skills in front of selectors, coaches and fans as they competed for evaluation to further opportunities in the women's Olympic Development Pathway. Congratulations to all the athletes for their hard work and dedication.

USA Field Hockey would like to extend its congratulations to the following teams on their tournament victories:

Head Coach: Michelle Vittese

In Alphabetical Order: Anna Arnold, Amelia Blood, Olivia Bryant, Mairead Carey, Angelina Che, Julia Conforti, Reese D'Ariano, Lea DeWan, Savannah Faulkner, Michaela Henyan, Catherine Imber, Brayden Johnston, Kitt Neel, Isabella Sanchez, Kylan Smith, Catalina Stefanich, Claire Turner, Samantha Wolfgang

Head Coach: Georgia Holland

 In Alphabetical Order: Martina Di Mare, Haley Elliott, Abigail Giusto, Catherine Jones, Caroline Kantz, Madison Lawton, Storey Lewis, Payton Martin, Lily Mastrella, Annette Matsuyasu, Julia McGlynn, Macy Rehak, Emerson Ross, Katherine Sampson, Maura Simpson, Sienna Tavolacci, Jovie Weaver, Regan Welsh

Head Coach: Noah Den Hartog

In Alphabetical Order: Lindsay Catachpole, Sofia Ferri, Sophia Galiotos, Julia Lattuada, Hadley Loftis, Maeve McGinley, Lila Merlin, Lillian Mitchell, Lucia Penaloza, Alivia Pufpaf, Reese Roldan, Kiera Sack, Mirabelle Schwartz, Sophia Stazi, Riley Stephenson, Catherine Tortolani, Genevieve Vallieres, Mills Webber

In addition, congratulations to Stockholm for winning the Barbara Longstreth Award for Sportsmanship. This award was created to promote good sportsmanship and given to the team that best exemplifies the qualifies of fair play, graciousness in victory and defeat, and respect for opponents and officials. This award is selected by the USA Field Hockey National Futures Championship Umpire and Coaching Staff.

Head Coach: Valerie Clarke

In Alphabetical Order: Katy Adams, Sarah Beneke, Jenna Butlerr, Lucia Campenni, Adriana Ensani, Kingsley Goldman, Anna Harris, Mia Jones, Layla Lococo, Avary Miller, Bree Moffett, Maggie Moylan, Audrey Owen-Smith, Catherine Rosser, Madelynn Stahl, Blair Strachan, Avery Swenson, Sophie Wilchek

A member of the U.S. Women's National Team from 1956 to 1964, Longstreth began her field hockey career at Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in the 1950's where she excelled in both field hockey and lacrosse. As a national team member, she competed in the epic 3-3 draw with England in front of 56,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium during the teams 1962 tour to Great Britain and Denmark. In 1963, she was a members of the USA's International Federation of Women's Hockey Association Conference team for an event that would become the precursor to today's FIH World Cup.
Longstreth continued her devotion to the game as a coach and eventually founded Longstreth Sporting Goods in 1977. Beginning the enterprise by selling field hockey sticks from the trunk of her car at tournaments, she established her company in Parkers Ford, Pa. where it has become the country's leader in speciality sports products for women. She announced her retirement from the company in 2007.

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