U17 Women Move to Semifinals

Will Face Germans in Next Round

November 10, 2008

The young Americans fashioned their best overall game of the tournament while getting two goals from forward Courtney Verloo, one from forward Vicki DiMartino and a thunderbolt strike from Hanson, Mass. native Kristie Mewis.

The USA will now face Germany in the tournament�s second semifinal on Nov. 13.

The Koreans managed just three shots on goal over the entire game, two of which went in. Five goals were scored in the second half, three by the USA and two by the Koreans after the USA took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The U.S. U-17s opened the scoring in the 27th minute after an attacking flurry inside the Korean penalty area earned a corner kick from the right side. Midfielder Julia Roberts, whose set play services were dangerous all game, hit a ball over the pack of players and to the far post, where defender Amber Brooks jumped high to send it back into the mixer from almost right on the end line. The ball flew over several Koreans and right to Verloo, who out-muscled her defender to power the ball into the roof of the net with her right thigh from just two yards away.

In the 54th minute, Kristie Mewis dribbled centrally for a few steps before crushing a left-footed shot from about 23 yards out and just left of the penalty arc. The ball curved wickedly and flew into the upper right corner, giving Korean goalkeeper Lee Hyo Ju no chance.

Korea pulled a goal back in the 65th minute on its first shot on goal of the game as Lee Hyun Young was quickest to the loose ball, pounding her chance into the roof of the net from two yards away.

In the 78th minute, Verloo used all of her 5-foot-9 frame to slide and power her shot off Lee�s hands and into the lower left corner from 14 yards out.

Flank midfielder Erika Tymrak entered the game in the 81st minute and two minutes later played a short square pass to DiMartino who collected with her back to the goal. DiMartino, the younger sister of Boston College standout Gina DiMartino, whirled to her left towards the net, losing two defenders, and drove her shot of Lee�s hand and into the lower right corner from 12 yards away.

In the 85th minute, Ji So Yun lifted a short pass over the U.S. back line and Lee Hyun Young beat Vancil to the bouncing ball, nodding it past the U.S. goalkeeper for the final 4-2 margin.

The U.S. team will fly to Christchurch on the east coast of New Zealand's south island Monday morning to set up camp in preparation for the epic clash with the Germans next Thursday.

U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT

Scoring Summary:
USA � Courtney Verloo (Amber Brooks) 27th minute
USA � Kristie Mewis (Julia Roberts) 54th
KOR � Lee Hyun Young (Song Ari) 65th
USA � Courtney Verloo (Kristie Mewis) 78th
USA � Vicki DiMartino (Erika Tymrak) 84th
KOR � Lee Hyun Young (Ji So Yun) 85th

Lineups:
USA: 18-Taylor Vancil; 4-Crystal Dunn, 6-Cloee Colohan (Capt.), 17-Rachel Quon; 11-Samantha Mewis, 3-Amber Brooks, 13-Julia Roberts, 10-Kristie Mewis, 20-Olivia Klei (5-Erika Tymrak, 81); 8-Vicki DiMartino, 7-Courtney Verloo (9-Samantha Johnson, 86)

KOR: 1-Lee Hyo Ju; 2-Seo Hyun Sook, 3-Lee Eun Kyung, 5-Song Ari (17-Lee Mi Na, 82), 8-Shin Ma Na; 15-Oh Yu Sun, 20-Koh Kyung Yeon; 4-Oh Hye Jin (11-Park Hee Young, 38), 9-Lee Hyun Young; 10-Ji So Yun, 18-Lee Min Sun (12-Jeoun Eun Ha, 74)

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