Women U23s Win Nordic Cup

Take Title Game from Germany, 3-0

July 22, 2008

The Americans, in winning their second consecutive Nordic cup and 10th in the last 12th years, won all four of their tournament games via shutout. Forward India Trotter opened the scoring in the 25th minute in this one and Ella Massar added goals in the 34th and 63rd minutes to seal the win.

Like in the USA’s first three matches in group play, the Americans dominated the proceedings, this time outshooting Germany 15-7 and allowing the Europeans just two shots on goal. Val Henderson picked up yet another shutout in goal for the U.S. team that did not allow a score over 360 minutes against Switzerland, England, Norway and Germany.

The first goal was created by midfielder Yael Averbuch, who lifted a great ball over the German defense on the right side. Trotter beat the defense with her speed and slotted the ball past the ‘keeper into the right corner for her second goal of the tournament.

Massar put the game away with her second and third goals of the tournament, the first coming 11 minutes before halftime. Reynolds started the sequence with a dribble down the right wing and sent a cross into the middle. Massar had time to settle the ball and rifle her shot into the right side of the net from 12 yards out.

The University of Illinois striker clinched the game 18 minutes into the second half, running onto a perfect through ball from Kiki Bosio. Massar outran two defenders and coolly finished on the ground for the final score line.

“We played well in the first 15 or 20 minutes of the game and we created numerous chances,” said U.S. head coach Bill Irwin. “We put one away early and the second goal came off the tactics that we have been working on. All three goals were great goals and our defense played very well once again. At the beginning of the second half, they came at us and we handled it well. It is a credit to our defense that we came through the Nordic Cup with a clean slate.”

U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team Match Report

Scoring Summary:
USA -- India Trotter (Yael Averbuch) 25th minute
USA -- Ella Masar (Katherine Reynolds) 34th
USA -- Ella Masar (Kiki Bosio) 63rd

Lineups:
USA: 1-Valerie Henderson; 11-Meghan Schnur; 15-Becky Sauerbrunn, 4-Nikki Krzysik (12-Kasey Moore, 87), 7-Katherine Reynolds; 10-Yael Averbuch, 13-Tina DiMartino (17-Katy Frierson, 20) (14-Kerri Hanks, 68), 9-Brittany Klein (6-Lorraine Quinn, 87), 5-Kiki Bosio 8-India Trotter (16-Katy Larkin, 83), 3-Ella Masar.

GER: 1-Lisa Weiss; 18-Daniela Lowenberg (4-Josephine Schlanke, 79), 5-Caroloin Schiewe; 14-Pia Marxkord; 13-Katharina Baunach (3-Corina Schroder, 77), 7-Bianca Schmidt; 6-Karolin Thomas; 8-Meike Weber (2-Juliane Hofler, 69), 10-Nicole Banecki (17-Sussanne Hartel 72), 11-Isabel Kerschowski; 9-Stephanie Goddard (16-Sylvie Banecki, 45)

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: Blink Del.icio.us Digg
Furl Google Simpy Spurl Technorati Y! MyWeb