Bam, who described herself as a Philadelphia Flyers fan but is adopting the Boston Bruins because she and her husband will be assistant coaches of the Harvard women’s field hockey team, is surprised at the team’s impressive start.
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If the United States returns to the podium, the Keystone State will have played a major role.
Katie Bam scored two goals, and the US defeated India 3-0 Thursday night to improve to 4-0 in Pool B. Britain also remained unbeaten with a 2-0 win over Japan on Thursday.
Former Asian Games gold medal victor Vikas seemed the more assured boxer and will face his stiffest challenge against Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan, who has also beaten the Indian in the final of the 2015 Asian Championships, tomorrow and a win will ensure the Indian a bronze medal.
Other players on the roster from Pennsylvania are Ali Campbell (Gilbertsville), Lauren Crandall (Doylestown), Katelyn Falgowski (Landenberg), Kelsey Kolojejchick (Larksville), Alyssa Manley (Lititz), sisters Julia and Katie Reinprecht (Perkasie), Paige Selenski (Shavertown), Kathleen Sharkey (Moosic) and Jill Witmer (Lancaster). If we did that we would have been ahead.
“We can’t say that they are ranked below us so they are an easy side to beat”. Illuminated by floodlights is a cobalt-blue synthetic field open to the chilly night air in Deodoro, where two women’s teams are running up and down the 100-yard-by-60-yard field wearing skirts and carrying sticks about half the size of those used by National Hockey League players. They were down to nine men with their backs to the wall.
“That was definitely a newer experience for us”, Bam said. “You should just stick to your structure”. However, taking the Indian team to that level will be a different challenge altogether.
It was a quiet first two quarters from India as well as Netherlands as both the teams preferred to play it safe, concetrating more on holding possession of the ball.
“Really important game for us tonight”, USA coach Craig Parnham, who was hired in 2013 after the team’s 12th-place finish in London, told the AP.
Something very interesting is happening in the wonderfully named Spooky Nook, the USA national team’s training headquarters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “So it is a tough team to beat but I think it’s all about how we cope with pressure on that day and that will be the key”, he added.
While she didn’t pick up any points on offense, Kolojejchick starred on the defensive end during penalty corners.
Kolojejchick made a similar play later to keep a 5-1 lead, as Japan’s only score came when Mie Nakashima buried a wide-open, close-range shot from the left.
World champions Australia (WR: 1) completed the Pool A action with a comfortable 9-0 win over host nation Brazil (WR: 30), with Glenn Turner scoring a hat-trick as the Kookaburras secured the third position in the pool standings. The top American standouts at this year’s games – forward Katie Bam (Blue Bell) and goalie Jackie Briggs (Robesonia) – are from there. “There’s still some work to be done, but we’re pleased so far with the way we’ve started”. “We’re world-beaters right now, which is great to see”.
The Indians did better in the second quarter as they were able to stop the Americans from scoring, including from the two penalty corners.
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Sania and Bopanna subdued Britain’s Andy Murray and Heather Watson with remarkable ease to breeze into the mixed doubles semifinals with a 6-4 6-4 win in just 67 minutes. Of course, fitness has been our bane in the past and the jettisoning of the 35-minute half gives us more breathing room.
