Germany scored two goals in the first quarter on its way to a 2-1 win over the United States on Monday morning in the quarterfinals of the field hockey tournament at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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The Americans brought some tension back when goalie Kristina Reynolds was finally bettered by Katelyn Falgowski’s shot in off the stick of German defender Anne Schroder, but there was less than four minutes to go and the US couldn’t threaten.
Falgowski, a member of the US team since she was a junior in high school, played on both the 2008, when she was the youngest on the roster, and 2012 Olympic teams.
The Black Sticks were leading 2-0 before the gritty Germans hit back with three goals in the last four minutes to claim an emphatic victory.
Argentina and Belgium were breathing rarefied air in Olympic men’s field hockey when they reached the medal rounds on Sunday.
World No.9 Germany became the second team to book a final four ticket, upsetting Pan-American champions United States with a 2-1 triumph.
Germany looked to earn a penalty corner 3:05 into the match, but US captain Lauren Crandall wisely used the team’s referral and the corner was waved off.
Lisa Altenburg knocked in a backhanded shot high over USA goalkeeper Jackie Briggs to put Germany up 2-0 late in the first. “It’s disappointing for us, but we want to get the bronze medal”. It’s not a big issue for us. Mink van der Weerden reduced the deficit a minute before half time, but the result was put beyond all doubt by Florent van Aubel early in the fourth quarter, who guided the ball home after being perfectly supplied by the inspirational Thomas Briels to give Belgium one of the finest results in their history. I think we’ve never beaten them in an official tournament.
The U.S. had a second-period goal erased because it went in off a player’s knee.
Early in the third quarter, Katie Bam picked off a German pass to set up a three-on-one breakway, but Katherine Reinprecht’s shot was knocked away by a German defender.
“It’s tough when a team comes out and they get on top of you like that”, Falgowski said.
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But No.3-ranked Australia came back with gusto, forcing goalkeeper Sally Rutherford into two smart saves from penalty corners before Smith deflected home skipper Kayla Whitelock’s penalty corner effort to give New Zealand a 2-0 lead at half-time. People process heartbreak a little bit differently. “I’m really proud of what this team has done here, and what we’ve done over the past 3 ½ years”. It’s hard when you leave like this. Four years ago, in London again, it was 10th. “Take nothing away, that was exceptional hockey to be on the other end of”.
