For the first time in Olympic history, the Summer Games have added quarterfinals as the top four teams in each of the two groups advance to the medal round, which begins Monday, Aug. 15.
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The U.S. had full control over the game, starting with a Melissa Gonzalez goal less than a minute into play.
Still seeking their first win after returning to women’s Olympic hockey since their 1980 appearance, the Indians were once again left to defend their citadel for most part of the match as the Americans dictated the pace of the Pool B fixture. On Thursday, Team USA will play India at 6:30 p.m.
The game will be televised on CNBC. Briggs was credited with a dozen saves in the opening match for the U.S. Katelyn Falgowski made a reverse-stick pass to Bam who chipped the ball over a defender’s stick and into the goal. The tally marked the first shot of the game for either team.
Thanks to two more goals from Katie Bam – who had a hat trick in Wednesday’s win over Japan – and a full-team effort on defense, the US willed its way to a 3-0 win over India at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Rio in what’s fast becoming a historic 2016 Olympics for a USA seeking its first medal in 32 years.
Working the baseline in the 19th minute, Gonzalez slid the ball from the right post across to Jill Witmer. Kathleen’s reverse shot went past the Indian goalkeeper Savita Punia.
The Americans, ranked fifth in the world, asserted themselves early against 16th-ranked Japan, scoring two goals in the first five minutes.
From there it was all Team USA.
But any hopes of an Indian comeback were quelled in the third period when Kathleen scored another field goal to double the U.S. lead. The Americans earned another corner at the close of the period, which was stopped by India’s defense, but Bam made sure the third quarter didn’t end without another Team USA goal. Vittese was denied on that scoring play though the rebound handled by defender Cait Van Sickle (Wilmington) would not as the Americans would take a 2-0 lead in the 41st minute of play.
The U.S. scored three more goals in the second half.
For India, Rani Rampal’s first quarter goal was disallowed, being ruled unsafe play. This marks her second goal in the Rio Games, her first one being against Australia on Saturday.
India women in action against USA.
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Both teams admitted to holding back on certain aspects of their game plans just weeks before the Olympics, but Crandall – who sat out the series while recovering from a broken bone in her left foot – gained valuable insight from the games. India took a lot of tempo out of the game when we were in Lancaster. “Tonight, I encouraged my teammates to bring the tempo and urgency back to the game”.
