United States’ Kathleen Sharkey, left, falls as she fights for the ball with Japan’s Mayumi Ono during a women’s field hockey match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.
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United States’ Melissa Gonzalez passes the ball as India’s goalkeeper Savita Savita defends during a women’s field hockey match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016.
“That was definitely a newer experience for us”, Bam said.
The six-goal performance puts Team USA ahead of Great Britain thanks to the goal differential.
The United States will face India on Thursday, then close pool play with a showdown against Britain on Saturday. The Americans beat Australia in the third-place match at the Champions Trophy event in June, setting the tone for their unlikely run.
The U.S. team came to Rio ranked fifth in the world but has already recorded upsets over No. 2 Argentina and No. 3 Australia, putting itself in position to perhaps grab a top seed in the medal round.
Bam, coming off a hat trick in Wednesday’s victory over Japan, opened Thursday by scoring the first two goals.
Kathleen Bam scored two goals for U.S., with Melissa Gonzalez slotting in the third.
“Really important game for us tonight”, United States of America coach Craig Parnham said.
Hanna Maxwell of Forty Fort, center, joins members of the Wyoming Seminary field hockey team as they watch Team USA play India in the Summer Olympic Games on Thursday night in Kingston. They made sure it didn’t happen with two goals in the first five minutes to command play early and built the lead to 4-0 midway through the third period. Goalie Jackie Briggs notched her first shoutout of the games against India after allowing a single goal in each of the team’s first three matches. “The team’s doing well”.
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The only point of worry for the U.S. in Thursday’s match was the fact that they had earned as many as eight penalty corners but could not convert a single one. Australia punched its ticket to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Argentina on Thursday.
