March 9, 2001

by Howard Thomas
US Field Hockey

COLOGNE, Germany - The Rafelberg club team scored the game-winning goal with three minutes remaining to hand the U.S. women's Under-21 field hockey team a 2-1 loss in the team's second match of a four-game tour of Germany.

After falling behind 1-0, midway through the first half, the U.S. scored its first goal of the tour when Carissa Messimer (Mountaintop, Pa.) of the Univ. of Maryland netted a score off a penalty corner at the 32-minute mark.

Messimer's goal was as close as the U.S. would get however as Rafelberg scored the decisive field goal at three minutes left in the game.

The U.S. will continue its tour with a pair of games against the German Junior National Team. Germany scored 7 second half goals to defeat the U.S., 7-0, in the first game between the two teams.

Both the U.S. and Germany will compete in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Junior Women's World Cup, May 14-26 in Buenos Aires. The U.S. will compete in Pool A of the Junior World Cup with India, New Zealand and defending champion The Netherlands, while Germany will compete in Pool B with Australia, Chile and Ukraine. The 16-team tournament also includes Pool C teams Argentina, South Africa, Spain and Wales and Pool D entries Canada, England, Korea and Russia.

Members of the 18-athlete touring team include Kelly Baril (Peabody, Mass.), Sarah Broderick (Harwich, Mass.), Rachel Dawson (Berlin, NJ), Carey Fetting-Smith (Baltimore, Md.), Ilvy Friebe (Bonn, Germany), April Fronzoni (Larksville, Pa.), Stephanie Fuller (No. Potomac, Md.), Kelsey Keeran (Columbus, Ohio), Meredith Keller (Wilmington, Del.), Tiffany Leister (Oley, Pa.), Natalie Martirosian (Richmond, Va.), Lauren Mazziotto (Sewell, NJ), Messimer, Claire Miller (Scarsdale, NY), Dina Rizzo (Walpole, Mass.), Emily White (Finksburg, Md.), Maria Whitehead (West Chester, Pa.) and Abbey Woolley (Ocean City, NJ).

March 9 at Cologne
Rafelberg 2, USA U21  1

USA Starters: Abbey Woolley, Maria Whitehead,
Meredith Keller, Carissa Messimer, Tiffany Leister,
April Fronzoni, Ilvy Friebe, Emily White (gk),
Lauren Mazziotto, Dina Rizzo, Stephanie Fuller
Subs: Sarah Broserick, Claire Miller, Rachel Dawson

RAF: 4 (fg, 21:00)
USA: Carissa Messimer (pc, 32:00)
RAF: 13 (fg, 65:00)

Howard Thomas
US Field Hockey
usfha@usfieldhockey.com
719-578-4567