Crouse, USA Field Hockey Advance to Junior World Cup – Duke University – GoDuke.com

SANTIAGO, Chile – The Duke field hockey team didn’t have a game of its own Saturday, but the Blue Devils celebrated nonetheless as senior Leah Crouse helped the U21/22 U.S. National Team capture bronze at the Junior Pan American Championship. The United States defeated Chile in a shootout to earn the final spot for the 2021 FIH Junior World Cup in December.

USA has won JPAC bronze twice before, 1998 and 2012, since the tournament’s inception in 1988. This is the second time in a row the U.S. has qualified for the women’s JWC. The 2021 women’s JWC is set to take place December 5 to 16 in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

 

The United States opened scoring in the second minute off of a penalty stroke. Despite earning other penalty corners, the U.S. was unable to get a second on the board and took a 1-0 lead into the first break.

 

Chile evened the score in the first minute of the second stanza on a penalty corner, but that’s all either team could manage as the final 44 minutes of the game were played to a stalemate. It wasn’t with lack of opportunities for either side, but both defenses did well to withstand their opponent’s pressure to send the game into a shootout.

 

Host team Chile scored on its first two chances in the shootout, while the U.S. scored on its first and thanks to a foul drew by Crouse in the fourth round, Hope Rose put away the ensuing penalty stroke to make it 2-2.

 

In the final round USA goalkeeper Gianna Glatz denied Dominga Lüders and Riley Donnelly stepped up and scored to give USA the bronze medal win and a spot at the 2021 women’s JWC.

 

Crouse returns to Durham this weekend and will be back on the field for the Blue Devils when they host the BIG/ACC Cup next weekend.

 

For more information regarding the 2021 Junior Pan American Championship, visit the event page.

#GoDuke