Jan. 19 —
Erin Matson, Beth Yeager, and Hope Rose combined for 10 goals and five assists as No. 15 USA opened the 2022 Pan American Cup with a dominant 16-0 win over No. 46 Trinidad and Tobago.
With the USWNT experiencing a youth movement, the youth made their presence felt early and often as five players under the age of 22 recorded multiple points in the contest.
Yeager, the Ivy League Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year, got the scoring started in the first minute of play when she got loose in the circle and drilled a shot into the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead. Matson followed with her first goal of the afternoon when she cashed in on a rebound from an Amanda Magadan shot. The USWNT used quick passing which allowed Hope Rose to set up Ashley Sessa to extend the lead. Rose capitalized on Danielle Grega’s cross to give the USWNT a 4-0 lead after the first quarter.
The USWNT kept their foot on the gas in the second quarter but couldn’t find the back of the net in the early goings. Matson scored her second goal of the game when she found a rebound off a net-front scramble from a Yeager’s drag flick off the penalty corner. Sessa ripped a backhander seconds later to keep up the offensive momentum. Rose tallied two more goals for the hat trick to extend the lead to 8-0 at halftime.
Maddie Zimmer’s speed help set up Matson early in the third quarter for her third goal of the game. Later in the quarter, Sessa drove the baseline to Sofia Southam who collected the shot and scored. Yeager capped off the scoring in the third quarter off the hard work from Zimmer and Matson.
Matson kept up the intensity in the fourth quarter, which led to her drawing a penalty stroke. Yeager converted on the stroke as she become the third player of the afternoon to record the hattrick. Lauren Moyer tallied her first of two in the fourth quarter when she cashed in on a corner rebound. Grega followed with a goal of her own when she tapped in Sessa’s backhand shot. In the final two minutes, Matson and Moyer added the final two goals to cap off the 16-0 win.
Despite youth being a prominent factor on this team, the veterans contributed in a big way with Matson’s hat trick and a pair of goals from Moyer. This will be important for the USWNT going forward to find a balance between the youth and channeling that veteran experience which will be crucial in being successful in this tournament.
The USWNT will have the day off tomorrow and prepare to face No. 15 Canada on Friday at 2:15.
jill gattens 