| Pool B Standings | ||
| Rank | Country | Points |
| 1 | United States | 9 |
| 2 | Great Britain | 9 |
| 3 | Australia | 3 |
| 4 | Argentina | 3 |
| 5 | India | 1 |
| 6 | Japan | 1 |
Team USA started off quick, grabbing a penalty corner less than 15 seconds into the match. Off of the slip, Melissa Gonzalez (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) buried a low drag flick into the right corner of the cage to give USA an early 1-0 lead. Japan quickly took possession and countered down the field but a duo defensive effort by Julia Reinprecht (Perkasie, Pa.) and Michelle Kasold (Chapel Hill, N.C.) maintained the pressure. Seconds later, a scare came for USA's goalkeeper Jackie Briggs (Robesonia, Pa.) as a Japan forward got a shot off at close range that went just wide of the post.
"Japan is a difficult team to manage and I think we did a professional job on picking up another three
points and the plus five goal difference is really helpful when we're in pool play," said Craig Parnham, USWNT Head Coach. "It was important for us to get out of the blocks tonight. The corner and goal very early on really set us up and put us on a nice platform to continue generating chances."
With speed, Team USA took the ball down the left hand side of the pitch. A cross field ball found Michelle Vittese (Cherry hill, N.J.) on the top right side of the circle where she struck it hard on target and it was reverse deflected into the goal by Bam. This made the score in the 5th minute of play USA 2, Japan 0. Team USA displayed strong attack build by their defenders as they patiently worked the ball around the backfield in the attacking 50 yards looking for the opportune moment to threaten forward. A chance came at the close of the first quarter as Kelsey Kolojejchick (Larksville, Pa.) shot on frame was saved by Japan’s goalkeeper Sakiyo Asano.
Off the start of the second quarter, Jill Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.) took the right baseline with speed and dumped the ball into Katie Reinprecht (Perkasie, Pa.) on the stroke mark who found a Japan foot and earned Team USA a penalty corner in the 16th minute of play. The straight strike by Lauren Crandall (Doylestown, Pa.) was blocked by Asano’s pads and lead to an instant counter attack for Japan. USA recovered hard and held off the pressure but not before Japan earned a penalty corner in the 17th minute. The sweep on cage by Japan’s Yuri Nagai was deflected high over the baseline by Kolojejchick to keep it USA 2, Japan 0.
Japan continued to show hustle in their attacking half as they looked to create forward passing channels. This hard work paid off and lead to back-to-back penalty corner chances for Japan. On the second attempt Hazuki Nagai’s shot on cage was absorbed by Briggs and outletted by Crandall. Team USA used their hard high pressure to switch the momentum into their favor looking for open lanes. A chance came in the 25th minute when Bam tested Japan’s defense with a shot at close range that was saved. The hard work continued as Kat Sharkey (Moosic, Pa.) earned a penalty corner in the 27th minute. Off the slip, Crandall swept the ball down to Katie Reinprecht who deflected it into the net to make the score USA 3, Japan 0. Quick to take possession to the other end, Japan fired off a backhand shot from the right baseline that crossed the mouth of the cage without a result to end the quarter.
As USA looked to extend their lead, they quickly entered their offensive circle in the third quarter searching for a threat. The attacking momentum was anchored by Team USA’s backfield as Crandall threated a ball right to Kasold’s stick at the midfield line who turned up field. The constant determination went rewarded in the 36th minute when Sharkey swiped the ball out of a Japan’s defender grasp to send the play to Witmer who turned and popped the ball into the cage to make it USA 4, Japan 0.
Continuing on a pursuit forward, USA quickly transitioned into their attack and earned back-to-back penalty corners with no results. A third penalty corner chance came for Team USA but Japan requested a video referral on the call. As the initial shot by Vittese hit a Japan defender’s foot, a second penalty corner chance saw Kolojejchick redirect a ball just over the crossbar. The attacking prowess as another penalty corner was earned for USA in the 39 minute. The first sweep by Vittese and second one time rebound shot by Gonzalez were both saved by Japan’s goalkeeper Asano. Japan kept looking to break into their attacking circle but the solid defense by Team USA kept intercepting the threats.
To start the fourth quarter, Japan came out hungry as they took possession early. In the opening minute two big saves were recorded for Team USA as Briggs came out of the cage for one and Stefanie Fee (Virginia Beach, Va.) stepped up hard to make a strong block tackle for the other. Shortly after, Japan earned back-to-back penalty corners where they capitalized on the second opportunity on a pass that went back to inserter Mie Nakashima who pushed in the goal from the baseline to make it USA 4, Japan 1.
Forward passing continued to show offensive sparks for both teams halfway through the final quarter. After a solid defensive run by Kasold to recover the ball in the 53rd minute, Katie Reinprecht found Bam inside the circle who beat two Japan defenders with her quick stick skills to gain space and send a low backhand shot into the goal to make it USA 5, Japan 1. Japan did not sit back and eagerly dribbled into the attacking circle and earned back-to-back penalty corners. USA’s defensive unit kept Japan scoreless and quickly transitioned the ball to the other end. Another results came for Team USA in the 55 minute when Caitlin Van Sickle (Wilmington, Del.) dumped the ball into Sharkey who turned and found Bam at the stroke mark who popped the ball into the cage for her third goal of the match.
"I'm not sure it has sunk in yet," said Bam. "It doesn't feel different from any other game. That's how our coaches prepared us. That no match is different than any other match we have played before. We come in attacking it the same way we always have and always will. Today my hands were feeling great and I managed to find those tight spaces in front of the cage. And in all honesty, I managed to find those spaces in other Olympic games and haven't put them away. Today I'm glad I was able to switch that."
Team USA continued to show more potential scoring chances before the buzzer rang to make the final score USA 6, Japan 1.
Next, the USWNT will compete against India on Thursday, August 11 at 6:30 p.m. EST. The match can be viewed live on the NBC Sports Network. Click here for a full broadcast schedule. Pool play is halfway over with two more matches are set to round out the preliminary round. Below are Pool B Standings after today's contest
Follow @USAFieldHockey on Twitter for live match updates. #ChasingTheDream #UN1TED
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