Former Terps Kauffman-Beach, Tagliente And Smith Selected To U.S. World Cup Team
10/22/2002 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 22, 2002
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - University of Maryland graduates Katie Kauffman-Beach (West Lawn, Pa./Maryland '97), Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y./Maryland '01) and Keli Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa./Maryland '01) have been selected to represent U.S. Field Hockey in the 10th FIH Women's World Cup, Nov. 24-Dec. 8 in Perth, Australia. The squad was announced Tuesday by U.S. head coach Tracey Belbin.
"They're a good group," said Belbin, on her #11 World Cup-seeded team. "They've been working extremely hard for this. We're in a really tough pool, but we've shown that we can play at the tempo and with the passion that it takes to be successful at this level. If we can do that, then we can do well."
The U.S. team features six players making return trips to the World Cup including four-time World Cup entries Tracey Fuchs (Centereach, N.Y.) and Antoinette Lucas (Richmond, Va.). Fuchs, who has scored seven goals in her last seven international matches, and Lucas, an assistant coach at the Univ. of New Hampshire, will be joined by two-time World Cup teammate Jill Reeve (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.). The three players earned bronze medals at the 1994 World Cup in Dublin in the U.S. teams best-ever World Cup finish.
Kauffman-Beach, Kate Barber (West Chester, Pa.), and goalkeeper Peggy Storrar (Mahopac, N.Y.) will also return to the World Cup after making their world championship debuts in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in 1998.
Belbin's 18-member team also features forwards Tagliente, Smith, Tara Jelley (Greenfield, Mass.), Kelli Gannon (Escondido, Calif.), Jenny Everett (Rutland, Vt.) and Kristen McCann (Allentown, Pa.) along with midfielders Kim Miller (Virginia Beach, Va.), Melanie Meerschwam (Princeton, N.J.), Tracey Larson (Morrisville, Pa.), and Carrie Lingo (Rehoboth Beach, Del.), defender Mimi Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) and goalkeeper Jill Dedman (Orange, Conn.).
The U.S. team will conclude its preparations for the World Cup with a trip to South Africa, Oct. 28 for a test match with their Pool B rivals and a series of games against South African club and mixed teams. The team will then continue on to Perth.
"We're basically looking to get in some match practice," said Belbin on her team's final preparations. "We're hoping to play 8-10 matches and then one in Perth before tapering down for the tournament," said Belbin.
The U.S. will meet South Africa in Pool B of the World Cup along with two-time defending champion Australia, five-time World Cup winners The Netherlands, long-time rival England, International Atlantic Cup finalist Ireland, 1992 Olympic champion Spain and Asian Cup bronze medalists Japan. Pool A includes top-seeded Argentina, 2002 champions Trophy winner China, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland and Ukraine.
The U.S. will be making its sixth straight trip to the quadrennial event. The U.S. earned a best-ever third place finish in 1994 and placed eighth in the most recent World Cup in 1998.
U.S. World Cup Roster (Pos, School, Caps) Kate Barber (Mid/Fwd, Univ. North Carolina, 80) Katie Beach (Mid/Def, Univ. Maryland, 117) Jill Dedman (GK, Boston College, 4) Jenny Everett (Fwd, Wake Forest Univ.,96) Tracey Fuchs (Mid, Univ. Connecticut, 223) Kelli Gannon (Fwd, Escondio, Calif., 29) Tara Jelley (Fwd, Greenfield, Mass., 34) Tracey Larson (Mid, Penn State Univ., 40) Carrie Lingo (Mid, Univ. North Carolina, 31) Antoinette Lucas (Def, Northwestern Univ., 165) Kristen McCann (Fwd, Univ. North Carolina, 36) Melanie Meerschwam (Mid, Princeton Univ., 34) Kim Miller (Mid/Fwd, Old Dominion Univ., 27) Jill Reeve (Def, Old Dominion Univ., 119) Keli Smith (Fwd/Mid, Univ. Maryland, 19) Mimi Smith (Def/Mid, Old Dominion Univ., 37) Peggy Storrar (GK, Univ. North Carolina, 83) Carla Tagliente (Fwd, Univ. Maryland, 69)
