Local college players help U.S. U-23 Women open Four Nations Tournament with 3-0 win vs England

The U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team won the first of its three matches at the Four Nations Tournament in England, downing the hosts 3-0 behind a goal from the University of Portland’s Elli Reed and two from Stanford’s Christen Press.

U.S. head coach Bill Irwin has brought 18 players to England for the tournament that also features the U-23 sides from Norway and Sweden. For years, the summertime destination of the U.S. U-23s (formally U-21s) was the annual Nordic Cup. But, as that historically eight-team tournament has not been held the past two years, this competition will serve as the team’s end-of-the-year programming before the players head off to their college pre-season camps. The USA will face Norway on July 9 and Sweden on July 12.

The USA’s first goal came 22 minutes into the match as Reed won a ball in a scramble just outside the left side of the penalty box and cracked a long shot high into the left side of the goal. The second goal came nine minutes later from a Keelin Winters throw-in from the right side that went to Sarah Hagen. Hagen hit a chest pass to Press who took a few dribbles towards the right side of the box and then placed a hard, shot curving shot high into the left corner of the goal. Press completed her double in the 57th minute, hitting another long drive from just outside the right corner of the penalty area into the left side of the net.

U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team Match Report
Match: U.S. U-23 WNT Team vs. England U-23 WNT
Date: July 7, 2010
Competition: Four Nations Tournament
Venue: University of Warwick; Coventry, UK
Attendance: 250
Weather: 68 degrees, cloudy and windy

Scoring Summary:  1 2 F
USA                         2 1 3
ENG                         0 0 0

USA – Elli Reed 22nd minute
USA – Christen Press 31
USA – Christen Press 57

Lineups:
USA: 18-Alexa Gaul; 16-Keelin Winters, 4-Lauren Fowlkes, 2-Jackie Carron, 3-Lauren Barnes; 7-Christen Press (9-Danielle Foxhoven, 66th), 8-Kylie Wright (capt.) (5-Colleen Flanagan, 77), 11-Ingrid Wells, 14-Elli Reed (6-Tori Huster, 75th); 10-Sarah Hagen (15-Rachel Shipley, 85), 19-Melissa Henderson (21-Katie Schoepfer, 46).
Subs not used: 1-Natalie Kulla, 12-Jessica Schuveiller
Head Coach: Bill Irwin

ENG: 1-Telford; 2-Sutcliffe, 5-Whelan, 6-Bradley (capt.), 3-Rafferty; 7-Longhurst (12-Davison, 46), 8-Houghton, 4-Buet (14-Edwards, 83), 11-Bird; 10-Chaplen (18-Walton, 68), 9-Dowie.
Subs not used: 13-Arnold, 15-Kempson, 16-Roberts, 17-Rose
Head Coach: Brent Hills

Stats Summary: USA / ENG
Shots: 9 / 5
Shots on Goal: 3 / 1
Saves: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 2 / 1
Fouls: 18 / 8
Offside: 2 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
ENG – Bird (caution) 27th minute
USA – Christen Press (caution) 58