THE Canadian junior (under-21) national women's field hockey team got a chance to show off their attacking firepower in a fourgame sweep of the United States under-19 team in a series held last week at West Vancouver's Rutledge Field.
Canada outscored the U.S. team by a combined total of 15-2 in the sweep, opening the series with 1-0 and 40 shutouts Wednesday and Thursday before rolling to 6-1 and 4-1 wins in the showcase weekend games.
Canada head coach Peter Milkovich, a Handsworth grad and two-time Olympian, said he was pleased with the wins but was quick to point out that the U.S. team was a younger squad - they didn't send their under-21s because many of them are gearing up for the Olympic Games.
"They have a younger team, it's not their full squad," said Milkovich. "This isn't necessarily my full squad either but we're still testing. We're happy with the results, I think we're more happy with the effort and the accountability the players are taking for themselves and the team."
The Canadian team was packed full of North Shore players - 10 of the 24 on the roster - and the locals led the way during the series, combining to score 10 of Canada's 15 goals. Kim Scraper topped all players with four goals - including a natural hat trick in Saturday's blowout win - while Holly Stewart, Hannah Haughn, Emma Plasteras, Anna Kozniuk, Jessica Barnett and Shannon Elmitt each added singles. Vancouver's Caashia Karringten also lit up the scoreboard, scoring three goals in the series, while Victoria midfielder Maddie Secco played well in the middle of the pitch.
Kozniuk, an Argyle grad who has already racked up 45 caps with the senior national team, said it was great to reunite with her former West Vancouver Field Hockey Club teammates and play in front of rowdy hometown fans.
"I really loved it, it's nice being at home," said Kozniuk, an NCAA player at Wake Forest who is now off to Germany to play with a club team for the summer. "There's a good little North Shore influence (on the junior national team).
It's a good section of the room."
The team has its sight set on the 2013 Field Hockey Junior World Cup to be held next year in India. To get there they'll need to qualify at a regional tournament scheduled for September in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Beyond that, however, this team has field hockey fans in Canada dreaming even bigger. Less than two months ago the Canadian senior national team failed in its bid to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. Many of the players who were on the pitch last week in West Van will lead the way when it comes time to qualify for the 2016 Games
"This is the team," said Milkovich. "This group, with the senior players that will commit and work with them. We'll expand the squad up to 30 players and that's going to be the group that will move forward for the next four years."
Kozniuk, a powerful defender who controlled Canada's back line throughout the series against the U.S., thinks it won't be long before these U21s are starring at the sport's highest level.
"Our core group is very talented and very smart, it should be exciting," she said. "We've got a lot of drive and determination."
Milkovich agrees, arguing that good coaching at a young age has given these players the skills to take the Canadian program to new heights.
"What we like about this group is the speed, the technical ability and game awareness," Milkovich said. "We think we have a real wonderful group of intelligent, committed, players who if we can get some pride behind it and play with love of both the country and the game, then I think we're on the way. We need that cultural change where these girls play to win every day."
While the U21 vs. U19 battle was a little lopsided, the action was much more even for the other series that took place last week at Rutledge. Canada's under-17 squad, also packed with North Shore players, went head-to-head with the U.S. U17s in a series that came down to the final few seconds.
The United States opened the series with a 1-0 win Wednesday but Canada fought back the following day to even things up with a 42 win with North Vancouver's Ashley Kristen and West Vancouver's Hailey Reeves and Leah Frome all hitting the scoresheet. In game 3 Canada fought to a 2-1 win with Kristen scoring the game-winner to put the home team into the driver's seat for the series. With game 4 tied 1-1 late, the Canadians appeared to be on their way to a series win but the Americans scored in the dying seconds to claim a 2-1 win and even the series at two games a piece.
Those results also bode well for the future of Canadian field hockey, said Milkovich.
"There's some really good talent there," he said. "A lot of North Shore talent."
