USA Women Defeat Italy 15-10 In Long Beach

Long Beach, CA - December 20 - The USA Women's National Team bested Italy at Long Beach City College tonight, 15-10. Team USA had five players score two goals apiece while Amanda Longan recorded 13 saves in net. Team USA will play Spain tomorrow afternoon at 4pm et/1pm pt. The match can be streamed by clicking here. Tickets for the series in Long Beach are available by clicking here.

Team USA and Italy exchanged goals throughout the first period. Ryann Neushul, Jovana Sekulic, and Rachel Fattal scored for the United States as Roberta Bianconi, Chiara Tabani, and Dafne Bettini did the same for Italy to make the score 3-3 after one. The sides stayed even in the second period with a pair of goals either way. Neushul opened the scoring on a player advantage and Jordan Raney ended it on a player advantage just over one minute until halftime. In between, Italy got goals from Giuditta Galardi and Sofia Giuistini as neither side could break away.

The United States won this game with a +5 third quarter scoring margin. Bayley Weber, Raney, Emily Ausmus (2), Jenna Flynn, and Tara Prentice all found the back of the net while Italy managed just one goal in the period from Claudia Marletta and the United States led 11-6 after three. In the final frame, the two sides returned to being evenly matched again. Jewel Roemer, Sekulic, Flynn, and Denise Mammolito pushed across four more for the Americans as Bianconi (3) and Giuistini equaled for the Italians. The third quarter was the difference for Team USA as they defeated Italy, 15-10.

The United States went 7/9 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties while Italy went 4/5 on power plays and 2/2 on penalties.

Scoring - Stats via 6-8 Sports
USA 15 (3, 2, 6, 4) E. Ausmus 2, J. Sekulic 2, R. Neushul 2, J. Flynn 2, J. Raney 2, T. Prentice 1, R. Fattal 1, J. Roemer 1, D. Mammolito 1, B. Weber 1
ITA 10 (3, 2, 1, 4) R. Bianconi 4, S. Giuistini 2, C. Tabani 1, G. Galardi 1, D. Bettini 1, C. Marletta 1
Saves - USA - A. Longan 13 - ITA - A. Condorelli 4, C. Banchelli 3
6x5 - USA - 7/9 - ITA - 4/5
Penalties - USA - 1/1 - ITA - 2/2