The United States Field Hockey Team featuring 11 women with ties to the Philadelphia area ended their Olympics on another sour note as they dropped a 2-1 decision to Belgium placing the Americans dead last in the 12-team Olympic tournament.
Team USA, which entered the Olympics ranked 10th in the world, wanted to prove that they were better than their ranking. After upsetting Argentina 1-0 in their second game things were looking up for “Philly’s Olympic Team” but they proceeded to lose one-goal games to Australia and New Zealand to essentially end their Olympics run.
The Americans still had a chance to place higher than their world ranking if they beat then winless South Africa in their group-play finale but they were embarrassed 7-0 to finish dead last in their group.
The Americans drew No 16th-ranked in the world Belgium in the 11-12 Classification Game after the European country failed to win any matches in group play.
Team USA actually took an early lead thanks Shavertown, Pa.’s Paige Selenski’s goal in the sixth minute. But Belgium used goals from Alix Gerniers and Gaelle Valcke to take the lead.
The Americans now must retool and become better if they hope to compete in 2016.
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