truebluefan

Better late than never.


PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - The supposed hex on the U.S. national teams program was lifted mightily Saturday on the shoulders of an 18-year-old girl who stands "just about" 5 feet tall.

Team USA left little doubt in its ascension to the top with an 18-3 victory over archrival Australia in the 2007 International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) Under-19 World Championship final before an announced 1,100 at sun-soaked Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario.

Perhaps it was appropriate that, even with a 15-goal lead and only 39 seconds remaining, U.S. midfielder Emma Hamm leaped high to contest a ball, bumping hips and heads with Australia's Brooke Butkiewicz in a nasty collision; and that the U.S. got possession back in time for the game to end with the ball in the trusty hands of Jordy Kirr.

It was a theme that resonated resoundingly in a dominant performance for the now three-time world champions.

The U.S. was dominant in possession, winning 17 of 23 draw controls and out-shooting Australia 34-9.

And Kirr, despite facing numerous double-teams by bigger players, was dominant behind the cage, where she orchestrated Team USA's explosive offense with a goal and five assists to earn player of the match honors.

"It has gotten to the point where she's so comfortable, there are times when you will see someone's chasing her, and she almost starts to laugh - not because she's mocking them, but because she finds it funny," said U.S. head coach Wendy Kridel. "She knows she can get away from them and, for a shorter-stature person, she has great vision. She likes the pressure."

For Kridel, who also coached Team USA to gold medals in the 1999 and 2003 U-19 championships, this was her self-proclaimed sendoff from the U.S. national teams program, which needed a boost after sub-par finishes in the 2005 IFWLA World Cup and 2006 ILF World Championship.

"I think that because I knew it was going to be my last [U-19 world championship], I encouraged the kids to enjoy every minute. And I really feel like I did that, too," she said.

It did not hurt that this was arguably the most dominant team of Kridel's era. The U.S. outscored its six opponents by a combined 108-24 score. It had the opportunist in Josie Owen, who scored five goals Saturday to finish as the tournament's top scorer; the consummate finisher in Shannon Smith (3g, 1a); the shifty ankle-breaker in Shaylyn Blaney (3g); the physical prowess in Emma Hamm (1g, 1a, 4 draw controls) and Allyson Carey (2g); and the quintessential quarterback in Kirr, who finished with a tournament-high 18 assists.

"Before every game I kind of sit by myself and meditate, and go through situations that I would arise in. And I just try to stay calm and move my feet - because I'm small, so I could get decked pretty easily. As long as I move my feet, I'm OK," said Kirr, who when asked for her height replied, "I'm 5 foot - just about 5 foot."

Owen broke the ice less than two minutes into the game when she took a feed from Emma Hamm and whipped sidearm goal to give the U.S. the early lead.

Australia responded when Hannah Nielsen - a hero with three goals and seven assists Friday in Australia's shockingly dominant semifinal win over host Canada - fed an unmarked Eliza Raysmith streaking toward the cage to tie the game at the 25:10 mark of the first half.

It was all U.S. from there, however, starting with a 5-0 run that featured two goals and an assist by Smith.

It was 9-3 in the final minute of the first half when Team USA defender Mia Hurrin batted down a Nielsen pass and sent an outlet to Kirr up field. Kirr passed up a shot to find her spot behind the cage, and dished Blaney for a one-touch goal with 12.1 seconds remaining. (In a week, the two will be Big East rivals, with Kirr headed to Georgetown and Blaney to Notre Dame.)

"My mentality is just look for the best shot. Even if I know that I can get a 90 percent shot, I'll try to go for the more accurate, whether that's me or someone else," Kirr said. "We're very selfless."

Any hope for an Australia comeback appeared to dissipate when U.S. goalie Emily Geary met Nielsen twice on the doorstep for saves that preserved what was then a 13-3 lead early in the second half.

Team USA tacked on five more goals, including a rare finish by Kirr off a free-position feed by Virginia Crotty, to put it out of reach.
Australia, which caught the attention of many with its 21-9 dismantling of Canada in the semifinals after starting the tournament 0-2-1, never regained that form.

"It was tough. It was a tough game. It was different feeling to yesterday's game, for sure," said Aussie attacker Jessica Kennedy, who cited an inability to counter Team USA's proficiency off the draw. "We lost it from the center. They got the ball so much. We went wrong and tried so hard, but they were the better team on the day...They're just amazing. They worked really well together today."

Owen, the only U.S. player that has not at least verbally committed to a college, finished as the tournament's top scorer with 21 goals and six assists in six games.

"It's just awesome. I'm completely speechless. It hasn't really quite sunken in yet. I know it will soon," Owen said. "These girls are great."