Bashore scores, USA wins; Medal hopes alive

Reports out of Beijing have the U.S. Womens' Field Hockey team scoring its first victory of the Olympics and Shoemakersville native Kayla Bashore has scored her first goal of the tournament.

The U.S. disposed of New Zealand, 4-1, early Saturday (Beijing time). Team USA's Keli Smith scored just 39 seconds into the match and Angie Loy scored a goal in the 12th minute to give the U.S. a 2-0 halftime edge.

The Kiwis opened the second half with a goal in the 37th minute, but Smith scored again in the 42d minute and Bashore added her goal in the 47th. The Hamburg Area graduate's goal is important to her team's chase for a spot in the medal rounds next week.

OLYMPIC TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

Germany	3	0	0	9	11	4
Argentina	1	0	2	5	6	5
Great Britain	1	1	1	4	5	8
Japan	1	1	1	4	4	4
United States of America	1	1	2	5	9	8
New Zealand	0	4	0	0	4	10

To get into second place, and a spot in the medal rounds, the U.S. will need some help from the team that thumped it two days ago, the Germans. At 6 p.m. (Beijing), the Germans will face Argentina in another Pool B match. Great Britain and Japan play at 8:30 p.m. (Beijing). Team USA's goal differential is now at +1, the same as Argentina before its match to undefeated Germany. Any sort of Argentine loss will put the USA in second place, but only temporarily. If Japan and Great Britain battle to a tie, Team USA will hold second place after play concludes Saturday, and control its destiny in the tournament. A win Monday against Great Britain, should the previous scenario hold, would put USA in the medal round.

New Zealand is still winless in the tournament, but we're all very excited about the upcoming season of Flight of the Conchords ...