2000 Holiday Cup – July 9, 2000<\/p>\n
Championship Game
\nUSA…….5
\nCanada….4<\/p>\n
\tIf this year\u2019s Holiday Cup is truly a preview of things to come in Sydney, then stars-and-stripers everywhere will have something to hold their heads higher for come September.
\n\tTeam USA capped off this week\u2019s pre-Olympic tournament in Los Alamitos with a nail-biting, down-to-the-wire 5-4 win against Canada. Brenda Villa netted the game-winner with 2:37 to play in the game before a capacity crowd of 2,200 at the National Aquatic Center.
\nThe win gives the U.S. the tourney crown, as well as gold-medal-favorite billing heading into Sydney this summer.
\n\u201cWe worked hard to get to this point,\u201d said U.S. coach Guy Baker. \u201cBut we still have a long way to go before September.\u201d
\nThe U.S. led, 4-3, heading into the final quarter, but Johanne Begin\u2019s goal with 4:33 to play tied it up at 4-4. Villa\u2019s shot from about five meters out on the right side gave the U.S. the lead in the game\u2019s final minutes, and the defense held on for the duration.
\nUSA finished the tournament at 6-0, while Canada wrapped things up at 4-2.
\nUSA\u2019s Nicolle Payne, who had 13 saves on the night, was awarded the tournament\u2019s most valuable goalkeeper, while teammate Coralie Simmons took home most valuable offensive player. Canada\u2019s Cora Campbell was named as the tournament\u2019s most valuable defensive player.<\/p>\n
Third Place Game
\nAustralia…..5
\nNetherlands…4<\/p>\n
\tAustralia milked both of its fourth quarter goals for all they were worth on Sunday, using them to eek past the Netherlands, 5-4, in the third-place game of the Holiday Cup.
\n\tThe score was tied at 3-3 heading into the fourth quarter of play. Yvette Higgins netted a goal with 5:02 to go, giving Australia a 4-3 lead. Just over a minute later, Melissa Mills provided an insurance goal for Australia.
\n\tKaren Kuipers buried her fourth goal of the day on a penalty shot with 1:36 to play, making the score 5-4. A penalty shot with 16 seconds left gave Kuipers a chance to tie the game at fives, but Elizabeth Weekes came up with the clutch save to preserve the win for Australia.
\n\tAustralia takes home third place with a record of 4-2, while the Netherlands finishes at 2-4.<\/p>\n
Fifth Place Game
\nRussia…….10
\nKazakhstan….6<\/p>\n
\tKazakhstan lost the battle for Asian bragging rights on Sunday, losing the fifth place game of the Holiday Cup to Russia, 10-6.
\n\tRussia, led by the Petrova duo, Tatiana and Joulia, were never seriously threatened by Kazakhstan, who finishes the tournament without a win.
\n\tKazakhstan goalkeeper Svetlana Buravova had a huge day in the net, however, stopping 14 shots on goal, a tournament high.
\n\tRussia finishes up at 3-3, while Kazakhstan closes out at a dismal 0-6.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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