Watch out Kiwis

It was so fun to see the girls come out the way they did against in their last game against Japan! You could tell they had confidence, determination and smile on their faces. The girls are pumped and very relieved that they got the victory over Japan. Having a coach that believes in you and stay positive through challenging times can really make the difference.

I thought that from the moment the game started the girls played with more confidence, controlled the possession and took more chances in the attacking third. It was really exciting to see Heather Mitts sliding in to try to get a shot off in the box and Kate Markgraf pulling a bicycle kick in the opening minute. You know a team is confident when your defenders are taking chances like those.

Both teams had scoring opportunities and it could have gone either way at given times. The great news is that we found a way to score and we created plenty of chances. It was sooo great to see Carli score and run to the bench to celebrate with everyone!

Since I am a central midfielder, I tend to really watch the midfield play. I thought Carli and Boxxy connected a lot more in the Japan game than the Norway game. Pia has given them a lot of minutes and experience together. They play side by side and have the same role out there, instead of how they have been aligned in the past with one holding and one attacking. It is always great to see Boxxy making overlapping runs and Carli defending in the box. It’s exciting that both of them can cover so much ground. I know it will be important going forward for them to connect with the forwards and possess the ball more.

The girls are now in Shenyang where they are being treated like royalty again. They are always being asked for pictures and autographs, especially by hotel staff. Aly Wagner was even lucky enough to celebrate her birthday on the 10th with a great dinner, an exotic cake, a wreath of flowers and a nice present from the hotel staff. We always love celebrating birthdays on the road and trying to make everyone’s big day the best we possibly can.

Other than celebrating Aly’s birthday, the girls are focusing on their next game against New Zealand. They know this is a must win situation to advance. The Kiwis better watch out because TEAM USA is determined to keep playing better and better! I’ll be cheering them on!on