Former Tar Heels Help U.S. To Ninth At World Cup
Dec. 9, 2002
The U.S. women's national field hockey team, which includes four former North Carolina players, placed ninth at the 2002 World Cup in Perth, Australia. Argentina won the championship, its first, 4-3 in penalty strokes over The Netherlands on Dec. 8. Tar Heel alum Peggy Storrar, the U.S. team's starting goalkeeper, registered 22 saves in the squad's final World Cup game, a penalty stroke win over Japan on Dec. 6. Despite 38 shots and 12 corners by Japan, the game was scoreless after regulation and overtime. In penalty strokes, Storrar saved the first two shots she faced and the first four U.S. shooters made theirs to earn the win. "She was amazing," U.S. coach Tracey Belbin said of Storrar. "I kept saying, 'How did she save that?' She was out of her mind." The three other Tar Heels on the team - Kate Barber, Carrie Lingo and Kristen McCann - also were in the starting lineup for the game. The U.S. entered the tournament as the No. 11 seed and managed to improve on that position with wins over South Africa (3-0) and New Zealand (1-0) before the victory against Japan. The Japanese team had defeated the Americans in penalty strokes at the 2001 Korea Telecom Cup. "All I saw was the ball and the stick that was shooting it," Storrar said after the game. "I tried to focus on the simple things today instead of trying to do everything, and as it turned out, it was quite a lot. I felt like I had a pretty disappointing tournament, but ninth (place) is good." The World Cup appearance was the second for Barber and Storrar, who both played for the 1998 U.S. team that finished eighth in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Lingo and McCann played in the event, which began on Nov. 24, for the first time.
Barber, a three-time All-America pick, played for UNC from 1994-97. Lingo, named All-America in 2001, played for the Tar Heels from 1999-2001. McCann, ACC Player of the Year and All-America in 2000, played for Carolina from 1997-2000. Storrar, All-America as a senior in 1993, played at UNC from 1990-93.
Final World Cup Standings
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