University of Connecticut Athletics
Under-21 Women Defeat Sweden, 6-1, to Win Third Consecutive Nordic Cup
8/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
GJOVIK, Norway (August 1) ­The U.S. Under-21 Women’s National Team,
behind three goals in the first 16 minutes of the championship game, rolled to a 6-1 win over Sweden yesterday to collect its third consecutive title at the most elite competition in the world for U-21 women.
The victory was the most lopsided Nordic Cup championship game in history and provided the greatest margin of victory in the 16 matches of this year’s tournament. Forward Anne Morrell (Plymouth, MI/Michigan Hawks), making her first start of the tournament, netted three goals while midfielder Aleisha Cramer (Lakewood, CO/BYU) added a pair of goals and two assists in the victory.
The USA’s offensive onslaught came despite playing without its top two forwards in Abby Wambach (Rochester, NY/Florida) and Katie Barnes (Cincinnati, OH/WVU). Wambach was suspended for receiving two yellow cards during the tournament while Barnes, the Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, sat out with a badly bruised foot.
University of Connecticut defender Casey Zimny (Rochester, NY) saw action in the championship game, entering in the 72nd minute after the U.S. had padded its lead to 5-1. The UConn senior, a Preseason BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year selection, also saw playing time in the opening match against Iceland.
“We showed today the importance of having 18 players in a tournament like this,” said U.S. head coach Jerry Smith, who won his first Nordic Cup title at the helm of the U-21s. “We certainly saved our best performance for last. Today was a complete effort and as important as the goals that we scored, we showed some great possession play and incorporated all 11 players into our attack and defense.”
The U.S., which won its fourth Nordic Cup title in five years, advanced to the title game for the fifth straight year after going undefeated in Group A competition. After shutout wins over Iceland (3-0) and Denmark (4-0), the team needed either a win or tie against Germany to advance to the championship game. The Americans battled Germany to a 1-1 draw and advanced due to a superior goal difference.
Germany could not regroup after being relegated to the third place match and was upset by Finland, 3-2. Canada defeated Iceland, 6-2, to take fifth place and Denmark defeated Norway in penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie to take seventh place.
