With a 23-0 victory over Peru on Sunday morning, the Canadian Women’s National Team did what they set out to do at World League 1 in Mexico, finishing first in the tournament and securing a berth in World League 2.
Sunday’s match verus Peru was not much more than a formality for Canada. With wins in their first two matches, the Canadians were in the strongest position to finish first in the tournament.
Regardless, Canada left nothing to chance in their final match.
Before the five minute mark, Canada took a 3-0 lead over Peru. Karli Johansen (North Vancouver, BC) socred the game’s first goal in the second minute of play.
North Vancouver’s Hannah Haughn followed with two goals of her own in the fourth minute. Johansen added her second of the match in the eight minute, while Haughn added her third in the thirty-first.
Brienne Stairs (Kitchener, ON) also had three goals in the first half as Canada finished the first thirty-five leading 14-0.
For the third straight match, the Canadians had the match well under control before the half.
Stairs ended with six goals in the contest and her sister Tegan scored of three of her own in the second half as Canada went on to a 23-0 victory.
Kaitlyn Williams (White Rock, BC) and Lauren Logush (Richmond Hill, ON), who got the start, shared the goalkeeping duties and guided Canada to their third straight clean sheet.
Canada, ranked twenty-second in the world, began the tournament by setting a women’s hockey world record for margin of victory with a 34-0 win over Guatemala. Their toughest test, however, came against no.28 Mexico on Saturday.
The Mexicans handily won their first game against Peru and Canada knew to finish first they would likely have to get the better of Mexico.
The 6-0 victory over the host team put them in the driver’s seat heading into Sunday’s final match.
With the first place finish in World League 1, Canada advances to World League 2, which will be held sometime between December 2014 and March 2015.
World League 2 will be held in three separate events of eight teams each (of which Canada will compete in one) and will be played as two pools of 4 with classification matches based on Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and a Final format. Allocation of teams to events will be a combination of FIH World Ranking and proximity.
Results at World League 2 will determine the nations who take part in World League 3 (the World League Semi-Finals), from which the top six teams will qualify for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Brazil.
