Recap: Women’s National Team Super Series
Left to right: Sara McManus, Shanlee Johnston, Kate Wright (Gillis), Danielle Hennig and Stephanie Norlander of the Women’s National Pan Am Cup team in warm up for the last game in their inter-league Super Series in Vancouver, B.C. before heading off to the Pan Am Cup in August.
PHOTO: Blair Shier
Family, friends, and fans alike were in attendance last night to cheer on the only hometown viewing of the Women’s team heading to play in the Pan American Cup in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
And those fans came from far and wide to see the elite Women’s National Team play. Alberta’s provincial U15 and U18 girls teams, who are in town playing in the 2017 Nationals in Surrey, B.C. this week, were in the stands watching their hometown heroes play, and were left in awe of their skill level, fired up to better their hockey skills. Sandbach Hockey Club, UK, was also in attendance watching the women’s final game last night to add to their Canadian tour.
Going into the series, the majority of the Pan Am Team was announced, but one spot was left for the larger Women’s squad to take a crack at, before the last player was announced just before the final game, allowing the whole team to play together as a unit.
The matches were set up in three-different formats. The first game of the series on July 11th built on an inherent rivalry: East vs West, with Pan Am Cup athletes divided equally between the two teams. In a tightly matched game, the West clinched the first game 4-3.
The Super Series Game 2 on July 13th focused on the Pan Am Cup attackers and defenders, splitting them up and pitting them against each other. Team Red took home bragging rights by a score of 2-0.
This past Game 3 featured the entire 18-player Pan American Cup roster who took on the All Star team which includes all the remaining athletes in the program, with the likes of alumni, senior midfielder Kathleen Leahy, and standout juniors Thora Rae, and Margaret Pham.
The Super Series saw the Pan Am Cup team got some much needed game action and opportunity to put their training into practice, ahead of the tournament. Next up: Pan American Cup!
You can catch Canada’s Women open the 2017 Pan American Cup against Brazil August 5th at 9am PT/12pm ET. For tournament schedule, results and recaps, click here.
