Game brief
Tournament sleeper Team Japan earned their best finish, fifth place, with a 12-8 win over Wales. The Pool B Champion had their eyes set on a top four finish however the ambitious squad accomplished their second goal by getting into Pool A. The team increased their footprint in the international community earning more respect then ever. Akiko Wada led the day with three goals. Laura Warren and Gemma Morgan led Wales with two goals each.

Game details
Coaches armed with clipboards paced the sidelines on the back fields of the Navy Marine Corps Stadium early Saturday morning jotting down copious liner notes. They were there to peruse the fresh produce served up on seven fields for an event called the Cup of Nations. According to page 15 of the official IFWLA $5 program guide, the Cup of Nations is, “an international girls’ lacrosse festival designed to celebrate the sport of women’s lacrosse without the pressure involved with a recruiting event.”

Several name brand coaches lingered around Field 4 and the Mass Elite team, coached by Leslie Frank, coach of the undefeated state champs. Coach Frank has been at the helm of the Northwestern incubator (Kristen Kjellman’s alma mater) and will be sending her daughter Meredith to the Wild Cats in the fall (Kjellman and Frank were a lethal high school combo). The secret stash of players wasn’t the next field with the Aussies, but two fields over with the team in turquoise. This Japanese team was impressive and if the two Japanese teams represented in the Cup of Nations were any hard indicators of the caliber of their developmental programs; World Lacrosse take note.

Kelly Amonte Hiller has reshaped the recruiting model opting for a bright, talented, athlete as opposed to the typical blue chip ACC-bound athlete. Cindy Timchal introduced the bank of talent out of Australia. Who will be the next coach to tap the wealth of the East? The Japanese players were strong, compact, quick, pretty skilled, and judging by how quickly they have improved they are bright and fast learners.

Team Japan is a relatively young team by international standards. The oldest player, Kinue Kobayashi, was the Player of the Match for the fifth/sixth place game against Wales. Japan dominated Pool B action and gave Pool A Wales a handful. The two teams could not have been more different. Japan, modern and gear-oriented in every way from their opening ceremony outfits, to their tape jobs stood in stark contrast to their taller minus the frills opponents who had a few woodies on team.

Wales and Japan played a close game in the first half trading leads. Japan entered the second half leading Wales 6-5. Wales controlled 80% of the draw however they also led in turnovers. Japan was able to execute of more shots and converting on all of their free positions. What the Japanese may have lacked in finesse they compensated in hustle beating Wales on the grounders, being fast and effective on the slides, creating a hard press, and winning the foot race in the midfield.

Japans aggressive approach resulted in a foul and free position for Wales at 24:50. Gemma Morgan scored for Wales from the center hash going lower left for 1-0. Akiko Wada responded and evened out the score off a lefty top right shot (1-1). Wales gained possession of the draw and Rosalind Lloyd drove the crease creating a draw and dump to Sian Halliwell who scored at 21:20 (2-1). Taeko Hanawa drove hard through traffic falling through the high double and scoring upper 90 for 2-2.

Wales went up by two goals one from a left lower right shot by Annaleen Holliday assisted by Kate Taylor and the second by Lucy Wray assisted by Sian Astley (4-2). Japan answered with a goal from Wada. Risa Matsui threaded the needle with a short, flat pass across the front of the crease to Wada who came out of nowhere for the jumping, lefty quick stick on the crease (3-4).

Japan sent Wales to the foul line again. Catherine Coulthard scored from the center hash of a free position going lower right (5-3). Japan stormed back with three unanswered goals to close out the first half 6-5. Japan scored twice on free position shots tying up the match 5-5. Aiko Hamada tied up the match scoring on the run giving Japan a one-goal lead. Wales missed a free position on basically an open net with less than two minutes to the end of the half.

Wales’ Laura Warren opened the second half with an exclamatory drive through a double tying up the score 6-6. Warren gave Wales the lead with a lefty top right shot at 26:33. Japan came back with three goals the second off a fast break and finishing with a dime hole bouncer from game MVP Kinue Kobayashi (8-7). Sachiyo Yamada beat her crease defender on the roll and hit the reverse stick shot (9-7). Japan was issued a yellow card followed by a painful shot taken by the Japanese goalie in her abdomen.

Kobayashi demonstrated her speed again (and would have given even Cherie Greer a run for her money) and raced to goal after snagging the draw. She scored giving Japan a 10-8 lead. Kana Uwai scored the last two goals both off of assists from Taeko Hanawa. Japan also demonstrated their ability to hold onto the ball in the remaining minutes. Final score Japan 12 Wales 8.