Late penalty rescues USA in Japan test
A McKenzie Hawkins penalty with two minutes to go allowed USA to tie the first of their two tests in Japan.
Published by John Birch, August 11th, 2024
2 minute read
USA began their two test tour to Japan with a 17-17 tie in Kitakyushu.
The USA squad for their first tour of Japan is a mixed of youth and experience as they build towards WXV and next year's World Cup.
USA began strongly, but it was Japan who were first on the scoreboard after 13'. An Eagles’ drop out missed the mark, Japan took the line out and set up a maul to put the first points on the board.
USA thought they had pulled level just before the half hour when Kathryn Treder picked and off the maul, but a TMO called the game back for accidental obstruction. However, they were not held out for long and within a minute Olivia Ortiz dived under the posts to put up the first USA points.
Japan did not wait long to regain the lead when five minutes later they won a counter ruck, got the ball wide to scored. But USA ended the half ahead, Summer Harris-Jones scoring from the edge of a mauls. Hawkins’ conversion puts USA in a 14-12 lead at the half.
Five minutes in the second half a Japanese set-piece put them back ahead 17-14. No further score followed for the rest of a tense half before McKenzie Hawkins' kick was successful with two minutes to go to level the scores.
USA: 1. Alivia Leatherman; 2. Kathryn Treder (VC); 3. Charli Jacoby; 4. Erica Jarrell; 5. Hallie Taufoou; 6. Rachel Ehrecke; 7. Tahlia Brody; 8. Freda Tafuna; 9. Olivia Ortiz; 10. McKenzie Hawkins (VC); 11. Summer Harris-Jones; 12. Gabby Cantorna; 13. Atumata Hingano; 14. Bulou Mataitoga; 15. Tess Feury (C)
16. Paige Stathopoulos; 17. Catie Benson; 18. Maya Learned; 19. Emerson Allen; 20. Keia Mae Sagapolu; 21. Sophie Pyrz; 22. Emily Henrich; 23. Sariah Ibarra;