Indoor USWNT Dominates Series with Ireland

SPRING CITY, Pa. – In a series of five friendly matches against Ireland this past weekend, the U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team dominated by sweeping the five game friendly series at The Training Center in Spring City, Pa. The series came just three months after the team qualified for the 2025 FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup (IWC), and is just the start of preparation for the event.

Competition began on the evening of Friday, June 7. Despite Ireland taking a 1-0 lead to start, the red, white and blue quickly opened a floodgate of goals, scoring 9 total to take an eventual 9-3 win. Despite the young age of the USA squad, several members brought international experience – including Reese D’Ariano (West Chester, Pa.), who attended the 2023 IWC in South Africa and was MVP at the recent 2024 Indoor Pan Am Cup (IPAC). D’Ariano continued to display her affinity for scoring, tallying two in the opening victory. Another young athlete who attended both the 2023 IWC and 2024 IPAC, Melea Weber (Macungie, Pa.), made her impact known with a hattrick. Sophia Ferri (Phoenixville, Pa.), Opal Sparling (Chester Springs, Pa.), Annika Herbine (Macungie, Pa.), and Sydney Mandato (Telford, Pa.) each contributed a goal.

On Saturday morning the Indoor USWNT got off to a fast start in their second game against Ireland. Newcomer Emily Berlinghof (Huntington, N.Y.) scored in the first minute, this time giving USA the 1-0 advantage. In a fast-attacking game, USA took advantage of their opportunities to come out on top, 9-2, with a goal apiece from Weber, Ferri, Mandato, and Sparling. D’Ariano picked up her scoring pace with four goals this match. 

In a game tighter than the score would suggest, the Indoor USWNT won the third game of their series with Ireland, 8-3. With the score standing at 6-3 and with four minutes remaining, Ireland pulled their goalkeeper to increase the pressure on the USA defense. However, USA instead scored on two breakaways to extend the lead. Herbine contributed three goals to the victory, Weber and D’Ariano with two, and Ferri tallying one.

The first of the final two matches against Ireland began on the morning of Sunday, June 9. The fourth game of the series was an intense tactical battle, with the red, white, and blue squeezing out a 3-2 victory against a resolute Ireland defense.

The Indoor USWNT rounded out the series with a hard fought 3-1 win over a determined Ireland team. D’Ariano scored twice on penalty corners and Herbine added the third goal midway through in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. After a successful weekend of competition for both teams, USA won the series 5-0.

For more information on the Indoor USWNT vs. Ireland Series, visit the event page.