U.S. Masters Kicks Off 2024 WMH World Cup Auckland

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - All six of the U.S. Masters Teams kicked off competition at the World Masters Hockey (WMH) World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand during the first two days.

In their first game of the Masters World Cup, the U.S. O-45 Men came out firing when they took on Alliance IMC, delivering an intense and skillful performance. USA took an early lead in the 7th minute through a great individual effort from Harpreet Juneja (Clovis, Calif.). After Juneja picked up a midfield interception, he drove forward past two defenders, got inside the circle and unleashed a backhand past Alliance's goalkeeper.

The Golden Wolves kept up the pressure, with Sudhir Subbaiah (Issaquah, Wash.) setting up Adeyemi Adedeji (Severna Park, Md.) for a close call that nearly doubled the lead. Alliance fought back, managing to equalize with a penalty corner goal just before the quarter ended, tying the game at 1-1.

In the second quarter, USA took control, putting on a clinic in teamwork and precision. Paul Wood (Phoenix, Ariz.) earned the team a set piece, setting up Shawn Hindy (Moorpark, Calif.) who passed it to Juneja, who flicked it into the upper left corner of the net.

Minutes later, an incredible aerial pass from TJ Bamrah (Roseville, Calif.) sent the ball deep into Alliance territory, where Juneja set up Alan Scally (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) for a powerful shot, with Alan Golding (Washington, D.C.) redirecting it into the net to make it 3-1. In the third and fourth quarters, USA showcased impressive ball control, keeping possession and stifling Alliance's attempts to attack. With lockdown defense from Jatinder Dhaliwal (Elk Grove, Calif.) and Hindy, USA effectively shut down Alliance’s offense, securing a well-deserved victory marked by energy and resilience.

In a tough opening contest, the U.S. O-60 Men took on Scotland. A scoreless first half, a persistant USA got on the board in the 39th minute when Brijinder Khosla (Phoenix, Ariz.) weaved his way into the circle and sent a shot under Scotland's goalkeeper. Holding a 1-0 lead at the end of the third quarter, the Golden Wolves added to the score margin in the 49th minute when captain Manzar Iqbal (Nashville, Tenn.) sent a long ball into the circle and Thomas Khoo (Bethesda, Md.) deflected it past the goalkeeper.

The U.S. O-65 Women opened Masters World Cup play against Wales. USA found themselves trailing 2-0 after the first quarter. Wales scored in the 7th minute after a fast break got behind the USA defense, and again in the 15th minute when a shot from the top was deflected past goalkeeper Lorraine Lewis (Bethesda, Md.). With 15 seconds to go before the halftime break, Wales made it 3-0 on a quick passing play.

Two minutes into the fourth frame, Wales took a 4-0 lead after a give-and-go sequence got past USA goalkeeper Pam Sherry (Collegeville, Pa.). USA added one back in the 58th minute when Anne Parmenter (North Conway, N.H.) hustled down the middle of the field and sent it into the back of the cage.

In a thrilling match that kept fans on the edge of their sets from start to finish, the U.S. O-50 Women opened with a hard fought draw against South Africa. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams showcasing their skill, speed, and determination, but neither finding a breakthrough in the opening minutes. The first quarter saw South Africa come out strong, controlling possession early and creating several dangerous opportunities. In the 15th minute, with just 36 seconds left on the clock, a well-executed penalty corner resulted in a crisp shot from South Africa, which found the back of the net to give them the lead. However, USA wasn’t about to back down, building several dangerous attacks, but unable to convert in the remainder of the first half.

The second half was equally intense. USA came out of the halftime break strong, creating numerous opportunities in their attacking half. South Africa threatened the defense with several set pieces and transition attacks, but the Golden Eagles' defense was a brick wall. Both teams pushed hard as the clock ticked on, and just as it seemed South Africa might take the win, USA grabbed the equalizer. An intercept by Pam Stuper (St. Petersburg, Fla.) on the press found Cathy Marston (Turner, Maine) in transition. Marston fed Margaret Kelly (Madison, N.H.) on the baseline who slipped it near post past South Africa’s goalkeeper for the equalizer in the 51st minute.

With the score tied at 1-1, both teams created late winning chances, but strong defensive plays and clutch goalkeeping kept the score line unchanged. As the final whistle blew, the result was a fitting reflection of a hard-fought and evenly matched contest.

On a beautiful afternoon in Auckland, the U.S. O-55 Men athletes and staff were excited to begin their journey at this Masters World Cup. From the start of the game, Malaysia were relentless in their field play, resulting in a tough loss for the USA. The Golden Wolves had ample opportunities to score but could not convert. However, with just under one minute left in the game, USA forward Riaz Khan (Mission Viejo, Calif.) scored a brilliant field goal. Goalkeepers Pradeep Menon (Cumming, Ga.) and Prashant Aji (San Jose, Calif.) played an outstanding game, both making great saves. USA held Malaysia to a one goal lead at the end of the first half but did not fare well in the second. Malaysia went on to score four more goals in the second half throught a penalty stroke, field goal and two penalty corners.
USA has two days of rest to recuperate and prepare to play three straight games in a row beginning on Sunday, November 10 against Wales.

It was a battled when the O-60 Women took on England in their Masters World Cup opener. Although USA saw some chances go unconverted, it was England who made the most of theirs when they tallied off four penalty corners and two field goals to defeat the red, white and blue, 0-6.

In their second game of the Masters World Cup, the O-65 Women took on Pan American rivals, Argentina, in an exciting evening game. After a slow start and an early penalty corner goal by Las Leonas in the 4th minute, USA garnered momentum and confidence in their defensive and midfield play. Play between the 25 yard lines was equally distributed for most of the game, with the two countries demonstrating very different styles. .

No goals were scored in the second or third quarters but the Golden Eagles did earn three penalty corners.

With encouragement from a dedicated fan base, USA came out and dominated the fourth quarter. The equalizing goal came from coordinated play from the defense, through the midfield, and up to Parmenter who weaved between two defenders and fired a rocket from the top of the circle to the back corner of the cage. The final minutes saw Argentina up their offensive pressure but the matched ended at 1-1.

For more information on the WMH World Cup Auckland, including schedule, results, rosters and livestream information, check out the event page by clicking here.