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The U.S. beat Japan 2-1 in the semifinals of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi, India, on Thursday, Jan. 18. Ashley Hoffman and Abby Tamer scored about three minutes apart in the fourth quarter to earn the comeback victory for the United Eagles.
This will be the first Summer Olympics appearance for the U.S. in women's field hockey since the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Team USA fell short of making the 2020 Games in Tokyo after being eliminated in the 2019 FIH Olympic Qualifiers.
Beth Yeager, a midfielder from Princeton University, scored the only goal in Team USA's 1-0 win in the final group stage game against New Zealand on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Yeager is a junior from Greenwich, Connecticut, and has made 40 national team appearances.
Randolph native Amanda Golini started for the U.S. against Japan. The Lafayette College graduate has played in 138 games for Team USA. Golini earned the penalty corner that led to Hoffman's game-tying goal against Japan.
While Team USA has already clinched its spot in the Paris Olympics, the United Eagles will face Germany in the gold medal game of the FIH Olympic Qualifiers. The match will be at 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 19, and you can watch it on CBS Sports Network.
Yeager and Golini aren't the only Olympic hopefuls from the Garden State.
Jesse Grupper from Upper Montclair will compete for Team USA in sport climbing. He earned his ticket to Paris after winning gold in lead and boulder climbing at the 2023 Pan American Games.
Team sports like basketball, soccer, and field hockey are still several months away from finalizing their Olympic rosters. Many individual athletes in sports like track and field, swimming, and gymnastics will compete for Olympic spots in trial competitions until late June.
Dunellen native Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one of the most famous Team USA stars and is looking to compete in her third Olympics. In Tokyo, she took home gold in the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay.
Athing Mu, who's from Trenton, was McLaughlin-Levrone's teammate on the champion 4x400 relay team. Mu was the first American woman to win gold in the 800-meters since 1968.
Jessica Springsteen, the daughter of music icon Bruce Springsteen, also hopes to make her Olympics return in equestrian. The Colts Neck native won silver in team jumping at the Tokyo Games.
The Paris Olympics begin on Friday, July 26, and conclude on Sunday, Aug. 11.
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