Jenny Rizzo and Ashley Hoffman both grew up in the Route 422-322 Corridor, and were pre-teens when the first professional field hockey competition, The Harrow Cup, was contested in Philadelphia.
Today, the two Team USA roster players competed with the Shrachi Rahr Bengal Tigers of the Women’s Hockey India League in their opening fixture against Soorma Hockey Club.
Rizzo was the starting goalie for the Bengals, and kept Soorma off the board in the first half. But when she was pulled for Ireland international Grace O’Hanlon in the second half, the fortunes of the teams changed completely.
Soorma solved the Shrachi Rahr defense with regularity, scoring four goals in nine minutes in a 4-1 win. New Zealand’s Olivia Shannon opened the Blues’ account with a well-finished break, followed by the eventual game-winner off the in-form Charlotte Englebert from Belgium. The last two goals were scored by Indian hockey stars Salima Tete and Sonam.
Hoffman, the U.S. captain, was a substitute for the Bengal Tigers on defense and made some key interpositions against Soorma’s attack in the first half.