Clarke, Burnett helped Team USA capture Hockey5s Pan Am gold

Clarke, Burnett helped Team USA capture Hockey5s Pan Am gold

KINGSTON, Jamaica — University of Michigan field hockey senior Lora Clarke and a freshman Abby Burnett won the gold medal with the US Women’s Hockey5s National Team at the inaugural Hockey5s Pan American Cup (PAC) on Saturday (June 10) at Mona Hockey Field.

Team USA beat Uruguay in a penalty shootout in the gold medal final. The USA went up 3-1 at halftime in the final, but Uruguay responded with four goals to tie the game at 5-5 and force a penalty shootout. The Red, White and Blue made all three of their shot attempts, including Clarke’s third-round clincher, while Uruguay missed their first shot to give the USA the lead.

With the win, Team USA qualified for the first-ever FIH Hockey5s World Cup, scheduled for January 2024 in Muscat, Oman. The USA men’s team also won the PAC gold medal to qualify for the World Championships.

Originally created by the International Ice Hockey Federation (FIH) for the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, Hockey5s is a fast-paced small-sided game that uses specially designed boards that surround the edge of the rink and keep the ball in play.

Clarke led Team USA with 11 goals in seven games played and finished second overall in the PAC Tournament behind only Manuel Vilar of Uruguay (13). Burnett also scored two goals in four games; he missed several games due to injury before returning for the gold medal final.

Team USA’s 5-0 win over Paraguay in pool play featured all of the Wolverines’ goals, four by Clarke and one by Burnett. Clarke also scored a hat trick in the USA’s opening 8-0 win over Costa Rica.

Clarke has played in 59 games over three seasons at Michigan, 48 of which were starts at forward and midfield. He has 18 career goals and eight assists and led the Wolverines in scoring last season with a career-high 11 goals and 25 points.

Burnett, who will join the Wolverines this fall, is a veteran of the US Women’s National Indoor Team and a two-time first team High School All-American according to both the NFHCA and Max Field Hockey. A three-time Pennsylvania All-State selection at Emmaus High School, he was named Max Field Hockey’s 2022 Pennsylvania Region Player of the Year.

USA Field Hockey publication