USA Women’s Goalball Team Claims Gold in Sweden

For the fifth time in six years, the USA Women's Goalball faced many of the world's best women's teams in the Lady Malmo, Intercup held in Malmo, Sweden and emerged as the overall winners. Competing against a number of very strong competitors during during the pool round, Team USA surrendered the least amount of goals to their opponents, but were handed a single loss (3-1) to a very strong Chinese team. Both teams would advance through the semifinal round, and would end up facing each other one more time in the gold medal game. In that final game, China would take the lead early in the first half and hold that lead throuhougt most of the game. With only 19 seconds separating China from a gold medal, Asya Miller penetrated China's defensive wall with a much needed score that resulted in a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation play. During two three-minute overtime periods, each team firmly held their ground and those periods ended with no change in score. At that point, the teams progressed to sudden death extra throws. Athletes would pair off for penalty-type throws in a throwing order established by each team prior to the start of the game. Each pair of athletes would throw in pairs until one team established a lead. Once again, each team held their ground through the first round of sudden death throws, keeping spectators on the edge of their chairs. It wasn't until the third pair of throwers in the second round before a winner was determined--Asya Miller was again able to penetrate China's rock solid defense, clinching the win for Team USA and handing China their only loss for the tournament. Lisa Banta (Tucson, AZ.) was the team's overall leading scorer with 10 goals. Thanks to Bill Teale and The Audio Network, listners from around the world were able to come together via the Internet to hear and discuss these games as they occurred. Several of the teams competing in Malmo will participate at the 2008 Paralympic Games, September 6-17, 2008 in Beijing, China.

Team USA
Head Coach: Kenneth Armbruster, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant Coach: Sharon Gunderman, Dubois, PA
Athletic Trainer: Gwyneth Short, Lakewood, CO
Jennifer Armbruster – Colorado Springs, Colo.
Lisa Banta – Tucson, Ariz.
Jaclyn Barnes – Wadsworth, Ill.
Jessica Lorenz – Oakland, CA.
Asya Miller – Battle Creek, Mich.
Robin Theryoung – Colorado Springs, Colo.

The six athletes from Team USA will join their club teams and compete in the 2008 USABA Goalball National Championships, June
19-21, in Salt Lake City, UT.

Malmö Lady InterCup 2-4/5 2008

* Advanced to Semifinal Round

National Industries for the Blind is non-profit organization dedicated to creating, sustaining and improving employment opportunities for people who are blind and a proud supporter of USABA Goalball and the USA Men's and Women's Goalball Teams. 

| back |

The United States Association of Blind Athletes, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, which continually draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes.