PSG's Horan leads U.S. team into qualifying

• by Soccer America , Dec 24, 2013

[CONCACAF UNDER-20 WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP] The U.S. under-20 women's team roster for the 2014 Concacaf Women's U-20 Championship Jan. 9-19 in the Cayman Islands includes Lindsey Horan of French club Paris St. Germain, two players from NCAA champion UCLA (Katelyn Rowland and Lauren Kaskie) and two holdovers from the USA's 2012 U-20 championship team (Stephanie Amack and Cari Roccaro).

The 5-foot-9 Horan also played for the USA in qualifying two years ago but was later injured and missed the 2012 U-20 World Cup finals in Japan. She has 24 goals in 30 games for PSG in France's Division I Feminine). She is is the only player on the U-20 roster to have earned caps with the full national team (against China at the Algarve Cup in March and Brazil on Nov. 10).

Roccaro, the current team captain, leads the team with 22 career U-20 caps, while Horan has scored 13 goals at the U-20 level in 17 matches.

Coach Michelle French's roster consists of 18 collegiate players (eight sophomores and 10 freshmen), one player still in high school (Andi Sullivan), plus Horan.

"At every position, we feel these players are technically proficient and possess a great understanding of how we want to play in order to be successful as a team," said French in a statement. "We have players with very unique qualities ranging from creative and effective finishers, to players who are threatening with their dynamic movement in the midfield, to players who are defensively strong and physical in one-on-one situations. Our overall athleticism will be another strength of this team."

The USA opens Group A play on Jan. 9, against Costa Rica, faces Jamaica two days later, and finishes the group against Guatemala on Jan. 13. The semifinals and final will be played Jan. 17 and 19. The semifinal winners and third-place game winner will qualify for the 2014 Under-20 World Cup in Canada. The Concacaf tournament will be played entirely at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

Stanford (Jane Campbell, Maddie Bauer, Laura Liedle and Amack) and Notre Dame (Morgan Andrews, Katie Naughton and Roccaro) lead all teams will four and three players, respectively.

U.S. Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Katelyn Rowland (UCLA).
DEFENDERS (6): Stephanie Amack (Stanford), Brittany Basinger (Penn State), Maddie Bauer (Stanford), Lauren Kaskie (UCLA), Laura Liedle (Stanford), Katie Naughton (Notre Dame).
MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Andrews (Notre Dame), Rachel Hill (Connecticut), Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin), Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC), Mallory Weber (Penn State).
FORWARDS (6): Makenzy Doniak (Virginia), Summer Green (North Carolina), Lindsey Horan (Pairs St. Germain), Savannah Jordan (Florida), McKenzie Meehan (Boston College), Margaret Purce (Harvard).