Michelle Vitesse’s penalty corner goal with 5:40 to play in the first half gave Team USA a lead it would protect, helping the Americans to a 2-1 win over Australia in its second match of the Rio Olympics.
Vitesse whipped a shot to the left of a splayed Australian keeper to break a gritty 0-0 deadlock on Monday in Rio. Caitlin Van Sickle later scored to make it 2-0, though Australia’s Kathryn Slattery narrowed the advantage to 2-1 after three.
Jackie Kintzer Briggs made a leaping save in the final minute to preserve the win.
The U.