By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics

For the last few months, Pyper Friedman has been competing with and against some of the best collegiate field hockey players in the United States. Starting this weekend, she will see what the rest of the world has to offer.

Friedman, who as a freshman midfielder started all 16 games for William & Mary, will play for the U-21 U.S. Women's National Team in the Uniphar 5-Nations Tournament in Dublin, Ireland. The games will begin Sunday at the Hockey Centre and conclude a week later.

The U.S. will go against the Netherlands on Sunday, Ukraine on Monday, India on Thursday, and Ireland on Saturday. Its final opponent will be determined after pool play.

"Our first game is against the Netherlands, and that's the best country in the world for field hockey," said Friedman, who scored the deciding goal in the Tribe's 3-2 shootout win over Hofstra last fall. "I'm going to be learning a lot playing against some of the best players in the world.

"It'll definitely be a change from hockey in America. Ireland is really good as well. They have a similar style. I don't know too much about India and Ukraine, but it's going to be tough competition. It's going to be so cool."

Friedman is one of 20 players on the travel squad to Ireland. Northwestern, the 2021 national champion, and North Carolina, who won three in a row from 2018-20, have three players each on the roster.

"We've all been playing together in the USA pipeline for years," Freidman said. "I'm also looking forward to meeting some players from the other countries, especially Ukraine."

The team will be coached by Boston University's Tracey Paul.

While playing alongside some of the nation's best will be beneficial, W&M coach Tess Ellis believes Friedman will gain even more going against international talent.

"The experience she'll get playing an international tournament is higher than the Final Four," said Ellis, who grew up playing in Australia. "There will be a lot of American coaches who disagree with that, but in the Final Four, you have teams that play exactly the same. You've got body types that look very similar.

"This will broaden her outlook as to what skills she can use within the game. And technically, it will make her smarter coming up against different systems."
Friedman understands that.

"All I can think about is the fall coming up," she said. "I'm going to be really excited to bring what I learned to preseason."

Friedman made the first wave of the U-21 team during a four-day camp in Charlotte, N.C., in January. From Feb. 23-27, she joined the team for training camp in Chula Vista, Calif.

The team is scheduled to meet at Newark (N.J.) Liberty International Airport Wednesday for the flight to Dublin. The players will stay at University College Dublin.

Friedman is appreciative of this opportunity.

"Honestly, it's a little scary because I don't know what to expect," she said. "But I know only good will come out of it, and it's going to be great for my development.

"Just going to Ireland will be such a great experience. I'm so glad the sport is allowing me to do this."