Alev Kelter
Eagle River’s Alev Kelter was instrumental in helping the Team USA women’s sevens rugby team earn a bronze medal at the Canada Sevens event in Langford, British Columbia.
The 28-year-old scored 30 of the team’s 106 points in six games as the Americans finished 5-1 and beat France 26-5 in the third-place game.
The victory propelled Team USA to a No. 2 world ranking and all but assured the squad a berth to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Kelter was a 2016 Olympian with the team.
It was also the fourth straight medal for the Americans, who are the only group to have finished in the top four at every tournament this season on the five-stop World Rugby Sevens Series tour.
Kelter, of Chugiak High fame, was at her best on Day 1 in Langford as she was responsible for every point in a 12-0 win over host Canada.
REACTION: An emotional @kelteralev after her two tries helped @USARugby beat hosts @RugbyCanada in the #Canada7s Cup quarter-finals pic.twitter.com/gTVQCrTkDN
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) May 12, 2019
In the semifinals against New Zealand, Kelter received a red card for a dangerous tackle and was sent off. The Americans trailed 7-0 when she left and eventually lost 26-12, dropping them into the bronze-medal game.
Two weeks ago, Team USA upset No. 1 New Zealand 26-19 in Japan behind Kelter’s 11 points on a try and three conversions.
She leads the Americans in scoring on the year with 123 points, which ranks No. 7 in the world.
The series wraps up June 15-16 in Biarritz, France.