It was a thrilling end to a game that kept the crowd at a Whitman, Massachusetts bar on the edge of their seats.
As U.S. women's soccer team was fighting to advance to the Olympic semifinals against the Netherlands, friends and family of Sam and Kristie Mewis -- the Hanson sisters competing in Tokyo -- cheered on every move.
Team USA managed to pull out a win in a nail-biter that ended in penalty kicks, sending the crowd into an elated frenzy.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Chris Johnson, who is Sam Mewis' father-in-law. “My heart stopped so many times during this game.”
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One of the biggest moments for the crowd— aside from the win— was a goal from younger sister Sam to tie the game at 1.
The sisters’ high school soccer coach David Floeck was there to cheer the sisters on from home.
“I can’t even put into words,” he said. “It’s unbelievable and to know I was able to be there along the ride for a little while and to sit here and enjoy it.”
It’s not over for the Mewis sisters yet, however. The U.S. must face Canada in the semifinals on Monday to earn a shot at becoming the first team to win Olympic gold right after winning the World Cup.
