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News for 14 April 2021

All the news for Wednesday 14 April 2021


Argentina hand Indian men’s hockey team first loss of tour

Lucas Toscani’s goal helped Argentina beat India 1-0 in the third practice match of the tour. The fourth match will be played on Wednesday.

By Rahul Venkat



After two exhilarating victories in the FIH Pro League, and a win and a draw in two practice matches before that, the Indian men’s hockey team fell to its first loss of the Argentina tour on Tuesday.

Reigning Olympic champions Argentina beat the Indian hockey team 1-0 courtesy of Lucas Toscani’s eighth-minute strike at the CeNARD sports complex in Buenos Aires.

India made a positive start, as forwards Lalit Upadhyay and Rajkumar Pal entered the Argentine circle with intent but were thwarted by the defence.

Argentina were more prolific as a structured attacking move down the other end resulted in Lucas Toscani turning in a pass to give the home side a 1-0 lead.

Indian strikers Shilanand Lakra and Mandeep Singh created scoring opportunities in the following minutes but could not beat the experienced Argentine goalkeeper Juan Manuel Vivaldi.

The second quarter witnessed some brave saves by in-form India custodian Krishan Pathak. He had played his 50th match for the team in the second FIH Hockey Pro League tie against Argentina and was even adjudged Player of the match.

Krishan Pathak carried that form over as he kept Argentina from increasing their lead.

In the early minutes of the third quarter, India created a fine opportunity when defender Surender Kumar earned India its first penalty corner of the match, but the team were unable to equalise. Argentina too earned a penalty corner in the 43rd minute but veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was up to the task to make a brilliant save.

The final quarter was a battle of nerves with India pushing for the elusive goal. Even though young strikers Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra and Mandeep Singh took turns to attempt shots on goal, Argentina's defence held on to eventually register a 1-0 win.

India will next face Argentina in the fourth practice match on Wednesday at 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time.

Olympic Channel



Graham Reid impressed by India’s ability to absorb pressure

The Indian hockey coach believes his team eventually played the fast, skilful game they are capable of during their 3-0 win over Argentina in the FIH Pro League

By Deepti Patwardhan



Even as India managed to score three goals against Olympic champions Argentina during the FIH Pro League match in Buenos Aires on Sunday, India coach Graham Reid was more pleased that his team had returned with a clean sheet despite repeated attacks from the hosts.

It was India's second win over Argentina in two days -- they had beaten the South Americans 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday. The result saw India climb to No 4 in the Pro League standings. They have 15 points from eight matches, while Argentina are placed sixth with 11 points from 12 matches.

“It’s a good sign when you can scramble defence,” Reid told the Olympic Channel. “It’s a good sign of a good team that they can keep them out when you are getting a lot of pressure from the opposition. Argentina are a very good attacking team.”

‘Los Leones’ (The Lions), as the Argentine hockey team is called, had been quick off the blocks. Krishan Bahadur Pathak, playing his 50th international match, made three brilliant saves in the first quarter to deny the hosts.

In fact, it was India that got onto the scoreboard first via a penalty corner conversion from Harmanpreet Singh in the 11th minute. The visitors had just about managed to hold on to the lead in the first quarter but they turned on the heat after the break.

“The last three quarters of yesterday’s game is about the level we need to be playing,” said Reid, who was part of the Australian team that won a silver medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

"In the first quarter we were making some mistakes, took a little while to wake up but after that we played a good fast skillful game.

“I tend not to focus on results. It’s more about how we play; our energy, our effort, the things that we have been working on, seeing them pan out. Of course you always hope to get results and win. What I’m happy about is that we are continuing the process of getting better and learning. It’s been a good tour so far.”

The result may hold India in good stead, considering they are in the same group as Argentina for the Tokyo Olympics. The two teams are in Pool A, along with Australia, New Zealand, Spain and hosts Japan.

“The old adage that you are only as good as your next game is true,” said the 57-year-old Queenslander.

“Of course it’s always good psychologically to win against a particular team. But you also give them the opportunity to use those results against you when you play them next. If you look at the numbers behind, we are still very equal teams. The number of opportunities both teams created were similar.”

The Indian men’s hockey team has been on a good run since they returned to action, after a year’s hiatus due to Covid-19, in February. In their first match back, they had defeated Germany 6-1 to kick off the Europe tour. They are unbeaten in the eight matches they have played this year.

Reid is hoping for cleaner, more clinical performance from his team in the coming weeks. India will play two more practice games in Argentina; then take on Great Britain (8-9 May), Spain (15-16 May) and Germany (22-23 May) in the FIH Pro League before heading to the Tokyo Games.

“We still need to be much more clinical in attack and perhaps more frugal at the back. We are still giving away too many opportunities to the opposition. But again that’s what happens when you play against world class teams. But there definitely are things we can do to keep them out of their scoring zone and our defensive third,” concluded the India coach.

Olympic Channel



100 Days To Go: Countdown to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 continues!



The countdown to the hugely anticipated Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 reached another important milestone on Wednesday 14 April, a date which signifies 100 days to go until the start of the greatest multi-sport event on earth.

Numerous activities are taking place to mark the occasion today, including the reveal of a giant set of Olympic Rings on top of Mount Takao, around one hour travel-time away from downtown Tokyo in the city of Hachiōji. The Olympic Games are getting ever closer, and the excitement is building for the billions of sports fans all around the world, not to mention all of the athletes who will compete in Japan.

In recent weeks, Sakura Japan and Samurai Japan – the men’s and women’s national hockey teams of the host nation – have been playing their part in the build-up to the XXXII Summer Olympiad. As we recently reported, Sakura Japan – also known as the Cherry Blossoms – have been involved in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay, carrying the Olympic flame through Kakamigahara city in Gifu prefecture, a key location for hockey in Japan.

“It was a wonderful experience”, said Sakura Japan athlete Hazuki Nagai, speaking exclusively to FIH. “Before the torch relay, we all were excited to be representing Japan Hockey. During the torch relay I felt emotional and excited. It was a one-time thing and I know that I will never experience the same thing again.”

An occasion steeped in tradition and history, the Olympic Torch Relay always manages to capture the imagination, not just of the public but also the athletes. Speaking on the Episode 6 of HockeyPod, the FIH’s monthly podcast which will be available to download on Thursday (15 April), Argentina icon and 2017 FIH Player of the Year Delfina Merino expressed her excitement about following the Olympic flame on its 121-day journey across all of Japan’s 47 prefectures, and how she keeps track of its progress on social media.

“I love to see how the flame goes hand-by-hand”, said Merino, who is set to compete in her third Olympic Games following London 2012, where she won silver, and Rio 2016. “I see [the posts] in social media and I’m like, ‘I like this’, ‘I like this’, ‘I like this’! The flame itself is hope; it is showing us that it [the Olympic Games] is going to happen, that it is really near. It’s kind of emotional as well.”

Japan’s Samurais have also been involved in the build-up, taking part in the ‘Let’s 55 Virtual Experience’, a fascinating and innovative project from the Tokyo 2020 organisers. Covering all 55 sports that will feature at Tokyo 2020, the project uses specially fitted cameras to provide the viewer with an idea of what an athlete sees when they are playing their sport. The Samurais – who like Sakura Japan are the current champions of Asia – put their incredible skills to good effect, producing clips showing 3D dribbling, penalty corners from the perspective of the flicker, trapper and goalkeeper and much more. To see the video, click here.

When asked by Tokyo 2020 what makes Hockey so appealing, Samurais player Ohashi Masaki, who was heavily involved in the training session where the footage was filmed, said: “The ball travels very fast in hockey, and even I feel it as a player. The ball travels especially fast when taking a shot at goal. Unlike football, there’s no limit to the number of substitutes a team can make, so players can use up their energy on the field, be replaced, recuperate, and go back on the field again. The players on the field are always refreshed and ready so they run fast and play the game at incredible speed. That’s what’s so great about hockey.”

Regarding his team’s ambitions for Tokyo, Ohashi said: “Of course I would like us to win the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games, but I also hope the Games would help promote hockey as well. ‘Samurai Japan’ is known for great teamwork. Whether it’s defence or offence, the whole team participates and supports each other. Rather than dribbling your way forward in offence, we pass the ball around. In defence, if the opponent dribbles past one of our guys, there’s always another guy, then a third guy trying to stop him. I hope everybody will notice how we work as a team.”

The hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will take place from Saturday 24 July to Friday 6 August 2021. Both the men’s and women’s competitions feature 12 teams, split into two pools of six ahead of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For more information about the hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, visit https://tokyo2020.org/en/sports/hockey/.

#Tokyo2020
#StrongerTogether
#100DaysToGo

FIH site



Trio of teams challenge for World Cup qualification



The Indoor African Cup will take place in Thomas Moore College, Kloof., South Africa on 16-18 April. The reward for the winning men’s and women’s teams will be a place at the 2022 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup to be held in Liège, Belgium.

Taking part in the African qualifying competition are three teams that have embraced the indoor game – South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. The three teams – men and women – will play a round robin competition to decide who represents the continent at the World Cup.

South Africa men will be overwhelming favourites for the title as the highest ranked team –  the men rank 11th in the world. In the women’s event, things are less clear cut. While South Africa women have enjoyed a run of successful test matches in which they defeated Switzerland, Ireland and Poland, Namibia are the higher ranked team – at 9th in the world – courtesy of their participation in the FIH Indoor Hockey World cup 2018.

The South Africa women’s squad, which is ranked at 14, is brimful of experienced players, including Cindy Hack and Jess O’Connor, who both have more than 100 caps for the indoor national squad. Also part of the squad are international outdoor players Celia Seerane (nee Evans) and Tegan Fourie.

South Africa men have a blend of experience and youth  in the ranks. Justin Domleo has been to two World Cups, and he is joined by Jethro Eustice and Rusten Abrahams who both played in the 2018 Indoor Hockey World Cup in Berlin, Germany. Bongumusa Mngoma and Dan Sibbald will both be making their debuts as international athletes.

The South Africa teams will not get an easy ride however. Namibia women defeated South Africa to qualify for the 2018 Indoor Hockey World Cup and will be looking to repeat that performance, while the men have their own aspirations to follow in their female counterpart’s footsteps.

Underlining the athlete’s ambitions, President of Namibia Hockey Union (NHU) Marc Nel said: “We are going there to compete and not just to participate. Our drive is to fly the Namibian flag high, so like any other games, we are taking this very seriously. Both teams are ranked in the top 20, with the women’s team ranked 9th, while the men’s team is ranked 17th in the world, which I believe are all good positions for our teams.”

Botswana men and women have yet to receive a world ranking but the national team has been training hard. Zimbabwe’s Sharne Mayar will be one of the umpires at the event and she said: “It will be a showcase of amazing talent. It will be three days of really good hockey played by the best nations in Africa.

“The game is spreading and growing. We have seen Botswana build a team, and that is very exciting because it is more people playing hockey across the continent at all levels of the game.”

The Indoor African Cup will take place on 16-18 April in Thomas Moore College, Kloof. Keep up with results and news via the FIH website.

The matches will also be streamed live on the Watch.Hockey App.

#IHWC2022
#IndoorHockey

FIH site



WMH Announces Dates & Venues for 2022 World Cups for Masters Hockey



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - After postponements and cancellations due to COVID 19, World Masters Hockey (WMH) announced that the 2022 Masters World Cups will be played in four different continents, starting with the WMH Indoor Hockey World Cup in the United States in early 2022.

Taking place from February 15 to 20 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va., the 2022 WMH Indoor Hockey World Cup marks the first international masters event hosted in the United States. This event will include the O-40, O-45, O-50 and O-55 age divisions for both men and women.

USA Field Hockey and the 2022 WMH Indoor Hockey World Cup Committee will be seeking volunteers and sponsors to support the tournament’s organization and execution. If you are interested in working on this exciting event, please contact David Sculley, event chairperson, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

WMH has also rescheduled the outdoor 2020 Masters World Cups for the following dates:

2022 WMH Masters World Cup | August 12-21 | Nottingham, England

O-35 Men & Women, O-40 Men & Women

2022 WMH Masters World Cup | October 1-10 | Cape Town, South Africa

O-45, O-50 & O-55 Men, O-45, O-50, O-55, O-60 & O-65 Women, O-45, O-50 & O-55 Men Spirit of Masters, O-45, O-50, O-55, O-60 and O-65 Women Spirit of Masters

*Spirit of Masters teams are either the “B” international team from a member country, a team from the recognized entity or a team of players from more than one country, in the same age category, who are unable to form a complete team from within their own country

2022 WMH Masters World Cup | October 19-29 | Tokyo, Japan

O60, O-65, O-70, O-75 & O-80 Men, O60, O-65, O-70, O-75 & O-80 Men Spirit of Masters

The U.S. Men’s Masters Committee is expected to hold indoor trials mid-July in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area. Confirmation and registration details will be shared soon. They are in the process of setting up an outdoor tryout. More information to come.

The U.S. Women’s Masters Committee will hold a tryout for the indoor squads in September 2021 and a tryout for the outdoor squads in January 2022. For both, an alternate selection process (with video and references) will be available for athletes unable to attend. All athletes who are interested in participating in the indoor and/or outdoor events are asked to fill out a survey for expression of interest to help the U.S. Women’s Masters Committee determine our anticipated participation.

The Shooting Stars Masters tournament, a USA Field Hockey Sanctioned Event, will be taking place on August 7 and 8 at the Seacoast United Sports Complex in Epping, N.H. This event is open to everybody over the age of 35 and will have two divisions (O-35 and O-50) for men and women. Both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Masters Committees will be submitting teams to compete.

Portions of Content Courtesy of WMH

USFHA media release



Willars Reflects On His Favourite International Hockey Memories



When an athlete plays more than 100 times for their country across 15 competitions and wins medals at a good proportion of them, it can be hard to select one or two standout moments.

Each event comes with its own set of memories, formed both on and off the pitch alongside team-mates who they may spend more time with than their own families.

But for Ollie Willars it was a period of approximately 12 months at the start of the current Olympic cycle that instantly springs to mind as being a particularly special spell.

Between May 2017 and May 2018, he represented England and Great Britain at five different tournaments, all of which they left with a piece of silverware hanging from their necks.

This included a bronze medal won on home soil at the 2017 Hockey World League Semi-Final and further third-placed finishes at that summer’s Europeans and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

However, the undoubted highlight for Ollie was the tournament that kicked off that run of success – winning gold with Great Britain at the 2017 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.

He then took part in the same competition again a year later with England as they used the it as a warm-up for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, this time securing a silver medal and many more special memories.

“That 2017 tournament was really memorable because it was a crazy week or so,” he recalled.

“We started some games late because of thunderstorms and the weather was so, so hot. It stands out because it was a lot of fun and the celebrations after were also a lot of fun.


Ollie Willars made his international debut with England at the 2012 Champions Trophy. Credit: World Sport Pics

“The following year was also a really fond period, building up to the Commonwealth Games. We again went to the Azlan Shah [as England]. We lost in the final to Australia but we had a really good tournament; the atmosphere and camaraderie between the team in those two months was the best I’ve been a part of.

“I think a lot of people look back fondly on that time and finishing it off with a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia was the culmination of a special few months.”

After spending the best part of a decade playing international hockey, there are plenty of things that Ollie will miss about playing alongside and against the world’s best in an England or Great Britain shirt.

Instead, he’s now hoping to use everything he’s learned to help inspire the next generation of players to become the best players they can be and enjoy hockey as much as he has with his exciting new coaching business Give & Go.

“I’ll miss the crowds and the build up to games,” the 30-year-old said.

“Those nerves that you have, not knowing quite how it’s going to go. But also those moments when you’re in the changing room after and celebrating with your mates, they’re the really fond moments. They are what I’ll really miss.

“I’m looking to do a bit of coaching in the coming months, which is something I’m really excited about. Passing back a lot of what I’ve learned throughout my career to young, aspiring athletes who want to follow the same path.”

Great Britain Hockey media release



Field Hockey Canada appoints Ayesha Koome as Integrated Support Team Lead and Therapist

FHC Certified Athletic Therapist takes on new lead role within organization



Field Hockey Canada (FHC) is excited to announce the appointment of Ayesha Koome as the Integrated Support Team (IST) Lead and Therapist. Koome joins the organization following her extensive experience in athletic therapy and has worked with the Men’s NextGen program since 2018. Starting April 2021, Koome will oversee and guide the high-performance sport science and medicine strategy.

At the same time she was completing her degree in Athletic and Exercise Therapy in Victoria, BC, Koome was at a NextGen camp where she got her first taste of working with field hockey athletes. She then began her career as Head Therapist of Delta Wild Hockey Academy and Capilano University before returning to FHC full-time. Following an appointment at the Men’s National Team Olympic Qualifier in 2019, Koome is inspired to create positive change within her new role.

“I think there is an opportunity within FHC’s programs to really expand the IST support and structure,” Koome said. “I look forward to taking the lead of developing that out and really making some changes to better support our athletes.”

On top of managing IST teams at domestic and international events, camps and competitions, Koome will be leading COVID-19 and return to play protocol. According to High Performance Director Adam Janssen, Koome will play an important role moving forward.

“I am pleased to have Ayesha join FHC in the role of IST Lead to take on this critical portfolio,” Janssen said. “Ayesha will be responsible for developing and managing injury monitoring protocols, IST contractors and building out an integrated support team to address various areas of performance.”

With the restructuring of the organization’s high-performance team that focuses on podium success and improved player pathways, Koome will undoubtedly bring a fresh perspective to the group and build on the evolving team of teams.

“Overall, FHC has many plans for moving its programs toward success in the coming years and it makes me really excited and grateful that I get to be a part of that process,” Koome added.

Welcome to the team, Ayesha!

Field Hockey Canada media release



Armagh land big coup with Thompson on board as coach


New Armagh coach Greg Thompson.

Armagh Hockey Club have announced Greg Thompson as their new long-term head coach, starting in the 2021/22 season in a major coup for the Orchard County club.

Thompson is the former All-Ireland winning Pegasus head coach and recipient of the Ulster Hockey ‘Performance Coach of the Year’, helping the club to the EY Hockey League title in 2019.

Thompson will take charge for the new Ulster Premier League season with EYHL promotion firmly among the targets for the future.

It is a changing of the guard at Armagh Hockey Club, as they say farewell to Ian Hughes who took charge of the club in 2017 and has made steady progress with a young squad, leading Armagh back to the top flight of Ulster Hockey, with an unbeaten Senior 1 campaign.

Speaking of the announcement, Armagh Hockey Club Chairman – Niall McCool said, “Today marks a new chapter for Armagh Hockey Club. We are extremely proud and excited to have appointed Greg as Head Coach.

“Greg’s CV and hockey achievements speak volumes and so we look forward to much hard work on the pitch and the success that hopefully with follow.

“We believe that the partnership we have with Royal School, Armagh and those forged links can see a combined approach and comprehensive plan for success, at both school and club.”

McCool continued, “On behalf of Armagh Hockey Club, its players, parents and committee members we would like to express our appreciation to Ian Hughes for so professionally leading our club in such a positive way over these past few seasons.

“Ian has been an integral part of the success to date and now we look forward to the next stage in our development plan and fulfilling our ambition and goals with Greg at the helm.”

New coach Greg Thompson remarked: “This is an exciting project that I am really looking forward to starting. I am extremely grateful to Pegasus HC for the opportunity over the past three to four seasons, and will look to bring that experience into my new role with Armagh Hockey Club.

“Given my involvement with the Royal School 1stXI, and my knowledge of that player base I am excited to build upon the club’s current position.

“I believe this is an opportunity to strengthen the links between school and club, which can only be beneficial for everyone involved.”

The Hook



120th anniversary of first Scotland women’s match



Yesterday was the 120th anniversary of the first ever Scotland women’s international match, when they took to the pitch to play Ireland on 13 April 1901. Research carried out by The Hockey Museum; the Scottish Hockey Heritage Group; and the Irish Hockey Archive recently clarified the specific date of the match to allow us to celebrate the anniversary. For more information on the work of The Hockey Museum in the project, click HERE.

The Ireland women’s team challenged Scotland to the match, and the Scotland women’s team, as early hockey tourists, took to the field for the first time at Milltown, Dublin, and lost 2-0, a respectable score.

The Scottish team two days later defeated the hitherto unbeaten Leinster Ladies 2-1. These intrepid boat-travelling hockey tourists were truly pioneers in every sense of the word. Thus international hockey was launched, with fixtures against all of the Home Countries being played the following year.

The Scottish Women’s Hockey Association was formed in February 1900 at a meeting held in Edinburgh attended by eight women’s hockey clubs. The association quickly grew to eleven clubs and chose its first national team to take on Ireland, taking on the condition that the match be held in Dublin.

The first Scottish team was almost entirely made up of players from St Leonards School.

Reports from the first match against Ireland, uncovered by the schools’ former deputy head Jane Claydon, describe great conditions and a large crowd to watch the contest. Scotland wore dark purple frieze skirts and paler blouses with thistle badges.

The Scots held their own against a clearly well practiced Irish side. Ireland began to press as the game went on, and prompted some good saves by Simson in goal for Scotland.

Scotland won two corners but couldn’t convert either of them, however the same couldn’t be said for Ireland who dispatched a corner to make it 1-0 at half time.

A late press by Ireland brought the second goal and a 2-0 win.

In the second contest when they faced Leinster days later, the Scotland team hit its stride and put in a fine performance. Scotland’s captain J. K. Stewart scored both goals in a 2-1 win for Scotland, ensuring a place in history as Scotland’s first ever captain and goal scorer.

In 1902 Scotland defeated Wales 4-0 at Wrexham and then played their first matches on home soil, drawing 0-0 with Ireland in Glasgow and being beaten by England 4-0 in Edinburgh.

The pattern of annual matches began, lasting until the early 1990s when England withdrew from these annual fixtures.

The Scottish Hockey Heritage Group includes, Evlyn Raistrick; Jenny Grassick; Jacky Burnett; Eugene Connolly; Jane Claydon; and David Sweetman. The group is looking for people with significant archive material to get in touch. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

First ever Scotland squad

Simson (GK)
Harvey
Moir
Shaw
Todd
Miss Littlejohn
Wedgwood
Lindesay
Rutherford
J.K. Stewart (Captain)
Robertson
Ida Stewart
Hutchison

Ireland squad

Misses Cotter
Sealy
Atthill
Boyd
Hon. K. Prittie
J Boyd (Captain)
Fottrell
Parr
Obre
Knox
Clarke

Scottish Hockey Union media release



UNC's Matson, BC's Kennedy Earn ACC Field Hockey Honors



GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina junior forward Erin Matson has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week, while Boston College junior goalkeeper Jonna Kennedy earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Matson was recognized as the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week for the fifth time this season, while Kennedy earned Defensive Player accolades for the second time.
 
Matson scored all three goals for the top-ranked Tar Heels in a 3-2 overtime win at No. 12 Virginia on Friday. The game-winner came 58 seconds into overtime, on UNC's first possession of the period. On a pass from Paityn Wirth, Matson lofted a shot past the keeper for the road victory. With the six-point game, the Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, native took over third place on UNC's career points list with 190 through 58 games as a Tar Heel.

Kennedy made a career-high 21 saves as No. 11 Boston College slipped past  No. 8 Syracuse for a 2-1 ACC win in double-overtime on Friday. The 21 saves by the Watertown, Massachusetts, native were the third-highest single-game total in BC program history and came two days after Kennedy played 45 minutes in a 5-0 win at UMass, helping the Eagles to their fourth shutout of the spring season.

ACC Media release



No. 4 Northwestern suffers first sweep of season, falls twice to No. 10 Rutgers

Gabriela Carroll


Annabel Skubisz makes a save against Michigan. The Wildcats fell twice to Rutgers over the weekend. Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

Northwestern stumbled in Piscataway this weekend, dropping both games to Rutgers and getting swept for the first time this season.

The Wildcats got into a 2-0 hole just three minutes into Friday’s contest. The Scarlet Knights scored on a penalty corner, and then came right back for a second goal less than a minute later. After that first quarter, NU (8-4, 8-4 Big Ten) held Rutgers (9-3, 9-3 Big Ten) to just one shot, but despite the strong defensive effort in its own zone, the team struggled to find scoring opportunities.

The Cats finally got on the board in the third quarter when sophomore forward Bente Baekers dribbled the ball into the circle and scored an unassisted goal. NU outshot the Scarlet Knights 13-4 during the game, and had five corner opportunities, including one late in the game that gave the Cats an opportunity to tie it. But they failed to convert offensively and fell 2-1 in regulation.

The early lapses proved to be the difference maker in what coach Tracey Fuchs said was otherwise one of the best games of the season.

“We just had a bad three minutes to start the game,” Fuchs said. “Rutgers is a team that doesn’t give up a lot of opportunities, and they pack the circle. We tried to come back and just couldn’t do it.”

Fuchs was also critical of the team’s inconsistency in a 3-2 overtime loss on Sunday against the Scarlet Knights. This time, it was NU that got off to a quick start, with Baekers scoring one on a penalty corner early in the first quarter. Rutgers responded with penalty corner goals of its own in the second and third, and the Cats struggled to keep possession inside their offensive zone.

NU tied it up in the fourth quarter, though, after sophomore midfielder Ana Medina Garcia tipped in a rebound on a penalty corner. But the Cats were stagnant for the rest of the period and were unable to clear the ball fully into their offensive zone.

Medina Garcia received a yellow card with just under five minutes to go and was out of the game for the remainder of regulation. Losing her slowed NU’s efforts in transition and removed one of their best scorers.

“Our team did really well to hold them off,” Fuchs said. “Five minutes is a long time to play a man down, especially with one of our key midfielders. It also meant we subbed less, and so I think we got a little tired in the second half.”

The game proceeded to overtime. The Scarlet Knights scored early on a penalty corner to end the game and complete the sweep.

Before this series, the Cats hadn’t been swept by any opponents this year. With just one series remaining against No. 2 Iowa before the Big Ten Tournament, NU has one more chance to boost their NCAA tournament resume. With only three at-large bids available, the Cats will need to finish strong to ensure they get a chance to compete for a national championship.

“We just didn’t do the details well,” Fuchs said of this weekend’s series. “We just need to keep getting better at going in and getting rebounds and doing what we do best, which is playing fast, taking risks, and being scrappy in front of the goal.”

The Daily Northwestern



Syracuse drops 3 spots to No. 11 in weekly field hockey coaches poll

Charlotte de Vries (pictured against Duke) scored Syracuse's only goal in its 2-1 double overtime loss against Boston College.

By Adam McCaffery


Charlotte de Vries (pictured against Duke) scored Syracuse's only goal in its 2-1 double overtime loss against Boston College. Courtesy of Sara Davis | The ACC

After losing to Boston College on Saturday in double overtime, Syracuse dropped three spots to No. 11 in the weekly Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll on Tuesday. The Orange (8-6, 4-4 Atlantic Coast) have lost two straight games in overtime after winning the first three of the spring season.

The Orange recorded a season-high 38 shots against the Eagles on Saturday, including 23 on goal, but they managed to score just once via Charlotte de Vries. Elizabeth Warner’s goal in double overtime lifted BC over Syracuse, though the Eagles notched just two shots on goal the entire game.

The Eagles leapfrogged past Syracuse in the rankings, moving up three spots to No. 10. Of the seven ACC teams, Syracuse sits behind No. 1 North Carolina, No. 4 Louisville, No. 9 Wake Forest and Boston College.

The Orange will look to bounce back with two games this weekend, the first against No. 13 Virginia on Friday, who Syracuse lost to twice during the fall portion of its season. SU will play UNC on Sunday, a team that also swept the Orange, beating Syracuse once during the regular season and again in the ACC tournament.

The Daily Orange



Hockey player Balbir Singh Junior passes away

Former India hockey player Balbir Singh Junior has passed away at the age of 88.


Balbir Singh Junior was a member of the silver medal- winning 1958 Asian Games Indian hockey team.   -  THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Balbir Singh Junior, who was a member of the silver medal- winning 1958 Asian Games Indian hockey team, died here at the age of 88, his daughter Mandeep Samra said on Tuesday.

He is survived by his wife, daughter and son.

"My father passed away in sleep on Sunday morning due to heart failure," his daughter said.

His son is settled in Canada and could not attend the last rites because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Balbir Singh Junior was born on May 2, 1932, at Sansarpur in Jalandhar, also known as the nursery of hockey players in India.

Singh took to hockey when he was six years old. He studied at Lyallpur Khalsa College in Jalandhar and was first selected to play for the Indian hockey team in 1951.

In 1962, he joined the Army as an emergency commissioned officer. He played for the Services hockey team in the national tournaments at Delhi. Singh retired as a Major in 1984 and later settled in Chandigarh.

Post retirement he took keen interest in playing golf.

Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, who is also Administrator Union Territory Chandigarh, expressed his condolences. Badnore said that Balbir Singh Junior, who represented India in many international championships, will be remembered for his outstanding contribution to the sport.

Sportstar



Balbir Junior, top player who lived in Senior’s shadow

Balbir Jr won silver in 1958 Asian Games, played with legends of hockey

Indervir Grewal


Balbir Singh: May 2, 1932-April 11, 2021

His journey in hockey began like that of many others in Punjab. Born in 1932 in Sansarpur, the ‘Mecca’ of hockey in those times, Balbir Singh Junior was a child when he picked up the hockey stick. And like so many from his village, Balbir Singh Junior went on to play for the country.

The journey that started in the footsteps of his elder brothers reached its pinnacle when Balbir Singh Junior won the silver medal at the 1958 Asian Games. Balbir Singh Junior passed away due to heart failure on Sunday.

Balbir Singh: May 2, 1932-April 11, 2021

  • Balbir Singh Jr was born in Sansarpur village, famous as the nursery of Indian hockey
  • He played alongside legends like Balbir Singh Senior, Leslie Claudius, Prithipal Singh and Balkishan Singh, among others, during the 1950s-1960s
  • Balbir started playing hockey at age six and made his India debut in 1951 during the tour of Afghanistan
  • Joining the Army in 1962 as an emergency commissioned officer, he represented Services too. He retired as a Major in 1984
  • He won a silver medal at the 1958 Asian Games but never got the opportunity to represent the country in the Olympic Games


“He came from a family of hockey players and Army men. His elder brothers played for India. Two of his brothers died in World War II,” said Col Balbir Singh Kular (Retd), who also hails from Sansarpur.

“He was much senior to me and I used to see him train with his brothers at the village ground,” added Kular, who was a member of the team that won bronze at the 1968 Olympics.

Various teams

From training at his village ground, Balbir Singh Junior went on to captain the Panjab University team. He was also part of the Punjab team, which was considered a great achievement in itself at the time. He became a crucial player for Railways before moving to Services. He also managed the Services team before retiring as a Major from the Army and settling in Chandigarh.

“He was a great centre-forward,” said Kular. “He was one of the top performers for Railways who won multiple national titles in the 1950s.”

Though a star in his own right at the national level, Balbir Singh Junior found it difficult to break into the national side. Despite getting his first call-up in 1951, when India toured Afghanistan, he could not cement his place in the side.

Senior vs Junior

“As a centre-forward, his top competition was Balbir Singh Senior,” said Kular. “Had it not been for the great man, Balbir Singh Junior would have played more often for India. In the 1958 Asian Games, he was selected as the backup centre-forward for Balbir Singh Senior but went on to play as the inside-left forward,” he added.

Balbir Singh Junior spent his playing days in the shadow of the legendary Balbir Singh Senior. But for Kular, Balbir Singh Junior’s legacy is much more than his Asian Games medal. “He was not just a great player but a good man as well. He was an inspiration to me and many others like me,” said Kular.

“Four players, including Balbir Singh Junior, from Sansarpur were part of the Asian Games medal winning team. After returning, they received a grand welcome in the village and were honoured. As young hockey players, we dreamed of getting that kind of reception someday,” added Kular.

The Tribune

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