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News for 12 September 2016

All the news for Monday 12 September 2016


HWL R1 Glasgow (M): Scotland and Wales book tickets to HWL Round 2


Photo: Scottish Hockey

On day four of the men’s Hockey World League Round 1 event in Glasgow (SCO), Scotland and Wales sealed their respective places in HWL Round 2 with impressive victories.

Scotland ensured qualification with another sensational high-scoring win at Glasgow’s National Hockey Centre. Their 9-0 win over Portugal means the Scots have scored 25 goals in their three games, with three clean sheets.

Scotland got off to a great start when Alan Forsyth opened the scoring when he shot through the goalkeeper’s legs from close range on four minutes.

From that point onwards, Portugal became tricky opponents for the Scots. The game was scrappy and the physicality of the Portuguese broke up the slick Scots play that has been a feature of the tournament so far. The only real opportunity for Scotland was a Hamish Imrie shot, which was well saved by Andre Romariz for Portugal.

As half time approached Scotland stepped up a gear. The ball found its way out to Kenny Bain wide left and he zipped it in for Ed Greaves arriving at the near post to glance the ball into the net. 2-0.

The comforting third goal came for Scotland three minutes later. Russell Anderson slipped the ball into the D for Imrie who was wide left. Imrie showed good stick skills to go past two defenders before shooting. The shot was saved but Alan Forsyth was able to bounce the ball then smash it into the corner to make it 3-0 on half time.

Scotland emerged for the second half full of fire and almost immediately scored a fourth goal. Bain blasted it in from out wide for Imrie to tap into the net to make it 4-0.

Bain was again the provider provider for Scotland’s fifth, thrusting the ball towards the far post with Cameron Fraser tapping the ball home.

Bain helped himself to a goal as the half progressed. On the break Bain fired home a deadly finish across the goalkeeper from the edge of the D. 6-0.

Scotland’s seventh goal found Lee Morton arrive at the far post to tap in to make it 7-0. Duncan Riddell added his name to the scoresheet when he scored on the break to make it 8-0. A Bain tap in secured his second of the game and Scotland’s ninth. Bain was to be denied a hat trick in the closing stages when he had a penalty flick saved at the top corner. Despite sustained pressure for the final minutes of the game the score remained 9-0.

Wales also ensured qualification for Hockey World League Round 2 with a fantastic high-scoring win over Slovakia.

James Carson of Wales opened the first half by smashing the ball into the net for wales’ first goal of the game just 11 minutes in.

Shortly after Owain Dolan-Grey scored a great goal for the Welsh making it 2-0. Wales were in complete control; completely dominating the first half and playing some very good hockey. They continued their run of goals when Rupert Shipperley scored making it 3-0 for Wales.

Wales scored a fourth when Benjamin Francis scored from the right hand side with a hard and fast shot to the left hand corner of the net making it 4-0. Then 27 minutes into the first half and James Carson scored his second goal of the game making it a 5-0.

Slovakia battled back and had an opportunity to score from a penalty corner but missed with Wales then taking control of the ball again. Wales ended the comfortable first half well in front and easing towards qualification. Slovakia attempted to throw a spanner in the works in the second half. Zdenko Kovacevic opened the second half of the game with their first goal making it 5-1 to Wales.

The Slovak goal prompted Wales to step up a gear. First Lewis Prosser had a near miss when he fired towards the right hand of the net, it ended up just wide. Then Benjamin Francis scored for Wales with a hard direct hit to the net to bag his second goal of the game making it 6-1 to Wales.

Wales were given a penalty corner and Daniel Kyriakides scored to give Wales a 7-1 lead with only 19 minutes to go. Soon after, Gareth Furlong followed suit by scoring for wales and bringing the Welsh side to a 8-1 lead.

Wales had another penalty corner with Benjamin Francis scoring his third goal of the game for a 9-1 lead over the Slovakian side. On full time Francis struck another goal making it 10-1 for Wales with his fourth goal of the game. Scotland and Wales play each other on Sunday in their final game in World League 1 in Glasgow to find out who will win the group.

Away from the field, the Scotland team have taken over FIH’s Instagram and Snapchat accounts for a while, so be sure to check out their posts from behind the scenes in Glasgow!

Report provided by Scottish Hockey

FIH site



Wales defeat Scotland to win World League 1


All the teams in the tournament

Against the form book, Scotland men lost their final game of World League 1 in Glasgow 3-2 to Wales. The result means Wales have won World League in Glasgow with both teams qualifying for World League 2 in March.

Penalty corners were a constant danger to Scotland with Wales having a track record of being so deadly through Gareth Furlong’s goal scoring ability. Gareth Furlong soon made his mark scoring the first goal of the game with a central direct strike into the net. Furlong would punish Scotland again soon after when he struck his second goal of the game from a penalty corner. 2-0.

Scotland started to battle back from such a damaging opening and Kenny Bain struck Scotland’s first goal to bring the score to 2-1. Despite the Scotland pressure Wales looked comfortable and profited from a third goal when Dale Hutchinson tapped home from Benjamin Francis cross to make the score to 3-1.

Scotland came out for the second half hungry for goals but they had to survive a penalty corner scare first. Gareth Furlong had two opportunities; the first well saved by David Forrester and the second zipping just wide of the post.

Alan Forsyth scored; forcing the ball into the net after a good run by Hamish Imrie to bring the score to 3-2. Scotland couldn’t find an equaliser and Wales held on to win World League 1 in Glasgow. Both teams qualify for World League 2 in March.


Award winners

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Ghana qualifies for FIH World Hockey League Round 2


A scene from the women's hockey game between Ghana and Kenya

Ghana have qualified for the Federation of International World Hockey Round 2 after emerging victors in both the male and female divisions in Round 1 of the League which was played at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra.

Ghana’s female team booked a place at the next round after defeating their rivals Kenya on Sunday afternoon, thanks to a lone goal by Rachael Bamfo.

The team had initially defeated their counterparts from Nigeria in the first game on Friday.

In the male division, the Black sticks kept their 100% record after defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the final game on Sunday having won against Namibia and Kenya respectively.

Ghana will now be competition in round 2 which will be in a knockout format.

GhanaWeb



2016 mens World Hockey League: Ghana 1-0 Kenya


An action from the game

The Black Sticks were in action against their bitter rivals Kenya in the last game of the day as they beat them by a lone goal.

Captain Salia Nsalbini scored on the tenth minute mark but the East Africans was wasteful in front of goal on several occasions.

Ghana Line Up

1 OPOKU Danso (GK)
2 NSALBINI Salya (C)
4 ABBIW Charles
5 ASAMOAH Stephen
7 AKABA Elikem
8 ANKOMAH Emmanuel
9 ADJEI Richard
11 COFIE Isaac
12 ASIEDU George
13 AKABA Emmanuel
15 OPOKU Ernest
17 BOTSIO Johnny
18 BAAH Shadrack
19 NTIAMOAH Alfred
20 DAMALIE Matthew
22 BAIDEN Michael
27 DAMALIE Luke
30 ACHEAMPONG Eugene (GK)
COACH SACKEY Winfred

Kenya Line Up

1 ONYANGO Festus
2 KARIUKI Francis
3 ININGU Allan
4 WAKHUNGU Maxwell
5 OUNGO Samuel
6 WAKHURA Constant
7 OKILA Christopher
8 MULUPI Neville
10 OSICHE Victor
11 MUSASIA Brian
12 MUTRIA George (C)
13 KANU Calvin
17 OBUNYASI Daniel
18 KIPKEMBOI Linus (GK)
20 ESIKURI Francis
21 OKEYO Willis
23 SAINA Brian
30 AGESA Martin (GK)
COACH SENGE Meshack

GhanaWeb



Kenyans miss ticket

Hockey team loses to Ghana in fight for World Cup slot

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Kenya Flavia Mutiva (l) as Ghana Elizabeth Opoku blocks the ball when they played World League round one at Citypark ,Nairobi. Kenya won 1-0. ON 06/09/14 PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

National women hockey team's dreams of qualifying for the 2018 London World Cup crumbled as they fell 1-0 to old foes Ghana.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) World League One decider was played yesterday at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra, Ghana.

Failure to advance to the second round means that Kenya has to go back to the drawing board and prepare for the continental qualifiers to be held in 2017 at a yet to be named venue.

Racheal Bamfo’s 66th minute goal was enough to seal Kenya’s fate and hand her side a ticket to the next round of the FIH World League series in Valencia, Spain.

It was sweet revenge for the Ghanaians who were almost locked out of the previous World League Two when they lost to Kenya by the same margin in Nairobi in 2014.

However, like the proverbial cat with nine lives Ghana got a reprieve when they were given a slot to play in India while Kenya played in Uruguay.

The rivalry and tension between the two sides was evident as umpires were forced to warn players over and over again dishing out three yellow and four green cards, the highest in this contest.

Kenya’s skipper Tracy Karanja was the first to be booked after 10 minutes of play with Ghana’s Bamfo send out two minutes later.

Nonetheless, it was Lilian Aura’s 65th minute yellow card and minutes in the sin-bin that proved costly as the Ghanaians took advantage of Kenya’s situation with Bamfo scoring the all-important goal a minute after Aura went out.

The Kenyan side struggled without the services of utility player Lorraine Nondi who was dropped from the squad under unclear circumstances.

Nondi together with former national team captain Betsy Omalla, veteran Jackline Mwangi who scored Kenya’s winning goal against Ghana in 2014 have been very instrumental for Kenya in past outings.

While Kenya chose a relatively young and inexperienced squad Ghana stuck to their best with the likes of Elizabeth Opuku, Serwaa Boakye, Umaru Nafisatu, Martha Sarfoa, Cecilia Amoako and Gertrude Inkoom featuring in their first eleven.

The Kenyan girls had fought to a 4-3 victory over Nigeria in their first match.

Ngombo, Doreen Barasa, Lilian Aura and Audrey Omaido scored for Kenya while Nigeria’s goals came through Ikiriko Bumiegha, their veteran captain Justina Onyedum and Precious Uddah.

The Kenyan men were also not lucky as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Ghana lowering their chances of making it to the second round.

The Standard Online



Railways registers a trophy triumph
 
Beats IOC in final 2-1

By S Thyagarajan


The triumphant Indian Railways team at the Murugappa Gold Cup tournament on Sunday

Confirming the status as the National champion, Indian Railways etched its pennant on the Gold Cup with a thrilling 2-1 victory over the defending champion Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in the final of the MCC-Murugappa hockey tournament before a large crowd at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Sunday.

The winner earns a cash award of five lakhs while the runner up takes home 1.5 lakhs.

It once again turned out to be a comeback game for the Indian Railways as it was in the previous semifinal match against BPCL.

The contest contained every ingredient of a final and the squad that displayed the ingenuity and fitness eventually carried the day.

Admittedly, the defending champion was somewhat weakened by the absence of its skipper Deepak Thakur who was injured in the previous match. This definitely impacted on the consistency and craft of the forward line where the onus of leading it fell on the former Olympian, Prabhjot Singh.

But the team’s dependence on the penalty corner striker Raghunath continued and the defender did not disappoint. With an impeccable hit midway in the first half, he hoisted the lead for IOC.  What more, IOC managed to maintain it for quite a while even after the first half.

The Railway attack was not in full flow and all the efforts of Talwinder Singh and Affan Yusuf failed to find the equalizer until midway in the second half.

It was a clever pass by Raju Paul that paved the way the team coming on par when Malak Singh tapped in the 42nd minute.

On level terms now with plenty of time left the teams fought the issue with all their resources. IOC almost came close to getting a goal, but a pass from Roshan Minz was frittered away by Prabhjot Singh at the all important end, 

The moment to cherish for Railways came when 10 minutes remained from the hooter. And that crystallized thanks JP Kush who deflected in a free hit from Talwinder Singh.

That goal more or less confirmed the trophy triumph for Railways. However towards the end a tense moment was averted when goalkeeper Jagraj Singh palmed away a penalty corner shot by Raghunath.

The trophy triumph was one more feather in the cap of the Railways chief coach from ICF Suresh Babu, who had piloted the squad to victories in the Surjit Memorial and the National Championship. He attributed the sequence of victories to the fitness of the team.

Mr. A.Vellayan, Chairman, Murugappa Group, presided and gave away the trophies.

The result (final)

Indian Railways 2 (Malak Singh, JP Kush) beat IOC 1 (V.R.Raghunath)Special prizes (Rs.10000 each and high-end bicycles)

Best Forward: Affan Yousuf (Railways), Best Midfielder: Amit Rohidas (Railways); Best Goalkeeper: Jugraj Singh (Railways); Promising forward: Joshua (Tamil Nadu) and Man of the match (final) Malak Singh (Railways).

Fieldhockey.com



Indian Railways claims Murugappa Gold Cup

Malak Singh and Kush score for the winner against defending champion IOC

K. Keerthivasan


Indian Railways played exceptionally well through the tournament and dominated defending champion IOC in the final. — Photo: R. Ragu

It is not every time that a team which plays exceptionally well in the group stages goes on to win the tournament.

Indian Railways broke the unwritten rule with an impressive performance, barring the defeat to Punjab & Sind Bank in its group (Pool-B).

At the final of the 90th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament here on Sunday, Railways defeated defending champion Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) 2-1 to lift the Trophy.

IOC was definitely handicapped without its star forward Deepak Thakur, who was injured in the semifinals.

Without such an opportunistic and senior pro, IOC lacked the sting in the forward-line.

Prabhjot Singh and Sanjay, with the support from Roshan Minz, did try to break through the Railways defence, but in vain.

In such events, the team relies on penalty corner specialist V.R. Raghunath. He has done well in this tournament, but on Sunday he couldn’t do much.

After Raghunath opened the account for IOC early, the first session was evenly balanced with both teams creating chances and missing them. Railways’ forward Talwinder Singh was involved in quite a few goal-bound moves, but couldn’t convert any of them.

Railways was on the ball from the first minute of the second session. Affan Yousuf, who was largely restricted in the first half, threatened to break free in the second.

His fierce shot from the right missed the stick of J.P. Kush by a whisker.

This time, Railways equalised after a neat pass from the right by Raju Paul was gently pushed home by Malak Singh.

Pretty soon, Railways had two penalty corners; one was saved by IOC ’keeper Baljit Singh and the other was messed up by Railways.

IOC moved ahead with confidence, and possibly its best chance emerged when Roshan Minz dribbled from the right and his pass went straight to Prabhjot, but the forward failed to connect it.

It was the move, with 10 minutes remaining for the hooter, that created the match-winner for Railways.

Amit Rohidas’s wonderful pass from right to Ajmer Singh resulted in an infringement and a free hit.

From 25 metre, Talwinder received a pass and his drive was deflected home by Kush.

IOC was desperately pinning its hopes on Raghunath to equalise, with two minutes remaining for the final whistle, to convert a penalty corner. His drag flick, however, was gloved away by the ’keeper Jagraj Singh.

R. Suresh Babu, chief coach of the Railways, credited the success of the team to its superior fitness.

“Our fitness level was our strength. At the death, we always win because of our fitness. Our one month camp at Kapurthala also proved to be of immense help.”

Suresh, an employee of Integral Coach Factory, further said it was a wonderful feeling to win a prestigious tournament in front of the home crowd.

“After Surjit Singh memorial, National championship, this is my third National title as a chief coach,” he said.

Railways received Rs. 5 lakhs and IOC Rs. 2.5 lakhs. A. Vellayan, Chairman, Murugappa Group, gave away the prizes.

The result (final): Indian Railways 2 (Malak Singh 42, J.P. Kush 60) bt IOC 1 (V.R. Raghunath 16).

Man of the match: Malak Singh.

Special prizes: Best forward: Affan Yousuf (Indian Railways); best midfielder: Amit Rohidas (Indian Railways); best goalkeeper: Jagraj Singh (Indian Railways); most promising player: Joshua (Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu).

The Hindu



Railways stun IOC to win Murugappa title

Vivek Krishnan

CHENNAI: Indian Railways once again came from behind to beat the much-fancied Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) 2-1to win the 90th edition of the All India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Sunday.

Kush JP scored the winning goal for Railways in the 60th minute to upset the defending champions, smartly deflecting a shot taken from the left past the goalkeeper.

In a frantic search for an equaliser in the dying minutes of the game, the IOC players seemed to lose their composure and squandered a slew of chances that were there for the taking. It was here that IOC sorely missed the services of skipper Deepak Thakur.

The experienced forward missed the match owing to an injury that he suffered in the semi-final against ONGC. Railways coach R Suresh Babu, who hails from Tamil Nadu, revealed that the lack of stars in their team worked to their advantage.

"We worked immensely hard on the fitness of the players and I'm glad that it has paid off. While IOC had more established players, what worked to our advantage was that we performed as a unit," Suresh said.

"It's a proud moment for me especially as we have won on my home turf," he added. Earlier, while the first half saw IOC take a 1-0 lead, both goalkeepers were kept equally busy and had to come up with some good saves to keep the opposition forwards at bay. The only goal of the opening 35 minutes came from the stick of the ever-reliable VR Raghunath as he gave the goalkeeper absolutely no chance to come in the way of his strike from a penalty corner. In the 42nd minute, Railways finally made it 1-1 through Malak Singh after some good work by Raju Pal in the build-up before going on to find the winner.

The Times of India



Railways crowned Murugappa Gold Cup champions with 2-1 win over IOC

CHENNAI: JP Kush struck a decisive second-half goal as Indian Railways regained the Murugappa Gold Cup, getting the better of defending champions Indian Oil Corporation Limited 2-1 in the final on Sunday.

The match seemed to be a fight among equals right up to the half-time with one goal to each side. IOC drew the first blood with VR Raghunath sounding the board following a penalty corner in the 16th minute.

Malak Singh (42nd min) neutralised the IOC lead with his superb effort

Kush sealed it off for the Railways with his goal in the 60th minute

Both Captain Deepak Thakur and Bharath Chikara were not fielded since suffering from hamstring injuries, while season goal keeper Devesh Chauhan had to rush back home last night due to his father's illness.

Railways received a cash prize of Rs five lakh besides the Trophy and IOC Rs 2.5 lakh. Railways star Malak Singh was adjudged as the Man of the final, while Affan Yousuf (best forward), Rohidass (best midfielder) and Jugraj Singh (best goal keeper) were also acknowdged for their good show.

Each of these players were given a high-end bicycle from TI Cycles and cash prize of Rs. 10,000.

The Times of India



Bunters don’t want a revolution, they just want to win


Nicolene Terblanche en route to leading the Bunters to victory

THE Blyde River Bunters are emerging as the Premier Hockey League’s die hard side after somehow keeping their unbeaten record intact yesterday.

Having come up against what many thought was their equal in the impressive and similarly undefeated Madikwe Rangers, they displayed for all to see that they are a team which never knows when it is beaten.

First they had to come from a goal down to level matters at one-all at fulltime in what was a tense encounter between two well-organised sides desperate to hold on to their 100% winning records.

The Rangers’ Lisa Deetlefs had put them ahead with a sweetly struck short corner, only for the Bunters’ equally reliable source of goals, Lauren Nina, to equalise late in the game.

This meant the Bunters were in for their second shootout of the tournament, having won their first. It wasn’t long into the shootout before they were 2-0 down to Deetlefs and Bernadette Costons’s goals.

Yet Nicolene Terblanche and Anel Luus brought it back to two-all before Terblanche got the winner with the 12 shot taken in the shootout. The result is a pristine record reading 13 points from four wins in the same amount of games, with the Rangers having to be content with lying second five points adrift.

The Bunters’ relentless pursuit for victory aside, the game that captivated those who turned up at the Randburg Astro was the top of the table clash between the Garden Route Gazelles and the Maropeng Cavemen.

It was an encounter which lived up to its billing as the best game of the weekend. And in the staring contest to decide who the menere were halfway through the tournament, it was the Gazelles who blinked first to a controversial 3-2 defeat.

The Cavemen, who were all hustle and invention in the first half, were first to score, through Cameron McKay’s deflection from a long ball into the net. Jarryd Patrick doubled the score in the second quarter, only for the Gazelles to show their first bit of fight.

Not inclined to just give up the top spot on the log, Gertjie Lamprecht turned in a Kurt Hensburg attempt at goal on the stroke of halftime. Emboldened by getting on the board, the Gazelles camped in the Cavemen’s 25 to the tune of five short corners in succession early in the second half.

But each short corner wave was repelled by a magnificent defensive effort from the Cavemen. The pressure finally told when Jason Maclachlan turned in an equaliser from the chaos created by a Lloyd Norris-Jones run in the Cavemen’s circle.

But Satchi Reddy took Patrick’s legs from under him in the Gazelle’s circle, with Lance Louw obliging by scoring the resultant penalty stroke with six minutes left in the game.

The Gazelle’s fight would be doused out in controversy, when Keenan Horne’s foot was adjudged to have made contact with the ball in a build-up which saw Maclachlan bundle what he thought was another equaliser with two and a half minutes left in the game.

The Cavemen, still undefeated, now lead the standings on nine points from three games, while the Gazelles, who have lost two of their four games but have picked up two bonus points, are a point behind them.

Earlier in the first match of the day, the SA Under-21 team had proved their competitiveness by beating the Mapungubwe Mambas 3-2 in a tense clash. Having given up a 2-0 to the Cavemen on Saturday, there were fears that they’d squandered a winning position from 2-1 up (thanks to goals by Stephen McManus and Ryan Crowe against Lyall Meyer’s two short corner goals).

But Walter Pfaff showed they’d learned the lessons by cropping up with the winner with less than a minute remaining.

The same can’t be said of the Pietie Coetzee-Turner coached Orange River Rafters, whose bluntness in front of goal meant they lost again, this time 2-0 to the St Lucia Lakers, whose goals were scored by Kaz Bowyer and Kate Koenig in the first half.

In the final match of the day, the winless Addo Elephants had that sinking feeling again as two venomous Dave Agar drag flicks relegated them to their third defeat, against the Drakensberg Dragons.

SAHA Premier Hockey League media release



Deetlefs and Norris-Jones show their class


Two goal hero Lloyd Norris-Jones accept his man of the match award.

Lisa Deetlefs and Lloyd Norris-Jones lead the women’s and men’s goal scoring charts, respectively, at the end of weekend two of the Premier Hockey League.

Deetlefs is top of the scorers table in the women’s section with three goals, whilst Norris-Jones heads up the scorers table in the men’s section with four strikes.

See below for a full breakdown of the scorers lists at the conclusion of the second weekend of action:

Men’s Section:

Surname Name Team FG PC PS Total
NORRIS-JONES Lloyd Gazelles 4     4
MACKAY Cameron Cavemen 3     3
AGAR Dave Dragons   2   2
HETEM Ross Mambas 1 1   2
HORNE Keenan Gazelles 1 1   2
LOUW Lance Cavemen     2 2
MALGRAFF Ignatius Elephants 2     2
MEYER Lyall Mambas   2   2
ARENDSE Reece Gazelles 1     1
CAINCROSS Chad Dragons 1     1
COMERASAMY Cerezo Mambas   1   1
CROWE Ryan Gladiators 1     1
DE SOUSA Matthew Gladiators 1     1
de VOUX Pierre Gazelles 1     1
DRUMMOND James Cavemen   1   1
DRUMMOND Tim Dragons 1     1
FREDERICKS Lyndon Gazelles 1     1
GONSALVES Nick Dragons 1     1
GUISE-BROWN Tim Gazelles   1   1
HENSBURG Kurt Gazelles   1   1
JONES Jarryd Cavemen 1     1
JULIUS Ryan Gladiators 1     1
KIMFLEY Damian Elephants 1     1
LAMPRECHT Gertjie Gazelles 1     1
MACLACHLAN Jason Gazelles 1     1
McMANUS Stephen Gladiators 1     1
MEA Mohamed Dragons   1   1
MOKALE Khumo Gladiators 1     1
NTULI Nqobile Gladiators 1     1
PANTHER Brandon Mambas 1     1
PATRICK Jarryd Cavemen 1     1
PAUTZ Richard Elephants 1     1
Total     30 11 2 43

Women’s Section:

Surname Name Team FG PC PS Total
DEETLEFS Lisa-Marie Rangers   3   3
MENTOOR Belinda Wings 2     2
NINA Lauren Bunters 2     2
van JAARSVELD Sylvia Rangers 2     2
BAXTER Stephanie Lakers   1   1
BOWYER Kaz Lakers   1   1
DAVIDS Ilse Wings   1   1
GOUWS Simone Rafters 1     1
HAWKER Lisa Rangers 1     1
HILL Charne Bunters   1   1
JOHNSON Robyn Wings 1     1
JUBB Jacinta Lakers 1     1
KOENIG Kate Lakers 1     1
MARAIS Elmien Bunters 1     1
McEWAN Heather Wings   1   1
MILLER Kaydee Bunters 1     1
ROBERTSON Megan Rafters 1     1
WOOD Bianca Bunters 1     1
Total     15 8 0 23


SAHA Premier Hockey League media release



Coaching clinics for disadvantaged children


Disadvantaged children getting some much-needed exposure

The country’s best players will be hogging the limelight this month playing in the Premier Hockey League (PHL) on the main Randburg Astro, but arguably an even more important development will be taking place on the upper field as the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) and the Department of Sports and Recreation hold coaching clinics for disadvantaged children.

For the next four weeks, 180 children from the ages of 10 to 13 will be playing HockeyFives, the new short, pacey format of the game being introduced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), as players who don’t usually get the opportunity for regular competitive hockey will be getting some much-needed exposure.

Facilities are always a problem for children in disadvantaged areas, but there are even more challenges when it comes to transforming hockey due to the costs of equipment, transport and coaching.

Mervyn Mooi, a junior development co-ordinator for the Southern Gauteng Hockey Association (SGHA), says there is a pool of more than 5000 players in the province who are now going to be brought into the system.

“These players, up to U14 level, come from disadvantaged areas where hockey is dysfunctional or non-existent. But as clubs in Southern Gauteng, we need to engage them otherwise their talent won’t be discovered playing in unofficial leagues.

“More than just getting to play on astro and getting formal coaching, as well as some exposure on national TV, these kids get to play against other teams from other backgrounds. For some, it’s just wonderful to be able to get out of the township for the first time,” Mooi said.

The joint initiative between SAHA and the SGHA, with the support of the Department of Sports and Recreation, will also be about more than just this month when the South African hockey family is gathered in Randburg.

“We want to make this sustainable, we want it to happen every week so we can really build a love and passion for the game amongst all Gauteng’s development children,” SAHA vice-president Lwandile Simelane said.

“It’s very important to us because that’s the future and it needs to translate from what’s happening on the top field to the more elite hockey of the PHL down on the bottom field.”

Players are attending the coaching clinics from 11 different clubs – In Touch from Bosmont, Wings, Westbury Villa, Claremont, Soshanguve, Diepsloot Silverstars, Noordgesig, Riverlea, Newbury, Ennerdale and Eldorado Park.

In Touch are driving the process by co-ordinating the initiative and supplying coaches.

Both SAHA and the SGHA have had stick-recycling drives that have seen many unused hockey sticks donated to the development programme, but the desperate need that exists at grassroots level means any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

SAHA Premier Hockey League media release



Auckland Women flex muscles in Round 4


Photo: www.photosport.nz

A strong win has seen the Auckland Women stay well in the finals hunt following Round 4 of the Ford National Hockey League in Whangarei.

The defending champions dominated the match with Black Sticks defender Liz Thompson scoring a double from penalty corners, Fiona Burnett picking up a brace and Danielle Jones adding another.

Auckland now sit in second place on the table with 11 points, just behind North Harbour who moved clear at the top on 13 points after defeating the Central Mysticks 2-1.

Central scored the opening goal through captain Michaela Curtis in the 16th minute but saw Harbour reply with two unanswered goals through Stephanie Dickins and Amie Judge to take the result.

The Canterbury Cats kept their finals hopes afloat with a big 4-0 win over last year’s runners up Northland. The Cats were in control from the opening whistle with Hannah Hill, Rachel McCann, Bridget Kiddle and Libby Bird on the score sheet.

In Men’s results, North Harbour banked two points after a 2-1 shoot-out win over the Central Mavericks following an entertaining match which ended tied at 3-3.

Cory Bennett struck twice with penalty corner flicks while Robbie Capizzi added his seventh goal of the tournament for Harbour. Matt Young, Brennan Alexander-Parker and Martin Atkinson all scored for the Mavericks.

Defending champions the Capital Cobras put together an emphatic performance as they thrashed Auckland 7-1 in their first win of the tournament.

The Cobras controlled possession and took advantage of their opportunities with Phil Roper bagging four goals along with a hat-trick from Dane Lett.

The Canterbury Cavaliers stormed to the top of the table with an emphatic 8-0 result over hosts Northland led by a hat-trick from Sam Lane and a Willie Hayde double.

Tomorrow is a rest day at the Ford National Hockey League in Whangarei before Round 5 fires up on Tuesday.

The 2016 Ford National Hockey League is proudly supported by the Whangarei District Council and Trillian Trust.

FORD NHL ROUND 4 RESULTS - WOMEN

Auckland 5: (Liz Thompson 2, Fiona Burnett 2, Danielle Jones)
Capital 1: (Caitlin Procter)

Canterbury Cats 4: (Hannah Hill, Rachel McCann, Bridget Kiddle, Libby Bird)
Northland 0

North Harbour 2: (Stephanie Dickins, Amie Judge)
Central Mysticks 1: (Michaela Curtis)

BYE: Midlands

FORD NHL ROUND 4 RESULTS – MEN

North Harbour 3: (Cory Bennett 2, Robbie Capizzi)
Central Mavericks 3: (Matt Young, Brennan Alexander-Parker, Martin Atkinson)
North Harbour won shoot-out 2-1

Capital Cobras 7: (Phil Roper 4, Dane Lett 3)
Auckland 1: (Mark Bell-Kake)

Canterbury Cavaliers 8: (Sam Lane 3, Willie Hayde 2, Nick Haig, Jason Niles, Cam Hayde)
Northland 0

BYE: Midlands

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Capital Cobras strike with venom in seven goal thrashing of Auckland


Capital's Phil Roper wins the battle with Auckland's Ben Radonovich in a match where he scored a remarkable four goals. HEATH JOHNSON/PHOTOSPORT

A 7-1 thrashing of hockey powerhouses Auckland has kept Capital's faint hopes alive of defending their national men's title in Whangarei.

English import Phil Roper rattled in four goals and Dane Lett three as the Wellington side roared back from a flat opening weekend against Canterbury and Central.

It was a stunning reply to kick off finals week in the far north but with the cut-throat nature of the competition which pits the top two qualifiers in a straight final, Capital probably need to win their last three matches to give themselves a chance of contesting the decider.


Capital's Dane Lett shoots from a penalty corner during his side's 7-1 win over Auckland in the NHL match in Whangarei. HEATH JOHNSON/PHOTOSPORT

After their opening two games when they struggled to create chances it looked bleak for new coach Scott Falconer's side who took possession of the Challenge Shield a year ago.

But they showed scoring goals was no problem, and when Roper slotted his first on the stroke of halftime Capital were up 3-1 and looking good.

Former Black Stick Lett completed his hat-trick four minutes into the second half to put it beyond doubt then Roper cut loose, slotting three more of his own in an eight-minute period late in the match.

Their first win left Capital fourth on the standings, seven points behind unbeaten Canterbury and North Harbour who are the two to peg back. Canterbury smashed Northland 8-0 while Harbour banked two points with a penalty shootout win over Central after scores were tied 3-3 at fulltime.

Those two leading sides face each other on Tuesday which will help Capital make up ground if they beat Midlands the same day. Then Harbour loom for Capital on Wednesday in a match that could decide their fate.

In the women's competition, Capital are still chasing their first win after a 5-1 defeat to Auckland. A consolation goal on fulltime to Caitlin Procter was all Capital could manage as they sit sixth of the seven teams after three matches.

They face fourth-placed Midlands on Tuesday.

For defending champions Auckland, Black Sticks defender Liz Thompson scored a double from penalty corners while Fiona Burnett also picked up a brace.

Auckland sit in second place on the table with 11 points, just behind North Harbour who moved clear at the top on 13 points after defeating the Central Mysticks 2-1.

Central scored the opening goal through captain Michaela Curtis but Harbour replied through Stephanie Dickins and Amie Judge to take the result.

The Canterbury Cats kept their finals hopes afloat with a 4-0 win over last year's runners-up Northland.

RESULTS

Men, round four: Capital 7 (Phil Roper 4, Dane Lett 3) Auckland 1 (Mark Bell-Kake).

Women, round four: Auckland 5 (Liz Thompson 2, Fiona Burnett 2, Danielle Jones) Capital 1 (Caitlin Procter).

The Dominion Post



Southern remain committed to rep hockey


Photo: www.photosport.nz

Hockey New Zealand and Southern Hockey are committed to working together to ensure the region returns to top level domestic competition.

This year the Southern Dogs (Men) and Southern Women (Storm) are not competing at the Ford National Hockey League despite efforts by the Southern Board and Hockey New Zealand to have them there.

Both Hockey New Zealand and Southern are determined to ensure this is a one off for the proud region.

Hockey New Zealand CEO Ian Francis said the organisation is committed to an ongoing relationship with Southern to move forward in the best interests of the sport.

"Southern are a crucial region for hockey in New Zealand both at community and high performance level and we need a strong Southern region and avenue for their players to participate,” he said.

“Hockey New Zealand and Southern both have every intention of Southern being back in the Ford NHL in 2017. The Southern teams are valued and have certainly shown previously that they are extremely capable and talented.

“Hockey New Zealand will be meeting with all regional CEOs over the coming weeks to review the overall structure of the NHL and other tournaments and are looking forward to working with the Southern Board on combined actions that we believe will have positive outcomes going forward.”

Southern Board Co-Chair Andrew Booth said he was excited by the appointment of prospective high performance coaches who would bring vitality to the region by upskilling coaches and being available to coach the Southern Women at the Ford NHL next year.

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Midlands women's national league campaign wobbles after technical hitch

AARON GOILE


A technical ruling has put the Midlands women's team on the back foot at their National Hockey League tournament. PHOTOSPORT

The Midlands women's National Hockey League campaign has been dealt a blow after a technical hitch saw Saturday's third round result against North Harbour in Whangarei overturned on appeal.

Midlands had fought their way to a 3-3 scoreline at fulltime, before Harbour prevailed 3-1 in the shootout, meaning Harbour initially took two competition points from the match and Midlands one. However, by Saturday night the result was altered to a 3-0 victory to Harbour, after they were successful in their appeal against Midlands fielding too many players in the match.

It meant Harbour were instead awarded four points, and Midlands none, with the teams' goal differences changing accordingly, with Harbour moving to the top of the table, and Midlands remaining in fourth.

Midlands' issue was they had one of their goalkeepers ruled out of the match with illness, and seemingly didn't go through the right channels in reporting it.

Hockey New Zealand's rules state that a team can use 18 players if they have two goalkeepers, though if they want to run with just the one keeper, they must only have 16 players in the game. Then there's the rule that says if one of the keepers is injured or suspended during the tournament, the team can continue with one keeper, and a total of 17 players.

Midlands played with 17, believing all was fine, but Hockey New Zealand found them in breach because, as stated in their official correspondence, "the Midlands women’s team registered one goalkeeper for the match".

Harbour appealed to Hockey New Zealand soon after shaking hands at the end of the match, which came as an unpleasant surprise to Midlands high performance manager Simon Brill.

"That was actually the first I was aware that anything was wrong," Brill said. "We weren't alerted by any technical officials prior or anything through that process. So we were a little bit shocked.

"We needed to perhaps be a bit more clear and demonstrate with some medical reasons as to why that second keeper wasn't there. We weren't actually asked why or where that second keeper was, which is a bit frustrating from our point of view, because we weren't doing anything outside of what we thought were the rules.

"It is disappointing. And in what was a good game of hockey. I thought both teams competed, and it's not something that affects the game at all, the same number of players compete, whether there's a goalkeeper sitting on the bench or not."

Midlands put in an appeal of their own, but Brill said all they could really appeal was the process, which was deemed to have run appropriately.

Brill noted the rule around the 16 and 18 player numbers was to encourage teams to have two keepers, in order to grow depth in that specialist position. But, having been involved in national tournaments for many years, it was the first time he had come across the "curveball" one relating to injury.

"It's a shame that it's gone through a judicial process," he said.

"We didn't believe we were actually given duty of care. We're a volunteer team, our players pay to be here, and sometimes we come across these quite firm handed rules. Are they in the spirit of the game? It's always difficult to find that line. So to the letter of the law we've been held accountable to rules, and we need to say 'ok, take it on the chin, and move on'."

Midlands are set to have their second keeper back on deck for their match against Capital on Tuesday. Having gone into the weekend sitting in top spot, Midlands now likely need to win their remaining three matches to make Saturday's final.

Meanwhile, the Midlands men's team were thumped 6-1 by North Harbour on Saturday, and sit sixth with three games remaining.

Stuff



Women’s AHL Team information

Author: Holly MacNeil



All States and Territories have now announced their teams for the upcoming Australian Hockey League competition to be held in Perth from the 29th September until the 9th October. Along with teams from all States and Territories, the competition will now also incorporate international teams from Malaysia and New Zealand for the first time.

Ten teams will take part in the women’s competition including (Click on the team name to go through to the individual team):

1.NT Pearls
2.SA Suns
3.WA Diamonds 
4.ACT Strikers 
5.VIC Vipers
6.QLD Scorchers
7.NSW Arrows 
8.TAS Van Demons 
9.Malaysian Tigress
10.NZ Futures


The event will be live streamed for Semi-finals and finals on Friday 7 and Sunday 9 October via epicentre.tv so that everyone can tune into the live action with some of the best hockey players and up and comers from around the country.

If you can make the event in person, make sure you don’t miss out – buy your ticket online today HERE.

Hockey Australia media release



Pakistan team for Women Asian Hockey Federation Cup Announced

Pakistan team for the Women Asian Hockey Federation Cup to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from October 1-9 has been announced.
Apart from 18 players for the competition, six standbys have also been named.

Hina Kanwal is the Captain of the squad and Rizwana Yasmin is the Vice Captain

Goalkeepers:
Rizwana Yasmin  (WAPDA)
Saeeda Sadia (Railways)

Fullbacks:
Ishrat Abbas (WAPDA)
Marina Anwar (Railways)
Taskeen Kausar (Army)

Halfbacks:
Nafeesa Anwar (WAPDA)
Iqra Javed  (WAPDA)
Ayesha Bashir (WAPDA)
Zaib-un-Nisa (Railways)

Forwards:
Hina Kanwal (Railways)
Maira Sabir  (WAPDA)
Sana Allahditta (Army)
Kalsoom Shahzadi (WAPDA)
Afshan Naureen (WAPDA)
Ambreen Arshad (WAPDA)
Hina Pervez (WAPDA)
Sahil Malik (Army)
Kulsoom Munir  (Railways)

Standbys:
Rushna Khan  GK (Punjab)
Rimsha Ilyas  FB  (Punjab)
Sana Arshad  HB  (Army)
Mahjabeen  FWD  (Army)
Hamra Latif FWD  (Punjab)
Zakia Nawaz  FWD  (Railways)

Officials:
Saeed Khan (Manager & Chief Coach)
Usman Sheikh (Coach)

PHF Media release



It doesn't pay to mess around

By Jugjet Singh


HAPPY DAYS ...(from left) National coach Stephen van Huizen, Nabil, Razie and MHC Technical  Director Terry Walsh during the Pulapol visit on Aug 9.

NEVER hold the Police Force to ransom, as you will lose your freedom, and privileges before you can say shoot.

Two national players found out the hard way when they did just that to the Police, and might now miss a chance to play in the Asian Champions Trophy in Kuantan on Oct 20-30 as well.

National No 1 drag flick specialist Razie Rahim and midfielder Nabil Fiqri joined the Police as trainee Inspectors four months ago together with national women's players Farah Ayuni Yahya and Noor Hasliza Ali.

They reported for training on May 8, and all was going well until Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) felt that they needed Nabil and Razie to boost their sagging fortunes in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League.

KLHC wrote to the Pulapol Camp Commander asking for the duos release to play two crucial matches against Sapura on Friday and Terengganu Hockey Team on Saturday.

Police shot down the request because the understanding with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) was that the four players can only be released for national duty, as well as national training as they will be undergoing training for nine months before the passing out parade.

Razie and Nabil then threatened to quit the Force if they are not allowed to play for their club KLHC.

But the threat was met with a counter request for a letter stating that they quit the Police training on their own accord, which they failed to hand over.

The saga continued, as these two players had gotten away with murder in demands against the MHC before and felt they were above the Force.

Maneuvers were made to take them out of Pulapol on purpose of national weights training, and it worked. But instead of going to Bukit Jalil for weights on Friday, they went to the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium in Jalan Pantai to play for KLHC in the Premeir Division.

Razie scored two penalty corner goals by the 30th minute to help KLHC beat Sapura 3-0, but by half-time their ruse was discovered by officers in Pulapol and they were told to pack their knap-sacks and report back to Pulapol in a huff.

They left the game in a lurch, and were not allowed to play in the following day's crucial match against THT -- where KLHC lost 2-1.

Naturally, the Pulapol Camp Commander is fuming mad with what happened as he had bent backwards earlier to accommodate requests from the MHC.

An MHC delegation with no less than Terry Walsh as well as women's coach K. Dharmaray and men's coach Stephen van Huizen had visited all four Inspector Trainees in Pulapol recently and asked for some leeway like days out for national as well as weights training's, and for tournaments which involve the national team.

The Force agreed to their demands, as it was for the nation's good. But they were also adamant that Club duty does not come under this understanding.

So, by holding the Police Force to ransom, and jumping the Pulapol fence on a ruse, Malaysia might now lose the services of Razie and Nabil for the Asian Champions Trophy which offers World ranking points for the first time.

MHC officials were also involved in this complot, and its only fair to penalise everybody who is involved in this conspiracy to play.

Another ransom case solved. Well done Royal Malaysia Police.

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
 



Spartans whip JKUAT in women's hockey

By Elizabeth Mburugu


USIU Maureen Wanjala with the ball blocks Vikings Caroline Okoth when they played Premier Ladies at CityPark yesterday, 17/07/2016. USIU SCORED 1-0. PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Spartans drubbed their Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) counterparts 4-0 in a Kenya Hockey Union women’s league match played yesterday at City Park Stadium.

Former international player Sandra Vodoti grabbed a brace while Grace Akumu and skipper Beatrice Mbugua scored a goal each to help their side bag maximum points.

The win saw Spartans move four places to fourth on six points behind league leaders Telkom Orange, debutants Amira Sailors in second and third placed Sliders.

Spartans coach Tom Olal told Feverpitch they are targeting a top three finish despite the slow start to the season.

“We want to finish in a respectable position and a top three finish is our aim. We did not start well and dropped six points after two losses, but I believe that our target is still within reach,” Olal said.

He said he was mainly concentrating on helping his new players gain confidence with every match they play. “Most of my players are new to this level and it might have contributed to our poor start.

“I want them to gain confidence so that we can all work together towards achieving our objectives.”

The match was balanced as both teams settled in the game well with Spartans seeking to make amends for their past unsuccessful outings.

Vodoti broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute after being set up by Beatrice Wekesa.

That was the only goal of the first half as JKUAT tightened their defence while trying to press deeper into the Spartans territory without success.

Akumu added a second for Spartans in the 47th minute with Vodoti, who failed to make it to the national team that is currently in Ghana, sealing her brace eight minutes later. Mbugua converted a penalty corner in the 61st minute to give her side their second victory of the season.

In the men’s second division tier, Wazalendo Youth beat Thika Rovers 3-2 to remain top of the log. Multimedia University were on a scoring spree hitting five past JKUAT men.

The Standard Online



No. 1 Syracuse stays undefeated, tops Stanford

Syracuse Athletics


The Orange picked up its second win of the weekend, dropping Stanford to 1-4 on Sunday.

The No. 1 Syracuse field hockey team (6-0) won its second game over a ranked opponent of the weekend, taking down No. 14 Stanford by a score of 3-1 on Sunday at J.S. Coyne Stadium.

Coming off Friday's win against No. 18 Boston College by the same score, the Orange jumped ahead of the Cardinals early, never trailing and building an early 2-0 lead before the halftime break.

Junior Laura Hurff put Syracuse on the board 15 minutes into the game, collecting a rebound off Stanford goalie, Kelsey Bing, before firing a shot past the keeper for a one-goal Orange advantage.

Just seven minutes later, Elaine Carey found the back of the net for Syracuse, deflecting a hard shot from Hurff passed the Cardinals defense to extend the lead to two.

Coming out of the break, the Cardinal got on the scoreboard with 31:30 to play. Deflecting a ball from Caroline Beaudoin, Kristina Bassi slipped one past Regan Spencer to narrow the gap for the visitors.

Spencer finished the day with four saves, with the deflection coming as the only time she was beat on the afternoon. Bing made eight saves in net for Stanford.

After 11 minutes of scoreless play followed the Stanford goal, the Orange tacked on an insurance goal to push its lead back to two. Receiving a pass from Serra Degnan, Roos Weers launched a shot from the edge of the arc that was deflected by a Cardinal defender before making its way into the net for the game's final tally.

Wrapping up a two-win weekend, the topped ranked Orange looks to extend its winning streak next Sunday as the team travels to face ACC-foe, Wake Forest. Start-time for match will be noon.

NCAA



Maryland field hockey beats American, 6-2, for its third straight win

By James Crabtree-Hannigan


Forward Linnea Gonzales runs the ball down the field during Maryland's 6-2 victory over American University at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex on September 11, 2016 (Matt Regan/The Diamondback)

After dominating play from the start in a 5-1 win over California on Saturday, the No. 7 Maryland field hockey team struggled at times in Sunday's game against American.

The Eagles created early chances. Defensively, they held the Terps to two goals in the first half.

Still, coach Missy Meharg's bunch was able to take control of the game in the second half en route to a 6-2 win at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex.

"We made a few adjustments at halftime, and I think the girls took those adjustments and ran with it," forward Welma Luus said. "We did everything we talked about at halftime and picked it up in the second half."

Despite not doing everything they wanted in the first half, the Terps (4-2) led 2-0 at the break.

Midfielder Linnea Gonzales put her team on the board the 13th minute, beating American goalkeeper Maura Jacobs with a well-struck shot from the left of goal to make it 1-0.

But after going down a score, the Eagles seemed closer to equalizing the game than the Terps were to extending their lead. About a minute after the goal, Terps goalkeeper Sarah Holliday made a save but couldn't control the rebound, which ended up on the stick of American forward Leah DiGiandomenico.

While DiGiandomenico's shot got past Holliday and rolled all the way across the goalmouth, it was up just wide, drawing cheers and then groans from the American bench.

"American plays the fastest hockey of any team that we've played this year," Meharg said. "They have huge wills and they imposed [them] on us. We were fortunate to [have] some really good shot selections and great finishes."

The Eagles took the game's next two shots but couldn't find the net, and the Terps doubled their lead in the 25th minute. Luus took a hard shot that was saved but earned a penalty corner.

Forward Grace Balsdon scored off of that penalty corner to put the Terps up 2-0, a scoreline that would hold up until halftime. It could have been a larger lead if not for the efforts of Jacobs, who made a few huge saves, including one on a penalty stroke from Balsdon.

Maryland faced much less resistance in the early stages of the second half, and Gonzales took advantage with a goal and an assist in the period's first 15 minutes. In the 50th minute, Luus scored to make it 4-0.

The sophomore's assist came on a spectacular effort from Luus, who raised her stick above her head to deflect in Gonzales' shot that was headed high and off target.

"I saw it flying high and got my stick up and got a touch on it," Luus said. "I kind of felt it was going in off my stick, but I wouldn't say that it was 100% planned."

Gonzales' goal, meanwhile, came as the result of a penalty corner. It was the second of three penalty corner goals for the Terps, showing improvement in an area Meharg said she wasn't always happy with in the early part of the season.

"[Associate head coach Joppe de Vries] has been with the women, just breaking it down. …We've really been detailed," Meharg said. "When you work on it, it's amazing what happens."

The Eagles also took advantage of corners, scoring off of a pair of them in the middle stages of the second half and cut the lead to 4-2 with about 11 minutes to go. But forward Sophie Pelzer ended any hopes of a comeback effort with a goal in the 65th minute. Balsdon scored the Terps' sixth goal of the day as the final buzzer sounded to cap the team's third straight victory.

"It was a really good second half for us," midfielder Lein Holsboer said. "We came back strong and found each other really well."

The Diamondback



Cal field hockey drops matchup against Maryland, beats Fairfield in Terrapin Invitational

By Lucy Schaefer


Phillip Downey/File

This weekend the Cal field hockey team took promising steps forward at the Terrapin Invitational following its season-opening three-game losing streak. The Bears were able to end their two-game long scoring drought Saturday, as well as log their first win of the season against Fairfield on Sunday.

After flying to Maryland, Cal played its first game of the tournament against the hosts themselves, the No. 7 Terrapins, falling 5-1. Although this score seems like it would reflect a pretty lopsided game, the Bears were successful in making adjustments at halftime, especially after giving up three goals in the first 35 minutes.

At the half, head coach Shellie Onstead focused on the need to have tighter man-to-man coverage, a theme that the team has been struggling with so far this season. They used the half-court press tactic, which forces the opposing team to occupy a smaller area of the field, creating open space for breakaways when the opposing team loses possession. Since this method requires high energy, the Bears made many substitutions and were often forced to move players to different positions.

Barely a minute into the second half, sophomore Melina Moore put away a loose ball in front of the goal bringing the score to 3-1. Shortly thereafter, however, the Terrapins answered with two goals and the score stayed at 5-1 until time ran out.

The following day, Cal matched up against Fairfield, who fell to American on Saturday. The Bears were able to come away with a 3-1 victory over the Stags.

The fact that three different players scored each goal goes to show that the team was really working together to move the ball to everyone.

In the 18th minute of play, Moore, who was again positioned in front of the goal, was able to tip the ball in for Cal’s first score of the day.

About two minutes later, redshirt sophomore Katrina Carter, assisted by senior Monica Marrazzo, received a ball to the near post and lifted it over the goalie, earning Carter her first collegiate goal. The team’s final goal was scored by sophomore Janaye Sakkas, who capitalized on a loose ball in the 37th minute of play.

Fairfield was scoreless against the Bears until almost the very last minute of the game, which was a testament to the Bears’ hard work on defense and success with ball control.  And as always, junior goalie Kori Griswold made crucial saves in both games that kept the score as low as it was; against Maryland and Fairfield she recorded season highs of eight saves.

Although they went 1-1 over the weekend, the invitational was just what Cal needed to gain — a renewed sense of enthusiasm about its upcoming games. With a wider breadth of players scoring goals and more women gaining experience in different positions, the Bears need to bring this on-the-road experience back to their home field in the coming weeks.

The Daily Californian



No. 5 Penn State field hockey defeats Lock Haven 4-1 thanks to strong defense

John Hogan



No. 5 Penn State continued its dominant start to the season, downing Lock Haven, 4-1.

“Lock Haven always gives us a great challenge because they are great competitors,” coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss said. “They played amazing defense, we just needed to be more patient and not get frantic and frustrated, and we did that the second half.”

It took some time for the Nittany Lions’ offensive attack to get going, as Moira Putsch netted the lone goal of the first half. However the Lions scored three goals in the second half before allowing a Lock Haven goal in the game’s waning minutes.

“I thought our effort and our attitude to never give up and keep trying [was key],” Moira Putsch said. “The way they played us in a way that they packed everyone into our 25, which was more of a challenge for us because we like to use the space, so we had to change our game a little bit.”

Putsch scored the game’s first goal, but the Lions saw Gini Bramley, Shay Cannon and Kasey Morano add goals of their own.

“We’ve been hammering them all week and we keep working on scoring with them because that’s their role,” Morett-Curtiss said. “[Morano] was right there on the cage to get that goal so I think those guys have that hunger to score.”

The Lions’ offense took time to get going; however, the unit persisted and ultimately clicked in the second half.

“They had a great start to their season. They were undefeated and they scored a lot of goals coming into this game,” Morett-Curtiss said. “So we just needed to stick to the game plan and be patient to get the ball in scoring position.”

The offense may have been stagnant the first half, but the Lions’ defense was ready to go from the jump, holding Lock Haven to just three shots and only allowing a goal in the game’s final minutes.

The Lions’ next test will be home against Bucknell on Tuesday. After Bucknell, the Lions open their Big Ten schedule and play their first game outside of Pennsylvania when they take on No. 19 Iowa.

The Daily Collegian

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