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All the news for Friday 21 October 2016

Good start for Malaysia

By Jugjet Singh

MALAYSIA sang in the rain, when they beat defending champions Pakistan 4-2 in the Asian Champions Trophy at the Kuantan Stadium Thursday.

Faizal Shaari, who returned to the national squad after serving his six-month ban and service with the back-up squad, scored a penalty stroke and a field goal to hand Malaysia the crucial win.

The first quarter was shaky, as Malaysia and Pakistan both played bad hockey and the crowd were almost put to sleep,

However, when the rain came pouring and stopped the match for 10 minutes, Malaysia regrouped and came out looking fresh in attack -- winning three crucial points in their attempt to finish higher than three consecutive bronze medals in the ACT.

Coach Stephen van Huizen's men lived dangerously, and three goals after the second half breather is what separated them from Pakistan.

They face China today, in what is expected to be another three points in the bag.

"The rain came at the right moment and my players regrouped and put up a good fight in the opening match even though Pakistan are never easy to beat," said Van Huizen.

"Penalty corners are our strongest in this tournament, and we utilised those that came our way. As for Faizal his goals made the difference but there is still much work to be done form him before he becomes what he was in previous years," said Van Huizen.

And China?: "We expect another good match, and even though they are a new side, nothing can be taken for granted tomorrow (today)."

Malaysia, with six penalty corner flickers in their fold, won their first in the 12th minute but Razie Rahim's flick was blocked by the first runner and they were awarded a consecutive second.

This time, Razie was on target but the ball was deflected out for pusher Firhan Ashaari to knock in from close range for a 13th minute lead.

However Aleem Bilal, 23, and into his first International with the seniors, scored two penalty corner goals in the 18th and 34th minutes to put the pressure on the hosts.

It was then that the match was stopped for 10 minutes as the rain lashed heavier and flooded the pitch.

And after resumption, two consecutive rough tackles by Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt on youngster Aiman Nik Rosemi in the 36th, resulted in a penalty stroke after a video referral.

Faizal Shaari executed a low push from the spot, and Malaysia were level at 2-2 by the 37th minute.

Malaysia were presented with a golden opportunity when they won their fifth penalty corner in the 41st minute, and Shahril Saabah's attempt made it 3-2.

The fourth goal came off a botched sixth penalty corner under pouring rain, which was salvaged by a powerful hit to the top of the net by Faizal in the 60th minute, for his brace.

RESULTS: Malaysia 4 Pakistan 2, India 10 Japan 2.

FRIDAY: Pakistan v South Korea (6.30pm), Malaysia v China (8.30pm).

SATURDAY: India v South Korea (6.30pm), China v Japan (8.30pm).

STANDINGS

         P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
INDIA    1  1  0  0  10  2  3
MALAYSIA 1  1  0  0  4  2  3
PAKISTAN 1  0  0  1  2  4  0
JAPAN    1  0  0  1  0  10  0
CHINA    0  0  0  0  0  0  0
S. KOREA 0  0  0  0  0  0  0

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey

Asian Champions Trophy: Pakistan go down 2-4 to Malaysia in opening tie

Pakistan lost to hosts Malaysia 2-4  in the opening match of the 4th Asian Champions Trophy in Kuantan.

Both the Pakistani goals were scored by Aleem Bilal off penalty corners.

It was 1-1 at half time.

Pakistan were leading 2-1 early in the second half. Rain stopped the match for 16 minutes.

On resumption, it seemed Pakistan had lost the rhythm. They paid a heavy price, conceding two goals in a span of five minutes.

Going behind for the first time, Pakistan retaliated  and made some penetrating attacks.

They had a few good  chances but the forwards failed to make them count.
Malaysia's fourth goal came in the last moments of the 60 minute match of four quarters.

Pakistan faces South Korea on Friday.

PHF Media release

Asian Hockey Champions Trophy: Defending champions Pakistan off to losing start

By Nabil Tahir


Pakistan skipper Fareed Ahmed admitted they were unable to come to terms with a four-minute salvo that saw Malaysia equalise and then retake the lead in a closely fought clash. PHOTO COURTESY: ASIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION

KARACHI: Defending champions Pakistan lost the opening match of the fourth Asian Hockey Champions Trophy against hosts Malaysia 4-2 in Kuantan yesterday.

Five of six goals came from penalty corners while Malaysia scored one of theirs via a penalty stroke.

The match was an open contest from the get-go and Malaysia took the lead in the 13th minute when a penalty corner was converted in the 13th minute by Firhan Ashari.

Pakistan’s Aleem Bilal duplicated the trick for his team when he smashed an 18th minute penalty corner into the top corner to make it 1-1 at half-time.

The Greenshirts took the lead in the third quarter, with Bilal again converting from a penalty corner to make it 2-1.

Just three minutes later, Faizal Saari scored from a Malaysian penalty stroke to make it 2-2 in the 37th minute.

And just four minutes later they struck again, with Shahril Saabah on hand to convert a penalty corner and give Malaysia the lead once again.

The hosts were hanging onto their lead but made sure of the points when Saabah scored in the final minute to make it 4-2.

Stand-in captain Fareed Ahmed, leading the line in Muhammad Irfan’s absence, said the team played well but couldn’t handle the pressure once Malaysia equalised.

“When we scored two goals, we had the confidence to win the match but they scored twice in quick succession,” Ahmed told The Express Tribune. “They turned the game on its head in just seven minutes and we couldn’t deal with that.”

The skipper also bemoaned his side’s profligacy. “We missed a lot of chances and that ultimately cost us — we have to overcome these mistakes if we are to win the upcoming matches and make it into the final four.”

India flex muscle against Japan

India showed why many people are considering them the favourites for this year’s edition as they smashed 10 goals against last edition’s runners-up Japan, who pulled two back once India had taken their foot off the pedal.

Indian skipper Rupinder Pal Singh was in particular ruthless mood as he grabbed himself six goals, all from penalty corners.

The Express Tribune

Faizal Saari scores twice as Malaysia stun Pakistan

KUANTAN (Malaysia): Faizal Saari scored twice as hosts Malaysia rallied to stun defending champions Pakistan 4-2 in the opening match of the fourth Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in the Kuantan Hockey Stadium, on Thursday.

Saari converted a penalty stroke in the 37th minute and capitalised on a penalty corner rebound in the dying seconds.

Two other Malaysian goals - from Firhan Ansari and Shahril Saabah - also came off penalty corner rebounds that left the Pakistan defence shattered.

Both goals for Pakistan, winners of the last two editions of Asian Champions Trophy, were scored by penalty corner strikes from Muhammad Aleem Bilal.

Malaysia took the initial lead in the 13th minute of play from their first penalty corner.

Razie Rahim's penalty corner drive was blocked by Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt, but the rebound went to Firhan Ansari who slotted the ball into the boards.

Pakistan equalised five minutes later as Bilal stunned the Malaysian goalkeeper with a stining shot.

Bilal was on target again four minutes after half-time with a firm drive to put Pakistan in the lead.

Pakistan enjoyed the lead until the 37th minute when the game had to be stopped due to heavy showers. Play resumed after a 20-minute break and Malaysia mounted a raid into the Pakistan circle within a minute.

Malaysia's raid earned them a penalty stroke, but only after they sought a TV referral which showed that the Pakistani goalkeeper had obstructed striker Aiman Nik Rosemi in the goalmouth. The stroke was duly converted by Saari to draw 2-2 parity.

Going into an all-out attack, Malaysia forced two successive penalty corners in the 41st minute and Saabah capitalised on a rebound from the custodian to put Malaysia into the lead.

Saari came into the scoring act again in the last minute when Pakistan conceded a penalty corner through a rough tackle on their right flank. Pakistan goalkeeper Butt blocked the penalty corner shot, but Saari was not to be denied on the rebound.

The Times of India

India wins platinum Japan match emphatically

s2h team



Kuantan: Playing its Platinum match against Japan, India posted an emphatic 10-2 in the opener of the fourth Asian Champions Trophy today.

It was Japan-India encounter's 75th match in their glorious history that started with the 1928 Olympics, much like vintage days, today also the Japanese were made to struggle against full Indian team.

Earlier, Pakistan had suffered a humiliating loss to the hosts in the opener (2-4).

India started well to finish well to post its 67th win in 75 matches.

Its also India's fourth match in the Asian Champions Trophy, but only second win

Any hopes Japan had of emulating the hosts were undone in the first two minutes, as Ramandeep Singh scored to give India the lead.

Seven minutes later, Rupinder Pal Singh scored what was the first of his six goals from a PC to double India’s lead.

Wearing the Captain’s armband for the game, Rupinder scored a second, albeit with a bit of luck, a second drag flick taking a deflection to hit the back of the net. Not to be outdone, Ramandeep hit back and India walked into the first quarter with a 4-0 lead.

The last time these two teams met was at the Sultan Azlan Shah where the Indians were made to sweat for a 2-1 victory.

Rupinder Pal scored two and Talwinder Singh added one more in the second quarter, before Japan got one back to go into half time 7-1 down but avoided total rout.

The second half offered scope for coach Roelant Oltmans to experiment with less-played players while giving rest to the seniors.

Japan availed the chance, and were forciful in the second half. They also scored a second against the run of play.

Returning back, Rupinder Pal added two more to his tally in the final quarter before Affan Yousuf added one, to give India a 10-2 victory.

India play Korea in their next game on Saturday.

Stick2Hockey.com

Rupinder slams six goals as India hammer Japan 10-2

KUANTAN (Malaysia): Penalty corner specialist Rupinder Pal Singh slammed six goals as India launched their campaign in the fourth Asian Champions Trophy with a rousing 10-2 victory over Japan in the Kuantan Hockey Stadium, on Thursday.

Repeatedly leaving the Japanese defenders stunned with his rasping drag-flicks, Rupinder converted his first four penalty corner shots as fancied India steam-rolled over the hapless Japanese defence.

Left to playing a supporting role to Rupinder, striker Ramandeep Singh scored twice in the first quarter, while Talwinder Singh and Yousuf Affan contributed one goal each.

Japan's goals, against the run of play, came through Kenta Tanaka and Hiromasa Ochiai.

With Rupinder converting six of India 10 penalty corners, it was a day to forget for Japan, who had got the silver medal in the last Asian Champions Trophy behind Pakistan in 2013.

Ramandeep opened the Indian account in the second minute after picking up a pass from Sardar Singh and shot past Japanese goalkeeper Mashahito Kunitomo.

Rupinder then got into the goal-scoring act in the seventh minute with a stinging drag-flick into the right corner on India's first penalty corner. Three minutes later, he sent a rising drag-flick into the net for his second goal.

Ramandeep's reverse drive from top of the circle in the 15th minute caught the custodian on the wrong foot and sounded the boards to give India a 4-0 lead in the first quarter.

Rupinder's low flick went into the citadel off the goalkeeper's pads in the 17th minute before Talwinder Singh slotted a reverse hit past the goalkeeper in the 19th minute.

Rupinder converted his fourth successive penalty corner shot in the 22nd minute to boost India's lead to 7-0, before Japan benefitted from a lapse in the Indian defence in the next minute that paved the way for Kenta Tanaka to score with a flash strike.

Hiromasa Ochiai deflected in a cross from right in a crowded circle for Japan's second goal in the 38th minute.

Rupinder sent a rising shot into the roof of the cage in the 46th minute and got his sixth goal a minute later with a grounder that trickled into the goal off a defender's stick.

Yousuf rounded off India's scoring in the 50th minute with a flash strike in a crowded zone and the goal was confirmed after a video referral.

Earlier, hosts Malaysia stunned twice defending champions Pakistan 4-2 with Faizal Saari scoring two goals in the home team's rally from 1-2 deficit.

The Times of India

Rupinder Pal Singh relishing six-goal feat

KUANTAN: Penalty corner specialist Rupinder Pal Singh was the cynosure of all eyes at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium on Thursday after his six-goal feat boosted India to a 10-2 victory over Japan in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament on Thursday.

Relishing his highest scoring feat in international hockey, Rupinder said it was the momentum provided by his teammates that paved the way for his six penalty corner goals.

Sending his initial four penalty corner shots into the Japanese citadel with precision, Rupinder made the most of the early chances to set the trend for this massive victory. This was India's first outing after the quarterfinal ouster from the Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro.

"I am obviously feeling great as we converted our positive outlook into so many goals," Rupinder said, still allowing the feeling of a six-goal feat to sink in.

Boosting his tally to 165 goals from 153 matches, the 25-year-old Rupinder continues to be India's highest goal-scorer in international hockey this year. Before this outing, he had scored seven goals in 20 matches, which included five penalty corner conversions and two from penalty strokes.

The 10 goals against Japan today are India's highest since they scored nine against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup three years ago.

"Confidence keeps growing as the goals keep on coming. Of course, this is the first time I have scored six goals," said Rupinder.

Malaysia has been a happy-hunting ground for Rupinder, who made his international debut in the 2010 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh.

It was the Malaysian city of Ipoh where he returned to score his first hat-trick against Great Britain the following year in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

"I fondly remember my early hockey internationals that I played here in Malaysia. This six-goal feat is another of those wonderful moments," said Rupinder.

Rupinder's rasping drag-flicks repeatedly stunned the Japanese defenders as he mixed up the angles of his shots. His six goal-scoring flicks went into different parts of the goal and included a grounder as well as a shot that went into the roof of the net.

With Rupinder converting six of India's 10 penalty corners, it was a day to forget for Japan, who had got the silver medal in the last Asian Champions Trophy behind Pakistan in 2013.

The Times of India

Stats Speak:  Double Hat trick by Rupinderpal Singh

By B.G.Joshi (Sehore-Bhopal, India)

In platinum jubilee match (75th) India thrashed Japan 10-2 in Kuantan Asian Champions Trophy league match. India wins 67, drawn 4 and lost 4 in 75 matches played between India and Japan since their first match in 1932.

Drag flicker Rupinderpal Singh, who was captain in this match also, have netted double hat trick after 30 years in international tournament for India.

6 Indians have scored double hat trick in 208 international tournaments played by India since debut in Amsterdam Olympics (1928). Here are the details:

Field hockey.com

India look for penalty corner variations against Korea

KUANTAN (Malaysia): Starting with a rousing win over Japan in their opening outing of the fourth Asian Champions Trophy, India are looking for variations beyond ace shooter Rupinder Pal Singh's penalty corner flicks when they take on South Korea on Saturday.

Bracing for tougher matches against former Asian champions South Korea and arch sub-continental hockey rivals Pakistan over the next two days, the Indians are pleased with the goal-scoring prowess exhibited in the 10-2 win over Japan.

Penalty corner variations are on the mind of coach Roelant Oltmans, whose choice of players for this first tournament after the Olympic Games was restricted due to the VR Raghunath's injury and the absence of young shooter Harmanpreet Singh, who is preparing for Junior World Cup to be hosted by India in December.

Jasjeet Singh Kular, recalled to the squad after missing the Olympics, is the other main option available to the coach, but he did not come into the frame often in the first outing, primarily because Rupinder was on fire scoring as many as six goals.

"It wasn't that we were only looking for goals from Rupinder yesterday," said coach Oltmans. "We tried some variations also, but could not match Rupinder's precise shooting."

"We have some ideas for future games and they go beyond Rupinder's flicks. Yesterday, the ball was coming slow for Jasjit, but we still tried some variations," Oltmans said.

There was a heavy downpour ahead of the Indian match against Japan last evening, which even interrupted the previous match between hosts Malaysia and Pakistan.

Rupinder converted his initial four penalty corner shots in the first 19 minutes of play and then came back to add two more goals to his name.

This was the first time Rupinder has scored six goals in an international fixture and is eager to boost his tally in the forthcoming matches. He was already India's highest goal-scorer this year and these six goals took his tally to 13 goals from 21 matches in 2016, which include two from penalty strokes.

The 10 goals against Japan were India's highest since they scored nine against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup three years ago.

"I was here with the Indian team when they scored nine against Bangladesh and eight against Oman three years ago," said Oltmans. "Japan are a much higher ranked team than those two rivals, so I am quite pleased."

Oltmans is happy at the manner in which his players went out looking for goals in the first outing.

"It's our first international tournament since the Olympics. Against Japan, we had seven goals in the first half and added three more," he said.

Oltmans said India came here with the intent of showcasing their goal-scoring prowess.

"We need to see the players perform in the field. We've got a good start and look forward to a a fine show in the next two games against South Korea and Pakistan," the coach said.

"Every opponent is the same and we will play our usual attacking game. Right now, we are focused on the match against South Korea after which we will prepare for the game against Pakistan," added Oltmans.

The Times of India

Black Sticks star Anita McLaren up for Nelson Sports Awards ... at last

PHILLIP ROLLO


After controversially missing out last year, Anita McLaren is up for sportswoman of the year at the Nelson Sports Awards. REUTERS

It should be no surprise that hockey star Anita McLaren is in the running for the Nelson Sports Awards.

After all, she is New Zealand's all-time leading goalscorer, having found the back of the net 96 times across 247 international appearances, and has been a key figure for the Black Sticks since making her debut in 2009.

Those achievements are enough to make her one of the region's greatest sports stars.

McLaren was born in Nelson, went to Waimea College, and has always considered Nelson to be her hometown.

She even had this to say after beating Argentina at Saxton Turf last year: "It's awesome to play at home, it's where I grew up, it's where it all started [for me] pretty much, so to come back here is such an honour."

So when you take all of that in, it makes you wonder why she was deemed ineligible for the Nelson Sports Awards in previous years.

Each nominee must meet one of three criteria to be eligible. They must have either lived in Nelson for at least six months of the qualifying period, represented Nelson in their chosen sport during the qualifying period or be commonly acknowledged as a Nelsonian " although not regularly resident in the region due to the demands of their international sporting career."

It seems the main issue was the fact McLaren no longer lives in Nelson, although she did only move to Wellington and then Auckland to further her promising career.

Last year's overall winner, Zoe McBride, does not live in Nelson either. But crucially, she continues to represent the Nelson Rowing Club.

Sport Tasman chief executive Nigel Muir said the organisation kept "an open mind" when it came to policing the third criteria. So although the rules have not changed, he said Sport Tasman listened to feedback from last year when McLaren was left out.

"From my perspective the key thing is to be open minded and review annually the process and system we've got. Is it fair to all athletes? Does it represent what we believe is the highest performance in sport from teams, players and coaches in our region? And do the community on the whole understand it?" he said.

"You've got a classic example with Liam Squire, who I believe is born in Manawatu. Is he a Nelson athlete or a Manawatu athlete? You talk to fans of the Makos and he's our boy and you talk to people who grew up with him, went to college with him and he's clearly a Manawatu lad."

For the record, Squire has been nominated for sportsman of the year, although the frontrunners for that award are Paralympic Games sprinter Liam Malone and Tour de France cyclist George Bennett.

Muir said another issue is the fact McLaren has previously been nominated for the Wellington Sports Awards, having played for Capital in the National Hockey League, and it can get murky when different regions celebrate the same athlete's success.

But even then she didn't live in Wellington either.

"You've got Anita who we think is ours but she plays all her hockey in Wellington and they believe she's theirs and nominate her for theirs.

"It's not just our sports awards that have this challenge, it's all sports awards across the country where they have this careful balancing act to play."

And although McLaren has been nominated at last, she's no guarantee to win the sportswoman of the year award. Her biggest competition could be a familiar face too.

The 29-year-old appears to be in a head-to-head battle with Black Sticks team-mate Kelsey Smith, the pair helping New Zealand to fourth place at the Olympic Games and to second place at the Hockey World League late last year, although Smith's crucial goals in a breakout 12 month period could give her the edge.

Stuff

Maryland field hockey is looking to hand No. 1 Connecticut its first defeat of the season

By James Crabtree-Hannigan


The team celebrates midfielder Olivia Reiter's goal before halftime in Maryland's 4-1 win over Indiana at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex on September 17, 2016. (Reid Poluhovich / The Diamondback)

In coach Missy Meharg's eyes, the Maryland field hockey team would be doing No. 1 Connecticut a favor if it beat the Huskies on Saturday.

UConn (15-0) enters the weekend as the nation's only unbeaten team, putting them in a position Meharg is familiar with. In her 29-year career, three of her teams have won 15 consecutive games to open the season.

"When I'm in that position, I've thought it wouldn't be so bad to lose a game," Meharg said. "And if you're going to lose a game … you hope it's to a top-five team."

Maryland enters the weekend ranked No. 5, and if the Huskies beat an unranked Georgetown team on Friday, arriving in College Park undefeated, the players would gladly take that burden off the Huskies' shoulders.

"We're all excited to get the chance to play them," forward Emma Rissinger said. "We're confident in our skills and how we've been playing recently."

Rissinger was the only member of this year's team around the last time Maryland played UConn, though she was serving a redshirt season. That matchup came on Nov. 11, 2012, in the NCAA quarterfinals.

The Terps were the defending national champions and had won five of the past seven titles. It had been more than 25 years since the Huskies' last championship. Maryland triumphed, 2-1, before falling to Princeton in the semifinals.

In the three seasons since, UConn has won two national championships and advanced to a semifinal. Now, the Huskies want to put the finishing touches on what could be their most successful four-year run in history.

"When you get in a mode [like that] and you step on the field, there's a character about you," Meharg said. "We're talking about a great hockey team, and this great Maryland team gets to play them on Sunday in College Park."

The Terps enter Sunday coming off their biggest win of the season, a 5-4 road win over then-No. 5 Penn State which gave them at least a share of their third consecutive Big Ten title.

"We know that we can beat those [top teams]," Rissinger said. "Even when we are ranked lower, we know we're going to play our hardest. Rankings don't effect how we're going to play."

Maryland celebrated its win over the Nittany Lions, but the team knows it didn't play its best. The Terps gave up two penalty corner goals to Penn State after not surrendering one in its previous eight games.

But the Terps already had to correct their penalty corner defense earlier in the year after struggling with it in the first few games, so they don't foresee it becoming a recurring problem going forward.

Maryland has gained confidence by working through its issue against several high-profile teams throughout the year. UConn will be the team's third top-five opponent and sixth top-10 foe. The Terps' strength of schedule currently ranks sixth in the country.

"We've had our ups and downs within the season and within games," defender Carrie Hanks said. "We're battle tested. We've played against good, strong teams."

Still, UConn is a unique challenge and opponent. Though they've only played four teams ranked in this week's top 20, the Huskies lead the nation with an average scoring margin (4.47), more than 1.5 goals better than the second-best team.

"We want this opportunity because we want to see how good we are, how well we can play," Hanks said. "We can play to this potential."

The Diamondback

Weekend College Games

USA Field Hockey highlights some of the top college games in Division I, II and III each week.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20

DII: Belmont Abbey vs Molloy | 7:30 p.m. EST


Photo Credit:Sean Manzi

Both of these Division II teams will be looking to turn their momentum around and finish their seasons with some wins. Belmont Abbey is 2-8 overall and have lost their last four games. Belmont Abbey will need a win against Molloy today in order to end their losing streak. A win for Belmont Abbey could help them finish out their season strong. Molloy field hockey is 1-9 overall and have lost their last five games. With both teams hoping to end their losing streaks, expect this game to be very close until the end.

DIII: No. 4 Tufts vs Gordon | 5:00 p.m. EST

The No. 4 Tufts started off the 2016 season with a seven-game winning streak which ended when they fell in double overtime to No. 10 Amherst. Tufts are 10-2 overall and since the loss to Amherst, the Tufts have experienced both highs and lows. They beat top ranked Middlebury but then lost to unranked Connecticut College. In their previous game, Tufts beat top ranked Trinity (Conn.) and will be looking to carry the winning energy into their last three games of the 2016 season. Gordon is 7-8 overall and is coming off back to back CCC conference wins. Gordon is looking to pull off the upset win against Tufts in order to give them confidence to take on No. 9 Babson on Sunday. If Gordon can get too huge upset wins against top ranked opponents, then it will improve their chances of making the NCAA tournament.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21

DI: No. 10 Northwestern vs No. 12 Michigan | 4:00 p.m. EST

The match-up between these two top ranked teams will be a great one to watch in Division I field hockey this weekend. Michigan is coming off a dramatic overtime comeback against No. 16 Iowa last Sunday. The overtime win was Michigan’s third over a ranked opponent this season. Michigan is 9-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. Northwestern has had a very roller coaster season so far. Mid season they had an eight game winning streak going but have since lost three games straight. They are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to conference for No.16 Iowa this past weekend. With the regular season coming to an end soon, both teams will be looking to get a conference win this weekend to establish their ranking in the Big Ten tournament.

DII: No.4 Millersville vs No.9 Kutztown | 4 p.m. EST

The game between these two top ranked teams will be an exciting one to watch in Division II field hockey this weekend. Not only is this game a match-up between two top ranked teams but it is also a PSAC game. Millersville is 12-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play. Millersville’s two conferences losses came to the two top ranked teams in Division II field hockey. Kutztown is 10-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play. Kutztown is on a three game winning streak which includes two PSAC wins. Both teams have three games left in their seasons and all of them are PSAC conference games. This game is important because it could generate tons of momentum in the PSAC conference for whichever team wins.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22

DI: No. 4 UNC vs No. 2 Duke | 1 p.m. EST

The battle of the blues is back this Saturday when UNC and Duke meet again for the second time this season. The last time these two teams met in September, UNC came out on top 3-2 in a very evenly matched game. The game counted towards overall record but did not count as an ACC game. The game this Saturday is very important because it will impact both teams ACC regular season record. Duke is 13-2 overall and 4-1 in ACC play this season. UNC is 12-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play. With multiple teams in the ACC having a loss or two, it will be crucial for Duke to get a win in order to win the regular season and receive the number one seed in the ACC tournament. Tune into see one of the most epic rivalries in college athletics. 

DII: No. 1 Shippensburg vs No.2 East Stroudsburg | 1 p.m. EST


ESU Athletics/Bob Shank

In early September, these two teams played each other with East Stroudsburg clinching a thrilling 1-0 win in overtime. The win gave Shippensburg its only loss of the season. Shippensburg is 14-1 overall and undefeated in conference play. Since the loss to East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg has gone on a nine game winning streak. East Stroudsburg is 13-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. Bet on this match being action packed. 

DIII: No. 1 Messiah vs No. 15 Alvernia | 2 p.m.


Photo: Jenna Harper

The match-up between these two top ranked division III teams will be a great game to watch in college field hockey this weekend. Messiah is ranked No.1 in the NFHCA coaches poll and have suffered only one loss this season. Messiah’s overall record and 12-1 and they are undefeated in MAC conference play. Messiah is on a 12 game winning streak including its 5 MAC conference wins. Alvernia moved up to No.15 in the NFHCA coaches poll this week and are on a 15 game winning streak. Alvernia is 15-0 overall and 4-0 in the MAC conference. Although Alvernia is undefeated, they have not played as many top ranked teams as Messiah. This game is crucial because since both teams are undefeated in MAC play, this game could potentially decide who wins the MAC regular season. It will be exciting to see if Alvernia can compete with Messiah and which team will remain undefeated in the MAC conference.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23

DI: No. 5 Maryland vs No. 1 Connecticut | 12:00 p.m.

The match-up between these two top ranked teams will be the game to watch in Division I field hockey this weekend. Connecticut is still the only team that remains undefeated in Division I field hockey. The huskies are 15-0 overall including wins over top ranked Stanford and Virginia. Connecticut dominates on offensive and the team has the highest scoring average and scoring margin in Division I field hockey. Maryland is 12-3 overall this season and are on a five game winning streak. The streak includes a huge win 5-4 win over then No. 5 Penn State last weekend. Will Maryland be able to hand Connecticut there first loss of the season or will Connecticut continue to dominate the NCAA?

USFHA media release

Hardhats and Hockey: Schopman Looks to Continue to Build Upon the USWNT Program



One may expect the mid-calf length socks of the newly appointed U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach, Janneke Schopman, to be propped up on her desk while taking in the view from her new office. But previously a civil engineer in the construction field before coaching hockey, Schopman recognizes when there is work to be done. Looking to build off of the previous success the USWNT has found, Schopman lays out her coaching blueprint for 2017. 

USA Field Hockey: Describe your coaching philosophy.
JS: You’re ahead of the game here. By November 1, I have to write a 2,400-word document called ‘My Coaching Philosophy’ and that’s thanks to my USOC course. In short, my philosophy is based around developing yourself as an individual. I’m a coach that wants to help you reach your potential in your abilities.

USA Field Hockey: What is one of the most important values to have in order to be a successful international head coach?
JS: Integrity. I can’t reflect on what other coaches may think here, only for myself, but integrity is key. This is who I am, this is what I’m going to say and I’m staying close to myself and being myself. That’s also how I want my players to carry themselves. Basically, say what you do and do what you say.

USA Field Hockey: A lot of emphasis was placed on team culture during the past 3 years. Are you looking to reshape or nurture what was put in place?
JS: We have built a great foundation the past couple of years. We will definitely move and continue that growth but an important part of the journey will be exploration of self and looking at the individual. I want to challenge athletes to see themselves improve in this High Performance environment.

USA Field Hockey: The squad has seen tremendous growth, becoming a widely respected opponent by achieving numerous top medal finishes and earning a Hero FIH World Ranking of 5th, the program’s best placement yet. What is key to maintaining this momentum?
JS: In the end it’s all about a group of people coming together in January and seeing what the squad looks like. A few athletes are considering retirement and there will be U.S. Women’s National Team Trials early in the year. After we reassess as a group, we’ll come up with a plan keeping a clear perspective. If we lose 80 percent of our players, we need to be realistic. We’ll need some more time to get us in the right position. Regardless, there is great potential in U.S. The future is bright but we’ll need some time to keep growing. 

USA Field Hockey: Who, outside of the hockey world, do you admire for their leadership style and hope to pull certain qualities from?
JS: Urban Meyer, who is the Ohio State football coach. I wasn’t familiar with him before moving to the U.S. but am reading a book about his coaching philosophy which I find very interesting and I can relate to certain components. I’m equally intrigued by Phil Jackson and the success he has found as a basketball coach.

USA Field Hockey: Why are you passionate about coaching?
JS: To me, coaching is a metaphor for life and you want to help athletes fulfill their potential and find their own way. Every player is different. I enjoy helping the players on their journey.

USA Field Hockey: You have seen numerous other international teams contend at a high level during your years as a player and a coach. What makes the USWNT special?
JS: The passion and the competitiveness in this group are engrained in the culture. Wanting to compete, perform and excel together. The team’s motto is united and what makes this special is that it is true, which isn’t always the case when a group decides upon a core word or phrase to live by. 

USA Field Hockey: What do you do outside of hockey for fun? 
JS: Before coaching, hockey was my hobby and I was a civil engineer and worked in construction. Now, coaching is my work, but one of my hobbies now is travel and I enjoy taking in the various types of architecture and structure, the beauty of bridges and buildings. To relax, I also enjoy running and exploring nature while hiking. Going to dinner with friends and sitting and chatting for hours is also something I like to do.

USFHA media release

Australian Indoor Hockey Program

European Touring Team

Holly MacNeil



The Australian Men’s and Women’s Indoor Hockey Squads travelled to Canberra, ACT, last weekend for a three-day training camp.

The training camp involved an intensive program for all the athletes involved focusing on characteristics of elite athletes, sports psychology, indoor hockey skills, tactics and concepts.

A key focus was on up-skilling the athletes to perform at the highest level and increase the depth of talent and knowledge within Australian Indoor Hockey.

Steve Willer, the Australian Men’s Indoor Hockey Head Coach said "The camp was a fantastic opportunity to work with athletes identified as having the ability, skills and potential to represent Hockey Australia in Indoor Hockey.  The athletes were introduced to a high intensity, attacking style of play with a glimpse into the concepts and tactics to be taken into the 2018 Indoor Hockey World Cup."

The Australian Indoor Hockey program would like to thank Hockey ACT and the AIS for the use of their world class facilities to successfully conduct the camp.
 
The next part of the Australian Indoor Hockey Program is a two-week European Tour in January 2017. The teams will travel throughout Europe competing against highly skilled and experienced indoor hockey teams.

The Men’s fourteen player touring team is:
Athlete (Hometown/State)

Aidan Campbell (Ashgrove, QLD)
Mark Ellis (Bicton, WA)
Jack Hayes (Albion Park, NSW)
Daniel Jolliffe (Unanderra, NSW)
James Knee (Bentleigh, VIC)
Aiden Lowes (Dianella, WA)
Alex MacKay (Wollongong, NSW)
Luke Noblett (Gymea, NSW)
Ben Rennie (Scarborough, WA)
Adam Seccull (Brighton, VIC)
Jake Sherren (Glen Iris, VIC)
Lachlan Sinclair (Eudlo, QLD)
Tom Sinclair (Armadale, VIC)
Jackson Willie (Park Avenue, QLD)
 
In January 2017, the Australian National Indoor Hockey Championships will be held in Unanderra, NSW. From the National Championships the Australian Indoor Hockey World Cup squad, of approximately 28-30 athletes, will be selected. This squad will travel to Canberra, ACT, in July 2017, where they will take part in a three-day selection camp. From the selection camp the Australian Indoor Hockey World Cup Teams will be selected to represent Australia at the 2018 Indoor Hockey World Cup.

Hockey Australia media release

"The culmination of four years' hard work"


Hollie Webb beats Joyce Sombroek

There’s been plenty of reflection and reminiscing about the golden haul in Rio and with parades, parties and receptions all going on this week, once again the Olympic fever has swept the nation. A number of the Great Britain women who won the gold medal in hockey appeared on a special edition of the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show to talk through that magic night in Rio.

An emotional Hollie Webb described how the gold medal was the “culmination of four years hard work” and spoke about how she got to the point that she could coolly slot home in the shootout to win the gold for Danny Kerry’s side:

“There’s a group of ten of us who practice them at Bisham. We’re very lucky we have a squad of 31 who train full time and we have some of the best goalkeepers in the world, so we get to practice with them day in day out. When i stepped up i knew what i was going to do already. I’d planned it the night before having watched the video of the duthc keeper from the semi final. I really wasn’t nervous as i was in the moment and i’d done it so many times before it was just about executing those skills and blocking out the occasion and the situation.”

Sophie Bray paid homage to goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, describing her as “one of the best in the world” whilst Kate Richardson-Walsh talked about the tough times the squad had been through to reach the pinnacle of their sport.

The whole show is worth a watch but if you want to skip to the hockey, which includes that famous shootout, head to 23 minutes and enjoy! Click here to watch.

England Hockey Board Media release

Maddie Hinch: The Queen of the shootout


Maddie Hinch stops the Dutch in their tracks

English sporting teams and the penalty shootout have been the subject of many a joke and punch line over the years. A seemingly national affliction preventing any of our sporting heroes getting their team over the line in the pressure cooker of the shootout had become so commonplace as to become almost cliché. However one woman (and her team mates) have done some sterling work in changing that perception.

The last two major finals goalkeeper Maddie Hinch has played in, one for England one for Great Britain, have gone to shootout and both times, the No1 has excelled, helping her team to the most un-English of feats- the shootout victory.

Speaking to the Times, who described her as “the greatest goalkeeper in British sport” Hinch offered her services to help advise the nation’s footballers on how to shed the millstone round their necks.

“I'd happily have a chat with anyone who wants to know about how I do things I'd love to hear what they do. For all we know they are doing the same as we do in our sport.” she says. “Teams dread shootouts and breaking that is going to be hard. The problem for England footballers is a lack of confidence. They need to strip it back and start again and do the work. They don’t suddenly become bad footballers but at the moment it has become a mental thing they need to overcome.”

Hinch, famously, meticulously does her homework on each and every opponent, trawling through hours and hours of footage with the team’s Video Analyst Amber Luzar. Despite her almost obsessive commitment to her preparation, Hinch almost came unstuck in Rio. As she explains to the Times:

“A player who I didn't recognise stepped up. I thought “Who the hell is this?” I started flicking through my book but I thought “Don't give it away that you don't know what to do.” That was the closest one, it hit me on the head. I was more reactive than proactive.”


Maddie Hinch celebrates at the Olympics

Despite having to do one of the shootouts on the fly, the No1 is keen to emphasise the importance of preparation, no matter what the sport in question.

“All goalkeepers prefer to dive one way. If you know which is not their favourite corner then you can practice and hit that corner again and again. If you execute that skill and they still save it, then fair play. You need to work out your opponent’s favourite thing because under pressure the majority won’t change”

As she reflects on her Olympic gold medal, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s all come very easily to Hinch, but she has also dealt with the disappointment of non selection being dropped at U21 level when her family had to deal with “pure tantrum” stuff. However she is keen to stress that those disappointments make the successes even sweeter.

For now the disappointments are firmly behind her and Hinch is happy looking ahead to hopefully more successes and continuing her part in curing her nation’s fear of the penalty shootout. Perhaps Gareth Southgate will be in touch soon?

Maddie Hinch was talking to the The Times' Rick Broadbent. Full article here.

England Hockey Board Media release

Perfect pitch eagerly waiting for hockey activity

Deodoro Olympic facility in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sarah Juggins

Rio de Janeiro now has one of the most impressive hockey facilities in the world, with a double pitch at the Deodoro Stadium and two more high performing turfs at the neighboring Federal University of Rio. Built by the leading pitch manufacturers in the world, such an abundance of top quality pitches should be the catalyst for a host of hockey activities; a growth in participation and the opportunity to host international competitions.

But, with the memory of the Olympic Games receding into the distance, there is a distinct lack of activity around getting the pitch up and running. Bruno Patricio is general manager of the Confederação Brasileira de Hóquei and he explains that “we are not using the pitch yet, the Ministry of Sport and the military are still dealing with some issues.

“But,” he says enthusiastically, “We expect to be using it by the end of the year. We hope Deodoro Stadium will be our High Performance Training Centre, which will be used to develop the best Brazilian players and where the national teams and U-21 teams will train to compete in international tournaments. The Deodoro Stadium will also be used as the main stadium to host both national competitions and international events.”

Certainly the pitches themselves look stunning, and most players and coaches agreed that they were fantastic to play on.

There can certainly be no doubting the quality of the pitches. When it comes to Olympic performances, there have been few more consistent performers than Dow Chemicals, one of the companies behind the hockey pitches at both London 2012 and the Deodoro Stadium in Rio 2016.

The relationship between Dow and the Olympic movement is more all-encompassing than purely pitch provision. In 2010 Dow signed a 10-year deal with the International Olympic Committee and became the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games. The sponsorship extends to 2020, and, as part of the agreement, Dow’s aims are to use "its chemistry, technology, and science" to help make the Olympic Games "more sustainable, higher performing, and safer" for participants.

The pitch at Rio 2016 was the product of a partnership between Polytan STI, a manufacturer and supplier of outdoor and indoor sports surfaces and Dow – a partnership that has seen multiple pitches being supplied across the globe.

But it is the pitch at Deodoro that has been at the heart of the action in the past months and it was certainly an eye-catching sports stadium. Earlier in the year, test events had included an unveiling of an important component of Rio 2016’s “Look of the Games” visual identity: the colors of the field-of-play. This was a much-anticipated feature since the success of London 2012’s Riverbank Arena and its iconic blue and pink pitch. For Rio, the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) opted for a blue pitch with green sidelines – a color pattern that matched Rio 2016’s visual identity and reflected the vivid spirit of the first-ever Brazilian Olympic Games.

The playing performance and quality of the pitch were a primary concern when developing the hockey turf system for Rio 2016. The tufted samples were inspected by the Rio 2016’s Venues Management and Look of the Games teams, as well as the FIH and the Olympic Broadcast Service (OBS), to ensure the selected colors met the specific requirements for players, officials, spectators and broadcasters alike.

This latter point was an important one as Nathan Wiker, global marketing director for Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics explains: “Hockey is a fast game. The colors of the pitch allowed the spectators in the stadium and on television to follow the action more clearly because of the deeper contrast between the ball and the pitch.”

The two key factors for the Rio Olympics organizers were the quality of the pitch for the players and the look of the pitch for the millions of television and online spectators around the world. Behind these two headline qualities are other, equally important, factors.

David Lopez is technical sales and development engineer for Dow and he says: “one of the biggest drivers for any artificial hockey turf today – not just in Rio – is water management. We have to produce a turf that is as efficient in its water usage as possible. We are working on artificial turfs all over the world and water management is desperately important in many of these areas.”

“It is also important that we provide solutions that are durable,” Lopez adds. “We are always looking to develop yarn and backing that has a long lifetime – our aim is to modify the depreciation of the turf.” That is good news for Rio 2016, reportedly the organizing committee was hugely over budget, so any hint of longevity in an expensive facility is to be welcomed.

The build for the pitches and warm-up area at Deodoro, as well as two additional pitches at the Federal University of Rio, was a huge project. And, according to feedback from the players and coaches, a successful one. All the pitches benefit from a playing surface that consists of specific high-performing materials formulated together in multiple layers. The surface system is designed to deliver enhanced durability for increased pitch life, and a consistent field-of-play throughout a busy competition schedule – a good sign for hosting some of the events that Patricio hopes to see happening at Deodoro sometime soon.

While not much is happening at Deodoro right now, at the Federal University, hockey has become a hot topic. It is a subject in its own right within the physical education course and the university pitches are in constant use by the students. For the future, Patricio says the pitches will also host national and state championships at U18 and U15 level and hockey clinics, holiday camps and coaching courses will all take place at the facility. In addition, the local clubs from Rio de Janeiro are already using the CT of Federal University facility to train for the national and state championships.

Is there an appetite for hockey in Brazil, a country that has for so long been all about soccer? Patricio certainly believes so. He says Brazil men’s participation in the Olympics has provided a catalyst for hockey growth. “The impact of the Olympic Games on hockey in Brazil was extremely positive. Due to the participation of Brazil and the fact that all hockey matches were streamed on television, hockey had an important visibility in the whole country and, since the end of the Olympic Games, we have been contacted by several institutions outside Rio de Janeiro asking the Brazilian Federation to start hockey in their locations.”

It is a point that Brazil’s, Stephane Vehrle-Smith agrees with: “Despite the heavy losses we suffered, the reaction in Brazil has been great. People ranging across all ages have picked up a stick and are giving hockey a go. Many Brazilians who tuned in or watched live during the Olympics found the sport very exciting and lots of kids were inspired by it. This is a brilliant thing to see and I hope the sport continues to grow within the country and South America.”

For Patricio, what is needed for development to happen is a consistent, joined up approach. “To achieve real development, we believe that hockey needs to be practiced by children, adolescents and adults from all social classes. This is the reason why we are bringing hockey to public and private schools, universities, and clubs.  We expect to expand significantly the number of players, coaches and supporters in Brazil in the next years, and the Olympic legacy will be primordial to achieve this goal.”

For onlookers who are concerned that state of the art facilities might descend into expensive white elephants, signs of hockey activity at the Deodoro are eagerly anticipated.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release