News for 24 October 2016
All the news for Monday 24 October 2016
Malaysia hammer Japan 7-2 for semis slot
By Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA qualified for the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy with two matches in hand when they beat Japan 7-2 at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium Sunday.
It was a third straight victory for coach Stephen van Huizen's men as they had beaten defending champions Pakistan 4-2 and China 5-1 earlier.
In another match yesterday, India beat Pakistan 3-2 in a close encounter and with seven points after three matches, India are also mathematically in the semi-finals in this six-team tournament.
"We have achieved out first target which was to qualify for the semi-finals of the ACT. Japan defended well in the first quarter, but after Aiman cracked open their goalmouth, they had to move forward and that was when we got our chances to score more goals," said van Huizen.
And after this Malaysia will rest for two days before playing India on Wednesday and South Korea on Thursday.
"The rest will be used for recovery as well as tactical purposes. Both India and South Korea look like the teams to beat in this tournament and we need to play much better than we did in the previous three matches to win points," said van Huizen.
After making the semi-finals, Malaysia's next target should be topping the table at the end of the pool matches, as the No 1 team plays No 4, while the No 2 team plays No 3 in the semi-finals.
The crowd came by droves to watch Malaysia maul Japan, but the first quarter ended uneventful as the hosts failed to find a single penalty corner, and the goal which they scored was disallowed.
Japan, who had lost to India 10-2 and China 2-1, played a defensive game by camping in their own half and only opening up for counter attacks.
But they finally cracked in the 23rd minute, when Aiman Nik Rosemi shot home from close range.
The goal opened up the match, and with Japan chasing for the equaliser, they were hit with another world class deflection from Rashid Baharom in the 27th minute.
A long shot from Najmi Farizal, from the 25-yard line, saw Rashid deflecting it past goalkeeper Kunitomo Masahito for a 2-0 lead entering into the dressing room.
The other goals came easy with super efforts from Nabil Fiqri (33rd), Faizal Shaari (37th, 59th), Firhan Ashaari (44th) and Fitri Shaari (58th).
The Japan goals were scored by Kenji Kitazato (59th) and Kentaro Fukuda (60th).
RESULTS: India 3 Pakistan 2, Malaysia 7 Japan 2.
MONDAY: South Korea v China (6.30pm).
TUESDAY: Pakistan v Japan (6.30pm), India v China (8.30pm).
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
MALAYSIA 3 3 0 0 16 5 9
INDIA 3 2 1 0 14 5 7
PAKISTAN 3 1 0 2 5 7 3
CHINA 2 1 0 1 3 6 3
S. KOREA 2 0 1 1 1 2 1
JAPAN 3 0 0 3 5 19 0
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Malaysia move into semis after demolishing Japan
By S. Ramaguru
KUANTAN: Faizal Saari fired a brace as Malaysia qualified for the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy with ease.
The Terengganu player was on target in the 37th and 59th minutes in the 7-2 victory over winless Japan at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium last night. Nik Aiman Nik Rozemi (23rd), Mohamed Rashid Baharom (27th), Nabil Fiqri Mohmed Nor (33rd), Mohamed Firhan Azhaari (44th) and Fitri Saari (58th) contributed the other goals as Malaysia recorded their third win to lead the table with nine points in the six-nation tournament.
Japan replied through Kenji Kitazato (60th) and Kentaro Sukuda (61st).
National coach Stephen van Huizen was happy with the performance.
“Our players did well to keep their focus and converted the chances that came their way. We are starting to be consistent and that is good. There are still tough matches to come (against India and South Korea) and we need to be prepared for it,” said Stephen.
The Malaysians had earlier defeated Pakistan 4-2 and China 5-1.
Malaysia were off to a slow start on Sunday. The goals only came in the second quarter.
In the 23rd minute, Nik Aiman broke the deadlock with a field goal after a quick attack down the right flank.
Four minutes later, Mohamed Rashid was on target when he converted Faiz Helmi Jali’s pass past Japan goalkeeper Masahito Kunitomo.
Three minutes into the third quarter, Malaysia were 3-0 up. This time the goal came from the midfielder Nabil Fiqri. After that, it was Faizal’s turn as he slotted home from the top of the D in the 37th minute.
Malaysia continued their onslaught and were rewarded in the 44th minute when Mohamed Firhan netted a field goal to make it 5-0. Fitri was next to get on the score-sheet with a 58th minute field goal.
Faizal scored his second goal of the match when he converted a penalty stroke in the 59th minute.
But Japan refused to give up, scoring two quick goals in the 60th minute through Kenji Kitazato and Kentaro Sukuda to reduce the deficit.
Former winners India also took a big step towards the semi-finals when they edged defending champions Pakistan 3-2 in an absorbing tie.
The Indians took the lead in the 22nd minute through a field goal by Pardeep Mors. But the third quarter saw the Pakistanis dominate and score two goals – Mohamed Rizwan Senior (31st) and Mohamed Irfan Junior (39th) – to take the lead.
But India wrested control and in a one-minute spell clinched the win with two quick strikes through Rupinderpal Singh (43rd) and Ramandeep Singh (44th).
India now have seven points and are second in the standings. Pakistan have three points and need to win their remaining two matches against Japan and China to reach the last four.
India coach Roelant Oltmans was happy with the come-from-behind win.
“I will take a win anytime no matter how it’s achieved. It was a good all-round performance and I’m happy with the players’ efforts,” said Oltmans.
The Star of Malaysia
Malaysia outplay Japan 7-2 to stay atop league table
KUANTAN (Malaysia): Hosts Malaysia posted their third successive victory in the Asian Champions Trophy when they outplayed Japan 7-2 on Sunday to stay on top of the round-robin league standings with a maximum nine points.
Star striker Faizal Saari scored two goals to lead the Malaysian charge, while five others made an entry in the scoresheet.
Japan denied the dominant Malaysian strikers a goal until the 23rd minute when Niman Nik Rosemi opened the account with a field goal.
Rashid Baharom, Nabil Noor, Firhan Ashari and Fitri Saari were the other scorers for Malaysia, who had defeated defending champions Pakistan 4-2 and China 5-1 in earlier matches.
Japan, who have lost all their three matches, got two late consolation goals from Kenji Kitazato and Kentaro Fukuda.
In the round-robin league standings, Malaysia is followed by India on seven points from three matches. Pakistan and China are on three points from three outings.
The Times of India
India clinches victory in a cliff hanger
s2h Team
Two quick silver goals in the space as many as minutes in the third quarter rescued struggling India for a 3-2 win over fighting Pakistan in their third match of the 4th Asian Champions Trophy in Kuantan, Malaysia.
Rupinder Pal Singh converted India's only penalty corner that Talwinder Singh successfully and thoughtfully referred for third umpire in the 43 minute to level Pakistan 2-2 and then Ramandeep Singh punched off a perfect feed in the next minute for India to go up again. This goal survived another 16 minutes of play for India's yet another win over their arch rivals.
Pakistan had their moments early in the first half and the third. Unlike the start, post lemon time put their rival on mat. undefined Hardworking Rizwan Sr equalized (1-1) in the 31st minute and eight minutes later Md. Irfan Jr came up with the lead (2-1). This lead did not survive long, as Rupinder and Ramandeep had other ideas.
After evenly played first quarter, India came with a goal against run of play to change sides with a solitary lead in the crucial third match at Kuantan Municipal Council stadium in the fourth Champions Trophy.
Moments after Tasawar Abbas failed to finish a good overhead feed, India launched a counter from the right flank. It seemed two shots were spoilt by Pak goalie Imran Butt but on the basline rebound Pardeep Mor, who just came into play, tapped the ball in.
Umpire Grime Murry of Australia took moments more than needed to whistle, and it happened with prompting of Indian punch. The freak goal survived half time.
In the first quarter, both teams had equal number of chances to move up. Pak got the first half's only penalty corner, but wasted. Two shots at goals were made, only to see inform Sreejesh blocking them with great reflexes.
Sreejesh helped India to keep it clean slate in the first half, whereas Indian attacks, mostly emanated from right flank, did not progress further beyond circle top.
Stick2Hockey.com
India downs Pakistan in a pacy encounter
Has to dig deep against the defending champion
Ramandeep Singh — File Photo: AFP
Top-ranked India had to dig deep to earn a 3-2 victory over defending champion Pakistan in a preliminary league match of the fourth Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Sunday.
India exhibited a composed defence when under pressure from early Pakistan raids and worked hard to gain control of the match.
Maiden goal
Pradeep Mor scored his maiden goal in his 13th international appearance to give India the lead in the 22nd minute. Pakistan then took the lead through strikes from Muhammad Rizwan Sr. in the 31st and Muhammad Irfan Jr. in the 39th.
Rupinder Pal Singh converted India’s only penalty corner in the 43rd while Ramandeep Singh made it 3-2 just a minute later by deflecting in a diagonal cross from Talwinder Singh.
Seven points for India
India now has seven points from three outings. It defeated Japan 10-2 in its first match and was held to a 1-1 draw by South Korea on Saturday. On the other hand, Pakistan suffered a 4-2 loss against host Malaysia and then won 1-0 over South Korea in its previous matches.
The top four team from the round-robin competition will advance to the semifinals.
The results:
India 3 (Pradeep Mor 22, Rupinder Pal Singh 43, Ramandeep Singh 44) bt Pakistan 2 (Muhammad Rizwan Sr. 31, Muhammad Irfan Jr. 39).
Malaysia 7 bt Japan 2.
The Hindu
India beats Pakistan 3-2 in a thriller
An Indo/Pak hockey clash always promises something special. This Asian Champions Trophy round robin tie in Kuantan, Malaysia certainly lived up to the billing.
There was just one penalty corner for either side but the open hockey meant there were plenty of field chances.
Lead changed thrice, keeping the crowd on tenterhooks.
Pakistan came out of the tracks quickly and in the very first minute forced a penalty corner resulting from a foot foul. Aleem Bilal had two strikes but both were parried by the brilliant Indian net minder Sreejesh.
They had another good opportunity in the 4th minute when a wonderful attack from the right founf Rizwan Sr in a good spot at the top of the circle but he pushed wide.
India managed to regroup well and after a mid field struggle for possession over next five minutes, had the best chance of the first quarter. Talwinder got time and space just inside the circle but his tomahawk went above the bar.
They had a couple of more good circle penetrations but the Pakistani defence expertly saw them off.
Two sides continued to look for the target. After a good individual run, Tasawwar had a crack via a reverse shot but he had gone too far and the narrow angle was well covered by the goal keeper.
In the 22nd minute, India broke the ice courtesy a goal keeping howler. Pradeep Mor carried a loose ball into the circle. His hit from the left side somehow went through Imran Butt's pads.
India maintained the 1-0 lead when the hooter sounded the end of the half.
Green shirts were off to an explosive start when play resumed. In the very first minute, a long hit by Aleem Bilal was well controlled by Rizwan Sr, who plays his club hockey in the Dutch league, just outside the circle. On entering the area, his superb flat and angular strike comprehensively beat the outstretched leg of Sreejesh and sounded the right corner of the board. With the scores level, game's tempo increased with pole to pole stuff. In the 39th minute, Umar Bhutta displaying bewitching 3 D skills eliminated a couple of defenders along the goal line before sending a minus to Irfan Junior who tapped the ball in to put Pakistan ahead 2-1.
For a while, Pakistan seemed to be in the driving seat. However, India came back strongly. A Pakistani foot in the circle handed India their only PC in the 44th minute. The giant figure of Ravinder Pal Singh stepped up. His missile flick hit the roof of the net and India were back on equal terms. This was Ravinder's seventh goal of the tournament. The very next minute, another defensive mistake saw Pakistan going into the arrears once again. A long hit into the circle was deflected by Aleem Bilal's stick into Talwnider Singh's path. He passed it to unmarked Ramandeed standing close to goal, who caressed the ball into the net.
In the last quarter, India threatened early. Imran Butt was twice called into action and he did well. Thereafter, the ball swayed either way, with both set of forwards looking dangerous. Pakistan's Arslan Qadir perhaps had the best of the strikes when his strong hit was well stopped by Sreejesh.
India won the pulsating encounter 3-2.
The last time these two sides met, also in Malaysia in Azlan Shah Cup this April, India, Asia's only representative a the 2016 Olympics, had outplayed Pakistan 5-1. Today, world's sixth ranked side were pushed to the limits by the 14th ranked Pakistan, who paid the price for two defensive blunders.
Pakistan have three points from as many games. However, with the top four of the six teams making into the semis, the green shirts are very much in the competition.
Scorers:
India (Pradeep Mor 22', Ravinder Pal Sing 44' and Ramandeep Singh 45')
Pakistan (Rizwan Sr 31' and Irfan Jr 39')
PHF media release
Asian Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy: India come from behind to beat Pakistan
By Nabil Tahir
While Pakistan dominated play for much of the match, Pal’s penalty corner shifted the entire dynamics of the game in favour of India. PHOTO COURTESY: AHF
KARACHI: The Pakistan national hockey team were left to rue defensive lapses as they lost 3-2 to arch-rivals India in their Asian Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy encounter in Kuantan, Malaysia yesterday.
Pakistan started the brighter of the two teams but were pegged back in the second quarter when Pradeep Mor’s deflected cross found its way into the back of the net.
Muhammad Rizwan Sr ensured Pakistan did not trail for long as 15 minutes after conceding the first goal, he hit a powerful shot past Indian goalkeeper Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh to level the score, while eight minutes later Muhammad Irfan Jr gave the Greenshirts a 2-1 lead when he nudged the ball for his team’s second goal.
India, however, were ruthless in their response and scored two goals — the first coming from a brilliantly taken penalty corner by Rupinder Pal and the second by close-range shot by Ramandeep Singh — in the space of two minutes to take the wind out of Pakistan and claim the match 3-2.
Pakistan captain Fareed Ahmed said after the match that their lack of concentration allowed India to score.
“In the first quarter we lost a bit of concentration and allowed India to score,” he told The Express Tribune before adding that the penalty corner by Pal turned the game on its head.
“We followed the coach’s advice but Pal’s penalty corner was a game changer as it instantly increased the pressure on us,” he added.
Ahmed further said that he was happy with the way the team played against a better ranked opponent. “We are ranked 13th in the world while India are ranked sixth. The fact that we kept them on their toes for the majority of the match is praiseworthy. I’m proud of the effort the whole team put in.”
The Express Tribune
India down Pakistan in thriller; Malaysia reach semis
KUANTAN (Malaysia): Defending champions Pakistan were undone by a superb comeback by India as they fell 3-2 to their arch-rivals in a high-voltage preliminary round match of the Asian Champions Trophy here on Sunday.
Strikes by Mohmmad Rizwan Senior and Mohammad Irfan Junior in the space of eight minutes in the second quarter had put Pakistan well in control after Pradeep Mor had opened the scoring for India in the 22nd minute.
But Rupinder Pal Singh converted a penalty corner in the 43rd minute and Ramandeep Singh scored in the following minute by deflecting in a diagonal cross from Talwinder Singh to seal victory for India.
“The result was not in our favour but we played well and enjoyed the game,” said Pakistan coach Khawaja Junaid, praising his young side for giving India a stiff competition.
“It was a brilliant game with a very high level of skills between two top teams. This was the best match we have played in a long time.
“The boys performed much better than the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup five months ago, which was the only tournament we have played since last year’s World League Semifinals in Antwerp.”
Pakistan’s inability to secure an Olympic berth for this year’s Rio Games had left them short of international fixtures and coach feels that some more experience against leading international teams would put Pakistan hockey back among the top nations.
“Pakistan will come out of this and we will hopefully progress into the semi-finals but we must win Japan and China [in our remaining matches],” added Junaid after his side opened their campaign with a 4-2 defeat to Malaysia before beating South Korea 1-0.
The defeat left Pakistan with three points from three outings, third in the six-team standings with the top four teams from the round-robin competition will advance to the semi-finals.
Malaysia lead on nine points as they booked their place in the semi-finals with a 7-2 victory over winless Japan in Sunday’s other match while India have seven points.
Back-to-back saves
Pakistan forced the first penalty corner in the opening minute but Indian goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh pulled off two back-to-back saves.
The first quarter came to end with Pakistan dominating. They made at least three good moves and the Indian defence did well not to concede a goal.
India took the lead against the run of play in the when Mor on the right flank latched on to the ball that had deflected off a Pakistani defender. Mor darted into the circle and sent in a firm shot from a very narrow angle that beat goalkeeper Imran Butt to land on target.
After falling behind, Pakistan started counter-attacking with their captain Fareed Ahmed acting as the pivot.
And they were rewarded in the first minute after half-time as the Indian defence left Rizwan unmarked on top of the circle as he collected a long diagonal ball and sent a snap shot into the left corner of the boards.
Pakistan showed more intent in the game as they scored another goal in the 39th minute as Irfan capitalised on an attack from the left to shoot home in a crowded circle.
But out of nowhere, India scored two goals within a span of one minute in the dying minutes of the third quarter.
Rupinder converted the penalty corner with a rasping drag-flick that went high into the net before Talwinder’s deft pass was deflected into Pakistan’s goal by Ramandeep.
Later, Malaysia became the first team to check into the semi-finals when they outclassed Japan.
Aiman Nik Rozemi cracked open the Japan goalmouth in the 23rd minute, while the other goals were scored by Rashid Baharom (27th), Nabil Fiqri (33rd), Faizal Shaari (37th, 59th), Firhan Ashaari (44th) and Fitri Shaari (58th).
The Japan goals were was scored by Kenji Kitazato (59th) and Kentaro Fukuda (60th).
Dawn
India down defending champions Pakistan 3-2
LAHORE: Pakistan were beaten 3-2 by India in a group match of the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament at Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium in Kuantan, Malaysia on Sunday.
India opened the scoring with a field goal from Pardeep Mor in the 22nd minute.
Pakistan replied with a field goal from Muhammad Rizwan Seniorin the 31st minute to level the score 1-1.
Pakistan’s offensive reaped fruit when Muhammad Irfan Junior tapped in a pass from Umar Bhutta into the nets.
However, India came back strong on the counter and scored two goals in a span of two minutes courtesy Rupinder Pal Singh (43rd minute) and Ramandeep Singh (44th minute).
Earlier, Pakistan lost their match to Malaysia 4-2 and beat South Korea 1-0 in its previous two encounters of the tournament.
It is interesting to note that former Olympians Tauqeer Dar, Danish Kaleem and Mohammad Saqlain had termed India favourites against Pakistan in Sunday’s clash of the Asian Champions Trophy. Tauqeer, a member of Pakistan team that won gold in Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, had said that Pakistan would have to prove their mettle by putting in some extra-ordinary effort against a much improved Indian side.
“Indians are strong on paper as they have made huge investments in hockey in the recent past which makes them tough competitors for Pakistan players who could only triumph by playing attacking hockey and cause an upset,” he had said.
“Pakistan will have to work rigorously to raise a strong team for the next year’s World Cup qualifying rounds,” the former Olympian had maintained.
The last time the archrivals met, also in Malaysia in Azlan Shah Cup this April, India, Asia’s only representative a the 2016 Olympics, had outplayed Pakistan 5-1.
India, world’s sixth ranked side, were pushed to the limits by the 14th ranked Pakistan, who paid the price for two defensive blunders.
Pakistan have three points from as many games. However, with the top four of the six teams making into the semis, the green shirts are very much in the competition.
The Daily Times
No extra pressure when playing against Pakistan, says SK Uthappa
KUANTAN (Malaysia): India-Pakistan hockey rivalry no longer puts extra pressure on the players, said India forward SK Uthappa after a 3-2 win over Pakistan in a round-robin league fixture of the Asian Champions Trophy.
"An India-Pakistan hockey match still attracts a lot of excitement, but the pressure thing is gone nowadays," Uthappa, who was designated as the Indian captain for this match, said.
Uthappa asserted that his team plays every match with the same intensity.
"We took India-Pakistan match just like another match. We handle matches against Pakistan just as a professional takes up any assignment," Uthappa insisted.
"Of course there is intense media hype for any match featuring India and Pakistan, but the players remain unaffected by it all. The team goes into every game with a specific game-plan. Just like other teams, we today had a plan to play against Pakistan," he added.
Uthappa on Sunday wore the captain's arm band that has been rotated among the senior players since the Olympic Games. Rupinder Pal Singh and Sardar Singh had worn the captain's arm-band in the previous two outings of the ongoing event.
India had to work hard for the victory despite taking an early lead through the maiden international goal from young striker Pradeep Mor in the 11th minute.
India fell behind as Pakistan scored two goals in the space of nine minutes after half-time. But India eventually came back from behind to post a win.
Pakistan coach Khawaja Junaid praised his young side for giving India a stiff competition.
"The result was not in our favour. Put the result aside and you will see that we played well and enjoyed the game," said Junaid.
"It was a brilliant game with a very high level of skills between two top teams. This was the best match we have played in a long time. The boys performed much better than the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup five months ago, which was the only tournament we have played since last year's World League Semi-finals in Antwerp," said the Pakistan coach.
"We rallied after conceding an early goal and took the lead, but could not win due to a very high level of performance by India."
Pakistan's inability to secure an Olympic berth had left them short of international fixtures and coach feels that some more experience against leading international teams would put Pakistan hockey back among the top nations.
Pakistan, winners of the Asian Champions Trophy in two editions in 2012 and 2013, have now lost two of their three outings, but are still expected to make the semifinals of the six-nation event as they have two round-robin league matches left to be played against lower-ranked teams - Japan and China.
The Times of India
Jackson strikes help East Grinstead beat Beeston
Ashley Jackson preparing for a penalty corner. Credit: Ann Needle
TWO goals from Great Britain ace Ashley Jackson helped East Grinstead snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and beat league leaders Beeston 2-1 in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Sunday.
Jackson’s goals helped his side move up to second in the table on goal difference, just one goal behind Beeston.
Tom Sorsby gave Beeston the lead with a goal after 17 minutes, and that was the only score until Jackson fired home from a penalty stroke on 58 minutes.
And he clinched the win from a trademark penalty corner ten minutes later to take the win.
In Sunday’s other top flight clash, home side Hampstead and Westminster and Wimbledon fought out a 2-2 draw.
Rupert Shipperley put the hosts ahead after just seven minutes, only for Simon Mantell to level five minutes before half time from a Wimbledon penalty corner.
Jonny Codling retook the lead two minutes into the second half, only for Gordon McIntyre to level again with five minutes left.
Holcombe ran out 5-3 winners at Canterbury in the Kent derby match on Saturday to finish the weekend third – with a game in hand.
Sam Ward and Harry Trusler put Holcombe 2-0 ahead, only for Canterbury to fight back with two goals from Cale Cramer. Barry Middleton took back the lead for Holcombe, and made it 4-2 with his second on 44 minutes.
Gareth Andrew scored on 58 minutes for Holcombe, and although James Oates pulled one back for Canterbury with two minutes left it wasn’t enough.
Two goals ahead early in the match, Surbiton had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Reading.
Liam Ansell and David Goodfield scored for Surbiton, before Ben Boon and Andy Watts secured a point for Reading.
Brooklands MU beat hosts Loughborough Students 3-1 with Dave Flanagan scoring twice and Benedict Van Woerkom once. Elliot Smith claimed Loughborough’s only goal.
Men’s Conference West
Cardiff and Met continued their free-scoring ways with a 5-1 win over visitors Isca in the Men’s Conference West.
Ioan Wall’s strike was the only one in the first half, but Cardiff made sure of victory as Luke Hawker, James Kyriakides, Tom Harris and Henry Eriksson scored after the break.
The University of Birmingham also scored five as they overwhelmed the University of Bristol with goals from George Sweeting, Josh Kelly, Chris Way, Jack Clee and Scott Wall.
The University of Exeter suffered their first defeat of the season as visitors Team Bath Buccaneers won 3-0, while elsewhere Cheltenham were 2-0 winners at Fareham and Old Georgians were 3-2 winners at home against Chichester.
On Saturday Cardiff and Met were 3-1 winners at Chichester with Hawker scoring twice and Tom Wood once. And the University of Birmingham won 2-0 over Old Georgians.
Men’s Conference North
The University of Durham remain top of the Men’s Conference North after beating bottom of the table Leek 4-1.
Richard Jackson and Cameron Rule scored first half goals, with Jack Waller and Ben McGeogh scoring in the second half.
Tom Mallett scored a hat-trick in Olton and West Warwicks’ 9-1 home win over Deeside Ramblers, to help his side to climb to second.
Ed James scored two goals, with the others coming from Joseph Paul, Steven Batten, Daniel Sulway and Martin Webb.
Doncaster dropped to third as they were beaten 4-2 at Oxton, while Bowdon aren’t far behind the front runners following a 6-2 win over Preston. Sheffield Hallam and Cannock drew 2-2 on Saturday evening.
Men’s Conference East
Andrew Ross scored a hat-trick as leaders Sevenoaks won 6-1 at home against Indian Gymkhana. Tejinder Hanspal scored twice, while Duncan Parnis claimed the other.
Southgate dropped their first points of the season as they were held to a 2-2 draw by hosts Richmond, while Teddington were 7-1 winners over Brighton, with Matt Daly scoring a hat-trick and Andrew Pett a brace.
Elsewhere Oxted were 2-1 winners at Wapping, while Cambridge City and West Herts drew 3-3 on Sunday.
Men’s Hockey League (Saturday, October 22 2016):
Men's Premier Division: Canterbury 3, Holcombe 5; Loughborough Students 1, Brooklands MU 3; Surbiton 2, Reading 2.
Men's Conference East: Richmond 2, Southgate 2; Sevenoaks 6, Indian Gymkhana 1; Teddington 7, Brighton and Hove 1; Wapping 1, Oxted 2.
Men's Conference North: Bowdon 6, Preston 2; Leek 1, University of Durham 4; Sheffield Hallam 2, Cannock 2.
Men's Conference West: Chichester 1, Cardiff & Met 3; University of Birmingham 2, Old Georgians 0.
Men’s Hockey League (Sunday, October 23 2016):
Men's Premier Division: East Grinstead 2, Beeston 1; Hampstead and Westminster 2, Wimbledon 2.
Men's Conference East: Cambridge City 3, West Herts 3.
Men's Conference North: Olton & West Warwicks 9, Deeside Ramblers 1; Oxton 4, Doncaster 2.
Men's Conference West: Cardiff & Met 5, Isca 1; Fareham 0, Cheltenham 2; Old Georgians 3, Chichester 2; University of Birmingham 5, University of Bristol 0; University of Exeter 0, Team Bath Buccaneers 3.
England Hockey Board Media release
No. 5 Maryland hands No. 1 UConn its first loss
Maryland Athletics
Maryland had to give it everything it had to hand UConn its first loss by a 2-1 final. Maryland Athletics
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The fifth-ranked Maryland field hockey team beat top-ranked and unbeaten Connecticut 2-1 on Sunday with a strong defensive performance at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. After the Terps (13-3) took the lead just before halftime, their defense battled the Huskies (16-1) all second half to hand Connecticut its first loss of the year.
The Terrapins held the nation’s top scoring team to well under its average of 5.41 goals per game and the nation’s top goal scorer, UConn’s Charlotte Veitner, scoreless.
“What a fantastic outcome,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “UConn is a team that has been to the Final Four the last few years. They won the national championship on this very field a few years ago. For us, it was an incredible amount of energy to find a way to win the game. Welma Luus and Lein Holsboer are such magnificent leaders.”
Connecticut got on the board first when Anna Middendorf scored off a penalty corner five minutes in.
Grace Balsdon answered for Maryland when she sent one into the net off a penalty corner set up by Anouk van Asbeck and Lein Holsboer in the 23rd minute.
With just over four minutes left in the half, Welma Luus gave the Terps a 2-1 lead when she scored off her own rebounded shot. She cracked a shot from the right side that hit the post, then collected the rebound and banged it in for the goal.
The Huskies took five shots in the second half and continued pressuring the Terrapins’ defense throughout. UConn pulled its goalkeeper, Nina Klein, with 2:08 seconds to play in favor of an extra field player. With 1:15 to go, the Terrapins were given a two-minute green card and finished the game down two field players.
Connecticut finished with 12 shots to Maryland’s nine. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Sarah Bates made a career-high six saves to preserve the win.
“Maryland was so mentally tough in the final 2-3 minutes left with two players down,” Meharg said. “We couldn’t be more proud of how we blocked space and stayed strong.”
The Terps' last win against a top-ranked team was Nov. 20, 2011 vs. No. 1 North Carolina in a 3-2 overtime victory for the NCAA title. This is the Terps’ sixth all-time win vs. top-ranked teams.
Maryland was tabbed as the No. 5 team in the country in the NFHCA coaches poll released Tuesday. The Terrapins have been ranked in the top 5 in 167 of 188 polls dating back to 1999.
DEFLECTIONS: Maryland is 5-1 all-time vs. Connecticut and 2-0 at home at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex vs. the Huskies… The Terps are 53-33 all-time vs. top five teams… Maryland is 154-17 (.901) in the 13 seasons at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex…Meharg owns a record of 522-126-9 (.801) in her 29 years as head coach of the Terrapins.
NCAA
No. 2 Duke blanks No. 4 North Carolina to win ACC title
Duke Athletics
Duke took care of business on Saturday, shutting out North Carolina to win its first ACC regular-season title. Duke Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. — The second-ranked Blue Devils captured the ACC regular-season crown and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament for the first time with a 3-0 shutout of No. 4 North Carolina on Saturday. Duke rounded out its regular-season ACC slate with a 5-1 mark while improving to 14-2 overall.
Head coach Pam Bustin’s squad put a 3-2 non-conference loss to Tar Heels (12-4, 3-3 ACC) earlier this season in the rearview mirror, holding North Carolina scoreless on 11 shots and four penalty corners.
“When we were looking back at that first game, we were just surprised at how we react the second half,” Bustin said. “Since then, every game we’ve been addressing situations that had come up in that game. That game was really a good thing for us in hindsight, in terms of how we adjust. Today, when we went in at halftime, the idea was to come out and expect a few things, make a few changes ourselves, but really just to keep the energy that we came out with in the first half.”
Both sides began the contest by bringing pressure in the backfield and a defensive battle ensued. A midfield tackle by Aisling Naughton set up the Blue Devils’ first penalty-corner opportunity of the afternoon, but it was senior Robin Blazing who would break through first on a corner play in the 25th minute. Blazing, who also had a crucial game winner against Wake Forest last week, deflected in a shot by junior Alyssa Chillano to put Duke in front.
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Sammi Steele and the defensive unit protected the Blue Devil lead, with Steele coming out to cut off a Tar Heel opportunity before making a key stop right in front of the Duke cage. The strong defensive play set up a second tally, as sophomore midfielder Morgan Bitting sent a ball from the left side of the circle over to junior Ashley Kristen, who put it away at the front post for her sixth goal of the year.
The Blue Devils entered the locker room at the half with the 2-0 advantage.
After surrendering three second-half tallies to North Carolina in the September meeting in Chapel Hill, Duke kept the defensive pressure on the Tar Heels for the final 35 minutes. The second period began with a diving save by Steele on a North Carolina corner, although the Tar Heels’ Alex Halpin also came up with a stop on the next possession.
“They definitely put the pressure on our circle defensively a bit more, but I’m really proud of how the team adjusted and didn’t sit back but actually stepped forward,” Bustin said. “We were just staying on task. If you don’t go off task too often during the game, you really don’t lose control of something bigger at the end of the game … Sammi did her job today and she did a great job, but I think really the defense in general, they played pretty attacking today.”
Naughton extended the Blue Devil lead in the 44th minute, finishing on a sweeping pass from junior midfielder Alexa Mackintire to make it 3-0.
North Carolina pulled Halpin from the cage for the final 10:41 and drew a corner just a couple of minutes later. Duke’s defense was able to break up the play and Steele made a diving glove save on a final Tar Heel offering to preserve the team’s fourth shutout of the season and first in ACC competition.
“We were just playing calm and steady, really keeping communication up, not getting too frazzled,” Steele said. “Any time it started to get a little chaotic we just calmed it back down and stayed true to our game.”
Steele totaled eight saves — one off her season high — while Halpin had six for North Carolina. The Tar Heels held an 11-10 advantage in shots, though the Blue Devils placed nine of their looks on goal.
NOTES
- The victory over the Tar Heels is the first for Duke since 2013.
- Duke’s Ashley Kristen has notched at least one point in four straight contests, while Robin Blazingand and Aisling Naughton have tallied a point in three straight matches.
- The Blue Devils claimed the ACC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament for the first time in program history. Duke receives a bye in the first round of the conference championship, and will face the winner of a quarterfinal matchup between North Carolina and Louisville on Friday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Penn field hockey falls in overtime to Yale, 3-2
Ivy title hopes end with loss, Harvard win over Princeton
By Andrew Zheng 5 hours ago
Although senior Elise Tilton was able to score the equalizer for Penn field hockey, it wasn't enough as they fell on the road to Yale, 3-2. Photo: Ananya Chandra
Deja vu. Something the Quakers have become quite familiar with.
Few feelings are quite as stinging as an overtime loss, a misfortune that Penn field hockey has experienced more times than it would have liked this season.
For the second straight game, the Quakers overcame a 2-0 deficit to take the game past regulation — only to fall to an overtime winner and be sent home with a loss.
This Saturday, Penn traveled to New Haven for its fifth Ancient Eight contest of the season. The match finished 3-2 when the Bulldogs found the net in the 84th minute.
Going into the match, things looked to be on the side of the Red and Blue (9-5, 3-2 Ivy), who had won all of their previous Ivy League matchups except for one this season. That loss was also a 3-2 overtime affair, coming at the hands of Harvard at the beginning of the month.
Yale (6-8, 2-3), on the other hand, only carried one conference win under its belt, a 7-4 thriller over Dartmouth.
Fifteen minutes into the game with the Bulldogs, however, the Quakers realized that it would be no easy affair. It was a slow start to the game for coach Colleen Fink’s side, which was beaten by a penalty corner early in the game.
With a little more than two minutes remaining the half, that deficit doubled when Yale found another goal to go up 2-0.
Going into halftime, it’s hard to imagine that recollections of the Harvard contest were not going through the Penn players’ minds.
“Unfortunately we’ve already had a handful of games like this in the season and had not learned from those experiences, and we did it again today,” Fink said.
Going into the game, Fink says the game plan was to take a more conservative approach to defense that would allow the team to prevent one-on-ones, absorb pressure and release dangerous counters. A flat start to the game, however, had cost the team dearly.
Three weeks ago against the Crimson, the Quakers were in a similar position going into halftime down 2-0. Fortunately, just like the Harvard match, the Red and Blue were able to climb back in the second half.
Sophomore attack Sofia Palacios opened the scoring for the Red and Blue just five minutes after coming out of the break. Eighty-one seconds later, junior Elise Tilton completed the comeback, tying the game at 2-2.
Both goals came off attacking penalty corners — of which Penn ended the game with eight compared to Yale’s two.
The second half brought out a reborn Red and Blue side, which outshot the Bulldogs, 11-2, contributing to an ending tally of 21-13 shots in favor of the visitors.
“It was just taking a breath and reminding ourselves how bad we wanted it,” senior back Claire Kneizys said. “We came out with ‘it doesn’t matter what the score is, we’re going to fight our hardest.’”
It was a dominant showing for the Quakers in the second half, but the team failed to find that third goal to clinch in it regulation, despite having numerous opportunities to do so. A great game from Yale goalie Emilie Katz and her defense certainly made it harder for the Red and Blue, but that did little to console what was undoubtedly a disappointing loss.
“I have utmost faith in our team in the overtime period, however, you don’t want to leave it to that,” Fink said. “We’ve done that far too many times this season.
“We have to get it done in regulation and not leave it to fate, essentially. In my opinion, we shouldn’t have been in that position today, but unfortunately we were.”
Yale’s game winner came 14 minutes into overtime, closing that chapter of Ivy League play.
“Obviously we’re really disappointed with the outcome,” Kneizys said.
There are still three games left on the docket for Penn — two of them Ivy matches — and the Quakers will have to strike a balance between learning from the loss and not letting it consume them.
The Daily Pennsylvanian
UNC field hockey rebounds for 5-1 win over Liberty
Noah Grant
A day after a loss to Duke, the No. 4 North Carolina field hockey team defeated Liberty 5-1 on Sunday.
What happened?
The Tar Heels (13-4) dominated in both phases, generating opportunities on offense while limiting the output of the Liberty (6-8) attack. UNC struck early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game.
Not letting off the gas, the Tar Heels extended their lead with two more first-half goals in the 28th and 30th minute, respectively.
The disparity of offensive opportunities between the two teams was the story of the game. UNC registered five goals on 27 shots while Liberty mustered just seven shots, with one on goal.
When was it decided?
UNC’s quick start put the onus on Liberty to force the action, which it failed to do until it scored its lone goal in the 59th minute.
With a 2-0 lead just eight minutes in, the Tar Heels were able to play freely and in rhythm. Playing from behind, Liberty looked to get its offense going, but was deterred time and time again by an active UNC defense.
Who stood out?
Lauren Moyer added to her team-leading goal total, tallying two scores in the game’s early going. The senior forward notched her 13th goal in the game’s fifth minute, scoring off an assist from Eef Andriessen.
Moyer wasted little time in giving the Tar Heels an early 2-0 lead. In the eighth minute, she scored her 14th goal of the year, knocking one in off a penalty corner.
Why does it matter?
UNC had lost two of its last three games before Sunday’s win. The Tar Heels righted the ship, shaking off the sting of two ACC losses that knocked them out of conference title contention.
Sunday’s contest was the first of three non-conference games to end the regular season. As they prepare for the ACC Tournament, the Tar Heels can build confidence and momentum from this win and games against lesser competition than what they face in conference play.
Where do they play next?
The Tar Heels will travel to Norfolk, Virginia to take on Old Dominion at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Daily Tar Heel