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News for 01 April 2017

All the news for Saturday 1 April 2017


Hosts Trinidad & Tobago suffer shoot-out heartbreak in Tacarigua

Canada, Russia, Japan and USA complete semi-final line-up at Men’s Hockey World League Round 2 event



Thursday was quarter-final day at the Men’s Hockey World League Round 2 event in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago, with Canada, Russia, Japan and USA all emerging victorious to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.

The battle between the team that topped Pool A and the side that finished fourth in Pool B was far closer than many had predicted, with Canada’s Red Caribous (FIH Hero World Ranking: 11) overcoming a gritty Switzerland (WR: 30) 2-1.

Following two goal-less quarters, defender and penalty corner ace Scott Tupper put the Canadians ahead midway through the third period. However, it was a lead that lasted just three minutes, with Nicholas Steffen’s field goal restoring parity to set up a tense final quarter.

The winning goal arrived six minutes from time, with Tupper notching his second penalty corner of the game to put his side through to the semi-finals where they will meet Russia (WR: 22), who defeated Chile (WR: 26) 4-2 in the second match of the day.

The Russians dominated the contest and opened up a 3-0 lead going into half time thanks to open play strikes from Andrey Kuraev, Marat Khairullin and Alexander Korolev, with Ilfat Zamalutdinov making it 4-0 early in the third period.

Late Chilean goals from Andres Ovalle and Pablo Purcell reduced the deficit but did not affect the outcome, with Russia going through to the semi-final stage as deserving winners.

In the third match of the day, Pool B winners Japan (WR: 16) eased to a comfortable 5-0 win over Pool A’s bottom placed team Barbados (WR: 49). Striking sensation Kenta Tanaka continued his imperious form with a first minute goal before Seren Tanaka doubled the advantage ahead of the second quarter.

Shota Yamada, Hirotaka Zendana and Kentaro Fukada scored in the second, third and fourth quarters respectively as Japan set-up a semi-final clash with USA (WR: 29), who battled to a shoot-out victory over Trinidad & Tobago (WR: 33) in a remarkable final match of the day.

Mickell Pierre gave home favourites T&T a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute, with Dylan Francis doubling the advantage with just two minutes of the match remaining. Incredibly, USA scored two goals in the 59th minute to force a shoot-out, with Michael Barminski and the evergreen Pat Harris dragging their team back into the contest in the most unlikely of circumstances.

The USA were more clinical in the shoot-out, triumphing 3-2 thanks to converted efforts from Harris, Ajai Dhadwal and Tyler Sundeen to break the hearts of the home fans packed into the stadium. 

The action continues on Saturday 1st April, with the 5-8 classification matches getting proceedings underway. Switzerland face Chile at 1315 (Local time UTC/GMT -4) before Trinidad & Tobago take on Caribbean rivals Barbados at 1530. The first of the semi-finals sees Canada taking on Russia at 1745 ahead of the USA versus Japan fixture at 2000.

Like all the Round 2 events, the competition in Tacarigua – which is located around 20 kilometers inland from capital city Port of Spain – consists of teams that came through the first phase of the competition and nations that were automatically given a bye through to Round 2 due to their higher placement in the FIH Hero World Rankings. The highest ranked teams will enter the World League at the Semi-Final stage of the Hockey World League which will take place in this summer.

The top two finishers from the men’s Round 2 events in Dhaka (4-12 Mar 2017), Belfast (11-19 Mar 2017) and Tacarigua, (25 Mar-2 Apr 2017) are certain to qualify for the Hockey World League Semi-Finals, being joined in the World Cup qualifier phase by the two highest ranked of the third placed finishers from those three events. Malaysia and China took the top two places at the event in Dhaka, with Egypt (FIH Hero World Ranking: 20) finishing in third place. In Belfast, Ireland claimed a first place finish ahead of France, with Scotland (WR: 27) taking third position.

You can keep track of the tournament in Tacarigua on the official competition pages by clicking here and on FIH’s social media channels using the #HWL2017 hashtag.

FIH site



Japan cruise, hosts lose heartbreaker to Americans

FIH World League R2 - Tacarigua

Damian Gordon


FIH World League R2, Tacarigua - 1/4 final - Canada vs. Switzerland. Photo J-M Productions   

The lower ranked teams came into Day 4 with one more chance to create an upset and advance to the semi-finals. Switzerland gave Canada a scare, losing to a late PC goal, Russia withstood a late charge from Chile, Japan were comfortable against a spirited Barbados team and USA needed a shootout to get pasts Trinidad & Tobago to close off an exciting day of hockey.

Canada vs. Switzerland

Canada started the first quarterfinal in control of the game. They dominated possession and position without threatening the Swiss goal. When they did get shots GK Verest kept them out. Despite their dominance, the Canadians could not score and the first half ended 0-0. The second half started as first, but the Swiss managed to earn a PC that was well defended by GK Carter. Canada finally opened the scoring from their 3rd PC. Switzerland kept their cool and surprised Canada with a nicely worked counter attack goal. The third quarter ended with the teams surprisingly tied at 1-1. Canada kept attacking, but Verest kept coming up with big saves. A shootout was beginning to seem possible when captain Tupper came up big scoring a PC. Despite a few late green cards and rising tempers there were no other goals, making Canada the first semi-final team. Final score 2-1 Canada.

Russia vs. Chile

Russia took control of the match early, using a full press to keep the ball in the Chilean half. Their pressure forced a turnover that was converted into the only goal of the first quarter. The second quarter continued like the first with the Russians scoring two very good reverse stick goals to take a 3-0 lead into half time. The Russians scored yet another reverse stick goal early in the 3rd quarter before the Chileans started to find some attacking rhythm. The game evened out and Chile enjoyed a few good attacks, but could not score before the 3rd quarter ended. Chile continued to press forward and were rewarded with two late goals, but it was not enough to change the result. Final score 4-2 Russia.

Japan vs. Barbados

The match started as expected with Japan taking the lead in the first minute. Barbados refused to be awed by the occasion and managed a few attacking opportunities themselves. Japan continued to control the game, but Barbados used their athleticism to break up promising attacks. A midfield turnover did lead to another Japanese goal before the 1st quarter ended. The second quarter continued as the first with Japan unable to break down the Barbados defence. A few minutes from half time the Japanese scored their 3rd goal of the match and 1st PC of the tournament. The third quarter took on a now familiar pattern of Japan patiently trying to break down the Barbados defence. Again, the only goal of the quarter came from a Japanese PC. Japan continued their dominance but could only add a FG to wrap up a comfortable victory over their opponents. Final score 5-0 Japan.

USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago

The Americans started off the stronger of the two teams, pushing the host nation right back into their defensive third of the field. It was against the flow of the game when a long aerial ball from the TTO backfield found Tariq MARCANO whose shot went off the crossbar. It was the best chance of the quarter, which ended 0-0. The second quarter saw the TTO team get more possession, dictating the play more and they used it to score a broken PC shot to take a 1-0 lead into the half. The 3rd quarter was another balanced contest with both teams scoring a goal. TTO went 2-0 up with a well taken counter attack goal before an immediate US response with a powerful flick from a tight angle. TTO entered the 4th quarter still with a 2-1 lead. The Americans went a player short after van Dam earned a yellow card and then pulled their GK for a kicking back to give them the extra out field player. The tactic worked as Pat HARRIS scored a dramatic equaliser to send the game to a shootout to determine the winner. Team USA held their nerve to move into the semi-final with a 3-2 shootout win. Final score 3-2 shootout (2-2 FT) win USA.

Saturday’s semi-final match ups are Canada vs. Russia and USA vs. Japan. The 5th-8th qualifiers are Switzerland vs. Chile and Trinidad & Tobago vs. Barbados.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Penalty pain

By Mark Pouchet


FLASHBACK: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Marcus James, centre, celebrates with teammate Stefan Mouttet, left, while the Russian players watch on during their opening FIH Men’s World League Round 2 at the National Hockey Centre in Tacarigua last Saturday. Russia won 3-1. —Photo: Stephen Doobay

NATIONAL men’s hockey team captain Darren Cowie said he felt numb while head coach Glen “Fido” Francis termed the hard-fought 3-2 penalty shootout loss to the USA as “devastating” following quarter-final action in the FIH Men’s World League Round 2 on Thursday night at Tacarigua.

But with the dream of advancing to the World League semi-final stage dashed, the pair said it was important for Team TTO to finish strong, starting with their 5th-8th place playoff match against Barbados at 3:30 p.m. today.

Team TTO were 2-0 up against the USA through Mickell Pierre’s dramatic opening salvo, a blast from an acute angle rebounding from a T&T penalty corner and Dylan Francis’ slapshot strike in the 38th. But the USA hit back through Michael Barminski in the 39th before Pat Harris secured the equaliser with a deft deflection in the penultimate minute of the game.

In the ensuing penalty shootout, USA’s Tyler Sundeen drove the nail into the hearts of the local team when he beat Kwasi Emmanuel.

“When the ball went in for the last penalty, I felt like nothing, numb,” Cowie said. “It really was a tough result to stomach in a match like I felt we should have won.”

Francis shared similar sentiments.

Trinidad & Tobago Express



Japan beat Barbados 5-0 in hockey

by Nku Davis


Marlon Daniel keeps a watchful eye on this Japanese striker during their quarterfinal against Japan.

The Hockey Tridents took the field Thursday against Japan in their quarterfinal berth of the Hockey World League in Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago, and the script seemed to be a replay of the last pool game against Canada. In the first minute Japan found the back of the net through a seemingly routine passage of play, 1-0 to Japan.

The boys in aquamarine and gold after a weak start seemed to consolidate quickly and by the fifth minute were trading punches with Japan making promising inroads deep in Japanese territory. Playing a very defensive game the Bajan boys pressed on through the quarter disciplined and compact. However, with five minutes left in the period Japan exploited the lack of counter control through Tanaka Seren with a simple tap in over the advancing Andre Boyce the Barbadian custodian, 2-0 to Japan.

Late in the quarter the Hockey Tridents survived a siege as the Japanese could not convert from a string of three penalty corners.

The Japanese started the second period with high pressure which paid off after just two minutes when they were awarded a penalty corner but again the Hockey Tridents proved equal to the task, Kris Holder charging down the strike.

The local boys again worked to consolidate and after yeoman work down the right side from Akeem Rudder they were rewarded with a penalty corner. It was the Japanese’s turn to absorb the pressure and the Hockey Tridents asked some serious questions of their defence.

Having all the right answers Japan turned a solid defence into attack after a last ditch tackle from Jerome Harewood only delayed the inevitable. Japan winning a penalty corner, converted easily to make it 3-0.

The Bajan boys dug in and fought their way to the half without addition to the deficit.

The Hockey Tridents again came out very lively and were rewarded with some real estate deep in Japanese territory. However, the overzealousness translated into a heavy challenge in defence. The resulting penalty corner brought goal-line heroics out of Keenan Knight, introduced at half-time in the Bajan goal.


Jamar Small challenges for the ball in their quarterfinal against Japan.

The score-line remained the same until a goal line error, uncharacteristic of Che Warner, led to the Japanese’s fourth.

With five minutes left in the third period Barbados seemed set on opening their account, stubbornly camping out in the Japanese defensive territory. Japan, as they have all tournament, found release from a quick counter, but the Hockey Tridents held fast.

Knight again had last second heroics to deny Japan any advance in their tally this period.

The Hockey Tridents moving from strength to strength, again pressed the Japanese and although the pace of the game must have been telling on their legs they maintained their structure denying Japan another.

Until in a moment of individual brilliance the Japanese number 15 broke the deadlock with a cheeky reverse stick lift over the advancing Knight, 5-0 to Japan.

The Hockey Tridents again surged forward pressing the Japanese defence in search of a goal. The drive was impressive and deserving of a goal. The disciplined and well-rehearsed Japanese defensive unit however, gave no quarter and the game would end 5-0 to Japan.

Barbados now move on to the 5-8 playoffs Saturday and wait to see who comes out on the losing end of USA versus Trinidad and Tobago, that match will flick off at 3:30p.m.

Barbados Today



Canadian women ready to make the most of playing at home

Shaheed Devji



When it comes to hockey, the results are what matter. But there’s no doubt, there’s more to the 2017 Gryphon Hockey World League Round 2 than just hockey for Canada’s women’s field hockey team.

Playing at home is not something Canada’s women get to do very often. And when they do, it’s a big deal.

Canada’s women won a bronze medal when playing on home soil in Toronto at the 2015 Pan American Games. But the Women’s National Team hasn’t played a competition of this size and scope in British Columbia since hosting an Olympic qualifier in Victoria in 2008.

“I think it’s a really great opportunity to bring the community together,” says team captain Kate Wright (Gillis), who is the only player on Canada’s World League 2 roster who was on the 2008 team in Victoria. “When we were playing in Victoria, there was so much home support, such a big crowd, everyone cheering, which really impacted me.”

Outside of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, Wright (Gillis) hasn’t had many opportunities to relive that experience.

Canada’s women are often travelling around the world, meaning extended family and friends rarely have the chance to see them play. And pro-Canadian crowds are rare.

“It’s really an amazing opportunity to showcase how hard we work and thank them for their support and I think it will be great for them to see how far we’ve come. We’re playing some really good hockey right now and it should be really exciting.”

But when it comes down to it, any competition, especially one of this magnitude is about sport. And for Canada’s women, Gryphon Hockey World League Round 2 is about one thing: winning.

“We’re definitely focused on the World Cup, but it’s just a process,” says veteran midfielder Brienne Stairs. “Our next big focus is definitely World League 2, coming top two, making it to World League 3, and then qualifying for the World Cup.”

Stairs, who played at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, nearby her hometown of Kitchener, knows the impact a home event can have.

Canada’s bronze medal at the tournament was the first Pan Am Games medal for the Women’s National Team in 16 years.

“I think we’re really confident going in to World League 2,” adds Stairs. “Especially because it’s on our home turf and we’ll have lots of fans out supporting, and we’ve been training really hard preparing.”

Home crowd, support, and comfort is one thing. But preparation, is another. And Canada’s women are prepared.

After winning that bronze medal in Toronto, Canada’s women have been on the rise and last year defeated top-10 ranked team Korea at the 2016 Hawke’s Bay Cup in New Zealand.

“I think a big win against Korea gives us the confidence, that we know we can beat those top ten teams,” Stairs says. “This is another opportunity. India is an awesome team who went to the last Olympics, that will be a great challenge for us.”

Canada’s women, ranked 18th in the world, recently defeated India (12th) in pre-tournament competition. It’s yet another stepping stone, leading to what they hope is a successful home tournament in West Vancouver.

And while the results on the field are the priority, Wright (Gillis) – who played a part in inspiring current National Team member Hannah Haughn at that 2008 tournament – knows there is much more that comes with this competition.

And she and her Canadian teammates are looking to make the most of it.

“It’s such a privilege to play at home,” Wright (Gillis) says. “I think having it in West Van, which is such a big field hockey hub, same as Victoria, it’s going to be such an exciting time for girls of all ages to come and watch their National Team play on home soil and hopefully inspire them.”

Canada opens World League Round 2 on Saturday, April 1st at 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET against Mexico.

Live updates can be found on Field Hockey Canada’s Twitter feed. Post game results and recaps can be found here and at fieldhockey.ca.

Gryphon Hockey World League Round 2 in West Vancouver has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Additionally, we would like to thank the Province of British Columbia and viaSport for their generous support of this project.

The West Vancouver Field Hockey Club is also proud partner of this event.

Field Hockey Canada media release



Japan snatch late winner over Black Sticks


Photo: www.photosport.nz

A goal just two minutes from fulltime has seen Japan snatch a 2-1 win over the Vantage Black Sticks Women at the Vantage Festival of Hockey.

In a rematch of last year’s final, Japan drew first blood when Motomi Kawamura slotted one from a penalty corner in the eighth minute.

Following the first half, which was disrupted for some time by a burst water main, the Japanese held their advantage deep into the fourth quarter.

The Black Sticks delivered an equalising blow in the 54th minute thanks to a low and strong penalty corner drag flick from Brooke Neal.

But Japan struck again with less than two minutes on the clock with a defensive error giving away another penalty corner opportunity and allowing Yu Asai to score the winning goal.

Black Sticks midfielder Pippa Hayward said it was a game which should have ended with a draw.

“It’s quite a disappointing start to the tournament for us, we need to be a lot better and have work to do in both the attacking and defensive circles.”

New Zealand will look to shake off their opening loss when they go up against trans-Tasman rivals Australia at 5pm tomorrow.

Earlier on opening day the Hockeyroos played out a 1-1 draw with USA, with captain Alyssa Parker scoring for the United States before Madi Ratcliffe equalised for Australia early in the second half.

VANTAGE BLACK STICKS WOMEN 1: (Brooke Neal)
JAPAN 2: (Motomi Kawamura, Yu Asai)
Halftime: Japan 1-0

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Black Sticks claw back to draw with Australia


Photo: www.photosport.nz

The Vantage Black Sticks Women scored close to the final whistle to secure a 1-1 draw with trans-Tasman rivals Australia at the Vantage Festival of Hockey.

Australia came out of the blocks strongly and opened the scoring in the 11th minute through a Laura Barden goal.

The Hockeyroos controlled play in the first half to go into the break with a one goal lead, but the Vantage Black Sticks held more possession and territory in the second spell.

It took until the 58th minute for the Black Sticks to equalise when a great run through the middle of the Australian defence by Olivia Merry led to a deflection in front of goal which Sam Harrison put into the net.

Vantage Black Sticks head coach Mark Hager said the performance from his side was better following Friday’s loss to Japan.

“We have some new players in the squad and they are still learning to play at international level. Our players need to show more aggression and develop more belief in their ability.”

After two rounds Japan tops the table with two wins, Australia are second with two draws and New Zealand and the USA have one draw each.

With a rest day tomorrow, the Kiwis are back in action against USA at 6pm on Monday night.

VANTAGE BLACK STICKS 1: (Sam Harrison)
HOCKEYROOS 1: (Laura Barden)
Halftime: Australia 1-0

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Hockeyroos draw with NZL at Hawkes Bay Cup

The Hockeyroos have taken on trans-Tasman arch rivals the New Zealand Black Sticks today at the Hawkes Bay Cup in Hastings, New Zealand. After leading for the majority of the game, the Hockeyroos conceded a goal to the Black Sticks in the 59th minute of play, resulting in another 1 all draw for the Australians.

The Roos were off to a great start, with Laura Barden scoring a cracker of a field goal from the right-hand side of the circle in the ninth minute of play to give Australia the advantage.

For the next two quarters, it was an even paced game between the Hockeyroos and the Blacks Sticks, with both teams on the defence and pressing hard.

It wasn’t until the 59th minute of play that the Black Sticks managed to level the score, with Samantha Harrison scoring a field goal after a long run and deflection from Olivia Merry, leaving the Hockeyroos with their second draw of the competition.

Barden said: “It’s heart wrenching to lead a match for so long only to concede the equalising goal with less than two minutes on the clock. We were probably guilty of playing a little bit of run and gun in the second half rather than consolidating on our one goal lead.”

The Hockeyroos next play New Zealand on Monday, April 3 at 2pm AEDT / 12pm AWST. Keep up to date with the score by following @Hockeyroos on Twitter.

HOCKEYROOS 1 (1)
Laura Barden 9 (FG)

BLACK STICKS 1 (0)
Samantha Harrison 59 (FG)

Hockeyroos Match Schedule

Monday 3 April: AUS v JPN 4pm NZST / 2pm AEST / 12pm AWST
Tuesday 4 April: AUS v USA 4pm NZST / 2pm AEST / 12pm AWST
Thursday 6 April: AUS v NZL 5.30pm NZST / 3.30pm AEST / 1.30pm AWST
Saturday 8 April: AUS v JPN 3pm NZST / 1pm AEST / 11am AWST
Sunday 9: Finals

Hockeyroos team v NZL
Athlete (Hometown, State)

Laura Barden (Kew, VIC) 23/5
Kristina Bates (Port Melbourne, VIC) 2/0
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA) 113/10
Kirstin Dwyer (Mackay, QLD) 122/2
Ashlea Fey (Sunshine Coast, QLD) 8/2
Kate Hanna (Constitution Hill, NSW) 11/0
Jordyn Holzberger (Ipswich, QLD) 41/4
Gabi Nance (Kingscliff, NSW) *Plays for SA 50/3
Emily Smith (Crookwell, NSW) 165/65
Renee Taylor (Everton Park, QLD) 14/0
Ashlee Wells (Morwell, VIC) 85/0
Mariah Williams (Parkes, NSW) 58/7

Used Substitute

Jocelyn Bartram (Albury, NSW) 6/0
Kristina Bates (Port Melbourne, VIC) 2/0
Edwina Bone (Orange, NSW) *plays for ACT 129/3
Stephanie Kershaw (Townsville, QLD) 8/2
Georgia Nanscawen (Melbourne, VIC) 191/37
Kaitlin Nobbs (Newington, NSW) 6/0
Madi Ratcliffe (Warnambool, VIC) 5/1

Hockey Australia media release



USWNT and Australia Share the Points at the Vantage Hawke's Bay Cup



HASTINGS, New Zealand - The U.S. Women's National Team and Australia battled to a one-all draw in the opening match of the 2017 Vantage Hawke’s Bay Cup women’s hockey tournament in Hastings, New Zealand.

The two sides are closely ranked in the world with Australia No. 4 and the USA No. 6.

The Americans were up 1-0 at the halftime break thanks to a third minute goal from midfielder Alyssa Parker (Woodbine, Md.).

The USA dominated possession and territory for the remainder of the half, but Australia stuck to the task and denied Team USA on a number of occasions.

The second spell saw a totally different Australia team come out onto the turf. They were more assured and confident in their play and managed to create a number of scoring chances.

Their reward came just 30 seconds into the second half when Madi Ratcliffe equalized.

Both teams continued to play attacking hockey but the defense of both teams stayed strong and their respective goalkeepers kept the ball out of the net.

Gilt edge chances for the USA fell to Jill Witmer (Lancaster, Pa.) and Michelle Vitesse (Cherry Hill, N.J.) while Australian Stephanie Kershaw was unable to turn a great chance into a goal.

So it was a point apiece from their opening match in this double round robin competition.

Another special note to today's competition, USWNT athlete Erin Matson (Chadds Ford, Pa.) achieved a noteworthy accomplishment during the match by securing her first international cap.


Janneke Schopman, USWNT Head Coach, Erin Matson and Phil Edwards ,USWNT Assistant Coach, Image provided by Edwards

The USWNT will be back on the pitch Saturday, April 1 to take on Japan at 3:00 p.m. local time (Friday, March 31, 10 p.m. EST). The top two teams after round robin play will compete for the Vantage Hawke’s Bay Cup on Sunday afternoon (NZ time).

Article courtesy of The Hawke's Bay Cup

USFHA media release



Women's Black Sticks stumble in Hawke's Bay Cup opener


Brooke Neal, right, scored a goal in the Black sticks loss to Japan at the Hawke's Bay Festival of Hockey in Hastings on Friday. Photosport

Japan has snatched a 2-1 win over the Black Sticks thanks to a goal two minutes from fulltime at the Hawke's Bay Festival of Hockey.

In a rematch of last year's final, world No 11 Japan drew first blood when Motomi Kawamura slotted one from a penalty corner in the eighth minute in Hastings on Friday night.

Following the first half, which was disrupted for some time by a burst water main, Japan held their advantage deep into the fourth quarter.

The world No 5 and defending tournament champions Black Sticks delivered an equalising blow in the 54th minute thanks to a low and strong penalty corner drag flick from Brooke Neal.

But Japan struck again with less than two minutes on the clock with a defensive error giving away another penalty corner opportunity and allowing Yu Asai to score the winning goal.

Black Sticks midfielder Pippa Hayward said it was a game which should have ended with a draw.

"It's quite a disappointing start to the tournament for us," she said. "We need to be a lot better and have work to do in both the attacking and defensive circles."

New Zealand will look to shake off their opening loss when they go up against trans-Tasman rivals Australia at 5pm on Saturday.

Earlier on opening day the Hockeyroos played out a 1-1 draw with United States, with captain Alyssa Parker scoring for the United States before Madi Ratcliffe equalised for Australia early in the second half.

Japan 2 (Motomi Kawamura, Yu Asai) Black Sticks 1 (Brooke Neal). HT: 1-0.

Stuff



Late goal secures Black Sticks women draw with Australia at Festival of Hockey


New Zealand attacker Samantha Harrison, facing camera, celebrates her late equaliser with Pippa Hayward in their match against Australia in Hastings. JOHN COWPLAND/PHOTOSPORT

A goal just two minutes before the final whistle secured the New Zealand women's hockey team a 1-1 draw with trans-Tasman rivals Australia at the Festival of Hockey in Hastings on Saturday.

Backing up after a 2-1 loss to Japan on Friday night, the Black Sticks were on the back foot early as Australia came out of the blocks strongly and opened the scoring in the 11th minute through a Laura Barden.

The Hockeyroos controlled play for the remainder of the first half to go into the break with their one goal lead in-tact, but New Zealand were able to hold more possession and territory in the second spell.

It looked as though that may not translate into an equaliser as the match entered its final throws with the visitors 1-0 buffer undamaged.

But, in the 58th minute, the levelling goal finally came, Olivia Merry making a strong run through the middle of the Australian defence before a deflection in front of goal allowed Sam Harrison to put the ball into the net.

Black Sticks head coach Mark Hager said the performance from his side was better following Friday's loss to Japan.

"We have some new players in the squad and they are still learning to play at international level. Our players need to show more aggression and develop more belief in their ability."

After two rounds Japan tops the table with two wins, with Australia are second with two draws and New Zealand and the USA on one draw each.

Sunday was a rest dat for the New Zealand side, their next game against the USA at 6pm on Monday.

New Zealand 1 (Sam Harrison 58) Australia 1 (Laura Barden 11). Halftime: 0-1.

Stuff



Kookaburras win third test v Pakistan

Final score 2 - 0

Holly MacNeil



(Darwin, Northern Territory) - It was a drenched team of Kookaburras that left the pitch with a 2 – 0 victory over Pakistan in game three of the four game test at the Darwin International Hockey Open tonight.

The first quarter went by with both teams pushing hard to get on the score board, but the weather hindered their opportunities. Nineteen minutes into the game and Jeremy Hayward scored a penalty corner goal, getting the Kookaburras on the board just before the players had to abandon the pitch due to the weather.

The game pushed on five minutes later, and as the teams went into half time the score remained at 1 – nil to Australia.

Coming back from the half time break the rain eased, giving both sides more opportunity to gain goals. It was Trent Mitton who came through with the goods, scoring a penalty corner to take the score to AUS 2 – 0 PAK.

Both sides had only a few chances to increase their score as the clock wound down, but at the end of the day the weather slowed the game down and neither side could convert, giving the Kookaburras their third win of the series.

Kookaburras head coach Colin Batch said: “We’ve played in extreme heat this series, and tonight it wasn’t cold but they were very wet conditions which was quite difficult for the players; but we have to cope with those conditions -  and by and large I think we did.

“It was a very low scoring game with not many chances on both sides, we had just the three corners and they had a couple. I think a feature of our game tonight was our defending and our tackling, which was really, really good.

“We’re still experimenting with our line up and learning a lot. I think at this stage of our campaign it’s good to experience that in an international match against a team as good as Pakistan, and to learn from it. I’d still like to see us create more opportunity; they were few and far between tonight.”

The Kookaburras next take on Pakistan in the final game of the series on Saturday afternoon at 5pm ACST at the Marrara Hockey Stadium, with tickets available through www.Ntix.com.au

KOOKABURRAS 2 (1)
Jeremy Hayward 19 (PC)
Trent Mitton 37 (PC)

PAKISTAN 0 (0)

Kookaburras squad v Pakistan
Kiran Arunasalam (Doncaster East, VIC) 3/0
Josh Beltz (Hobart, TAS) 18/2
Ben Craig (Lane Cove, NSW) 11/2
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW) 27/9
Matthew Dawson (Killarney Valley, NSW) 65/9
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD) 294/24
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA) 78/0
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA) 105/43
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW) 46/12
Josh Pollard (Melbourne, VIC) 12/0
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD) 117/48

Used Substitutes
Tristan Clemons (Bunbury, WA) 33/0
Jeremy Edwards (Hobart, TAS) 11/1
Casey Hammond (Bundoora, VIC) 11/0
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT) 72/26
Aaron Kleinschmidt (Melbourne, VIC) 12/3
Tom Wickham (Adelaide, SA) 5/2
Matthew Willis (Tamworth, NSW) 18/2

Hockey Australia media release



Indians should learn to read game: Hans Streeder

Manuja Veerappa

BENGALURU: There is an orange hue to the Indian hockey coaching matrix with the national chief coach Roelant Oltmans leading The Netherlands coaches in the national set up. Joining Oltmans and women's hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne on the roster is analytical coach Hans Streeder. Streeder is no stranger to Indian hockey, having assisted former chief coach Michael Nobbs during India's training stint at Rotterdam in 2013. He has also been a part of the Hockey India League with the UP Wizards franchise over the past few seasons. The 58-year-old, who joined the national team a few weeks ago, is aiming to get the players to be mentally tougher and help them become professionals.

At the national camp here on Friday, Streeder spoke about the way forward for Indian hockey and the changes he would like to see in them.

EXCERPTS:

Given the Dutch flavour in Indian hockey, does it influence the style of play?

No. We will follow the rules of Indian hockey. You have to respect it -the skills, speed and the creativity of the players. You have to create an environment for them. That's something we have to be careful about; not playing the German way of hockey. Their style is organised and the players know exactly what to do. That style is good for Germans or maybe Dutch. But for Indians, we don't believe in it.

Are the Indians good readers of the game?

The Indians have to learn to read the game. That's sometimes a problem because when they score they are so happy that the opponents will score any minute. So, they have to learn to control their emotions and get back to their positions (after scoring) and work from there. That is important, where you keep that fundamental in the mind.

Your first impression about the players?

They're very skilful but are not used to an organised session. I mean, after finishing a drill, they're not used to going to set 'B', then set 'C' and so on. They just want to play. After every set they're so happy that they forget have to go through other sets too. So we have to yell out and tell them to complete every drill without resting. Also, defensively they lag. I think, you only attack freely if you're defence is covered. So if you lose the ball, you're covered. That's the structure we're trying to bring into the side. I am happy that the guys are very eager to learn new things.

The Times of India



Hockey coach Hans Streeder stresses on need to work on defence

BENGALURU: Newly-appointed analytical coach Hans Streeder wants the Indian men's hockey side to work on its defensive structure, which in turn can bolster any team's attacking capability.

"I would like to see the team improve upon their defence structure. You can only attack freely when you know your defence is covered," the the 58-year-old Dutchman said at the Sports Authority of India centre here, where a group of 33 core probables are training ahead of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup starting next month.

While the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in April is an important tournament for last year's runners-up India, Streeder and chief Coach Roelant Oltmans has set their sights on the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar later this year.

Streeder feels one of the key challenges for an analytical coach is to keep the sessions fresh.

"It is important to stay fresh in doing what you do on pitch. Drills need to be fresh but not too difficult so the players can be excited and upbeat about it. The structure needs to be clear for them to execute well. But since I have worked with Roelant (Oltmans) in the past I know exactly what he expects from me so it becomes easier," he said.

India is not new to Streeder as he has worked briefly with former coach Michael Nobbs when the Indian team visited Rotterdam.

Streeder was also part of the Hockey India League franchise Uttar Pradesh Wizards as their analytical coach for three years since the inaugural edition.

"I've seen a lot of these players closely. They are a very skillful and excited bunch," said Streeder, who joined the national camp on March 14.

Before joining India, Streeder was with the Netherlands junior squad and has closely watched and analysed the junior Indian team that lifted the junior World Cup in December last year.

"I was on the video tower for every single match and I have watched these boys closely. The 11 players from that team who are in the camp here are very talented, no doubt, but I would like them to work in a new structure, understand what's expected of them from every session and execute it," he said.

"Whether they are junior or seniors it doesn't matter as long as they play in the structure planned and created for them," Streeder asserted.

The Times of India



Grunwald take on training camp in Ukraine



WKS Grunwald Poznan continue their build-up to a Euro Hockey League KO16 date against Real Club de Polo with a second training camp of 2017 to date.

The Polish champions were in Zakopane in February before a quintet of players joined up with the national side to play in the Hockey World League Round 2. This week, they have completed a 16-hour drive to Ukraine for a series of sparring matches with clubs in Vinnitsa.

The club have not yet returned to regular Polish league action and have not been able to make use just yet of their new astroturf pitch.

As such, towering defender Pawel Bratkwoski says it is difficult to know exactly where his side stand at this stage but they are looking forward to the challenge against a Polo who feature three Olympic gold medalists.

“We know Polo are full of hockey stars but we will do our best to raise ourselves to their level. For sure, it is exciting to come up against a trio of gold medalists but we have avoided the Dutch and German teams who we have played before and maybe a Spanish team will be much better for us.”

Grunwald have been an ever-present feature in the 10 seasons of the Euro Hockey League – one of only two teams along with Russia’s Dinamo Kazan – but they have yet to advance beyond the KO16, making this a major goal.

“The KO8 is always the target but Spanish teams are always good technically so we will see.”

Euro Hockey League media release



'We might be able to strike Surbiton'

By Sarah Juggins


Erica Sanders celebrates opening goal

The students of Birmingham University plan on giving Surbiton the third degree at the League Finals weekend at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on 22 and 23 April.

Three of the university side took time out of a busy training schedule with the national training squad at Bisham Abbey to talk about their club side’s aspirations for the forthcoming showcase event.

Erica Sanders had a wry smile as she pointed out that Surbiton had been beaten this season – albeit it was the London side’s only defeat for 53 matches – and she added, ‘Actually the pressure will be off Surbiton, as they are already in Europe, so we might be able to strike them when they don’t expect it.’

Birmingham University went into the Christmas break in fifth place, but always with the aim of making the play-offs. The pathway was anything but easy for the students however as the squad was in a constant state of flux with players called up for Scotland and Wales for the Hockey World League Round Two events, meaning players from the second team were often thrown into the fray.

Sanders agrees: ‘It has been tough and quite hectic. A lot of players have had to move around the teams as the result of a frequently changing squad.

‘The girls did incredibly well while we were in South Africa (with England) and we managed to get in the top four but it was incredibly tight.’

In fact, it all came down to the last game of the season when Birmingham needed a win over Canterbury to seal the coveted fourth place. It was a pressure Sanders and her teammates relished. ‘It was a good situation to be in because it was all in our hands. If we won we went to the Finals, if we didn’t win, that was it.’

While the team may have been disrupted in the second half of the season, Sanders points out that international duty isn’t always bad for a club side. ‘Nine of us went to the Junior World Cup in Chile, so even though we missed some games and training, we were still working together and that shows now, when we are playing for the club.’

Of course, Birmingham University do have their own not- so-secret weapon in the form of gold medallist Lily Owsley, and that is something both Erica and Scotland’s Amy Costello put a lot of value upon.

‘Lily is a good role model and her sheer presence on the pitch does help,’ says Amy. ‘A lot of teams have a lot of senior players and Lily is the senior member of our side – but she isn’t any different now, she will always be Lily.’

The player herself has a typically straightforward approach to the forthcoming challenge. ’It doesn’t matter if it is an Olympic final, a league game, a friendly knock around or a game of backgammon. I am just so competitive, I am a nightmare if I lose and I take it very personally.’

The final week’s preparations are also going to be far from easy. Costello, Sanders, Owsley, Livy Paige and Anna Toman are all at Bisham Abbey for long periods of time while a lot of the squad are involved in various U21 training sessions taking place over the next few weeks. As Sanders says: ‘Most of us are involved in hockey away from university so it is going to be difficult to get together for any period of time.’

However, the Birmingham University team are nothing if not determined in the face of difficulty, as their final league position shows, so their opposition should be prepared for a tough test at Lee Valley.

England Hockey Board Media release



Gladiators tackle Parklands

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Hockey coach Meshack Senge in the field at City Park. PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE


Champions Strathmore University Gladiators face Parklands tomorrow in a Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League match at City Park Stadium.

Gladiators will be seeking their second victory of the season after dropping two points in the 1-1 draw with Western Jaguars in Kakamega last weekend.

They launched their title defence with a 2-0 win over 2012 holders Nairobi Sikh Union.

This is one of the ten matches this weekend in Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru.

Strathmore coach Meshack Senge told Feverpitch that maximum points will enhance their defence.

“We are determined to defend our title which means that every point counts,” Senge said.

Today, newly promoted Technical University of Kenya (TUK) will intensify their hunt for a first premier victory.

They face an uphill task against 2016 fourth place finishers Greensharks.

TUK lost the season opener 2-0 to Sailors and 4-1 to Nakuru HC.

The Standard Online



JHL: UniKL scrape past BJSS Juniors

By Jugjet Singh


Taufik Kamjai celebrating after scoring UniKL's first goal.

UNIVERSITI Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) scraped past Bukit Jalil SportS School (BJSS) Juniors 2-0 in the only Division One Junior Hockey League match Friday.

Three other Division One matches had to be postponed as their players will head to India this weekend to play in the Asian Schools tournament.

However, leg cramps were the order of the day in this Under-19 tournament, as two UniKL and four BJSS Juniors fell like pins in the last quarter.

BJSS Juniors coach S. Prakash attributed it to the recently concluded National Under-16 tournament.

"All my players went back to their states to play in the National Under-16 and have yet to fully recover from their injuries and stamina was a little low. I'm glad we did not lose by a bigger margin," said Prakash.

UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj also placed cramps on his check-list.

"This (cramps) can't be happening to such young players and its on my checklist. However, it was a decent performance from a team that only had five players that had previous experience playing in the junior league.

"Actually it was only their third match together, and they lost the earlier two friendlies by big margins and so this win is a welcome relief," said Arul Selvaraj.

UniKL got their goals off Taufik Kamjai (seventh) and Chairil Rusli (39th).

RESULTS: Division One: UniKL Young Guns 2 BJSS Juniors 0.

DIVISION TWO: Group A -- MSSP Stinger 0 MSS Kedah 3, MSSC-UFL Penang 1 MSSPP-USM 7, USM Juniors 0 MSN Young Lions 2; Group C: Johor Baru HA 1 Datuk Taha 1 (Johor Baru won shoot-out 4-2).

GIRLS' -- Group A: MSN Kedah 2 Sabah SS 0, USM Juniors 0 CBN 3.

SATURDAY -- Girls Group A: Wipers v SSTMI (KLHA, 5pm); Group B: USM v Zaaba (USM, 6pm), Uniten v Johor Juniors (KPM, 5pm).

SUNDAY: Division One -- Johor Juniors v Olak-NurInsafi (Batu Pahat, 5pm).

Division Two: Group B -- MISCF-UFL v Terengganu Juniors (KLHA, 8pm), MSSWPKL v MCKK (KPM, 5pm); Group C: Young Hurricanes v TBSS Tampin (Malacca, 5pm), SSTMI Juniors v MBMB Warriors (SSTMI, 5pm).

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey



UniKL thump BJSS in spasm-filled MJHL opener

KUALA LUMPUR: The first day of the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) began with Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) downing Bukit Jalil Sports School (2-0) in a Division One match that saw several stoppages due to players suffering from cramps.

UniKL got off to a great start at the KL Hockey Stadium when Mohd Taufik Kamjai collected the ball from the top D to slam it past BJSS goalkeeper Muhd Helmi Muhd Fazil in the seventh minute.

UniKL doubled their lead in the 39th minute with a penalty corner goal by Muhd Chairil Daniel Rusli.

The match was stopped a few times in the third and fourth quarter as players fell to the ground with cramps.

UniKL coach A. Arulselvaraj felt that his boys should have done better.

“I am a bit surprised with my players suffering from cramps ... I’ll need to have another look at their fitness level,” said Arulselvaraj.

“Since this was our first match, I can understand that they need more time to get adjusted.

“I’m happy with the way the defenders performed, but my midfielders and forwards need to buck up.

“We hope to improve as the tournament progresses ... there are a few areas we need to work on.”

BJSS coach S. Prakash said that four of his players suffered from cramps “because they are tired after playing in the National Under-16 tournament (which ended on Sunday)”.

“My players did not have enough rest and some only trained for a day before the league began. I hope my boys will recover in time for our next match in two weeks’ time,” said Prakash.

The Star of Malaysia



The lengths GB went to to win Olympic gold


Olympic gold medal for our women's team in Rio

England and Great Britain's Alex Danson has offered an intriguing insight into the work that went into winning Olympic gold in that decisive shootout against The Netherlands.

Alex revealed that the squad worked on every detail, including making sure they stood together as a group, regardless of whether a goal is scored or not.

Speaking to englandhockey.co.uk, Alex said, "I feel very proud around the shuffles, how we took them, and how the whole team acted when that whistle went.

"If you look back to our Commonwealths in 2014, we weren't visibly connected, so we undertook a a body of work to ensure we had that tiny edge about how we looked. We did a lot of work with Andrea our sports psychologist around how we look and how we present ourselves.

"We knew what we were going to do, we knew how we were going to behave whether it went in or not, whether Maddie saved one or not, our behaviour didn't change. As an British team, we took a real understanding into the match of what we need to do and how we need to be.

"If you watch the Olympic final and had one camera on GB and one on the opposition, the Dutch were very emotionally invested in what was going on. Their hands were in their faces, they weren't connected as a group, whereas if you look at us, we had our arms around one another, we knew exactly how to behave at every stage.

"When I walk up, I have already accepted that I will score, or I won't. That's fact, nothing else can happen. So my job is to do the best with the skill I've decided to use. In Rio, it was saved, and when you return, you still have a job to do on that walk back, because others still have to take theirs. So your routine is the same, you come back, high five, accept the outcome. We knew as five takers, how to communicate with each player.

"Our vision was to be one team, and how you present yourself externally has a huge impact on how you feel.

"Honestly, I completely forgot it was an Olympic final. because of the preparation. And I honestly believe that, because of the work you've done before. So the night before, you're thinking about playing in an Olympic final, of course you're nervous but you acknowledge it knowing how you'll feel.

"It's about margins, and the biggest word is preparation. In the Euros and Olympics, everybody did their job. We love Maddie's water bottle and the preparation, we all make sure every detail is covered."

England's women's team face The Netherlands on 11 June in a sold-out match at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

England Hockey Board Media release



What goes through a player's mind in an Olympic final?



"In the final we went out and we fought, it was tense. The most special thing about that game and the thing that I will always remember was in the last quarter. Craig Keegan, our coach brought us in and just said, 'we’re back at Bisham, it’s a Thursday morning, find your way to win'! At that point I knew that this group of women would represent the wider squad and would give everything we had.

When that final whistle went and Hollie put that ball in the back of the net, it’s a day I think every hockey player across our country will always remember."

Alex Danson - quote

England Hockey Board Media release



U16 Boys & Girls Club Championships Finals


U16 Club Finals 2015 Surbiton

Next weekend sees the first national outdoor club competitions of the season decided with the finals of the Boys’ and Girls’ U16 Club Championships at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.

In both competitions eight teams have battled through local, Tier 1, leagues and area, Tier 2, competitions to reach the final stages. In each competition teams play in two groups of four with the teams finishing second in each pool playing off for third place and the two pool winners qualifying for the competition final.

Surbiton, who won the boys’ and girls’ title in 2016, return to defend their title. Beeston, Bowdon and Cheltenham are undefeated in this year’s boys’ competition and will look to challenge for honours. In the girls’ 4 teams are undefeated, Isca, Marlow, Surbiton and Stourport, with the latter having scored 54 goals and conceded only 1 to date.

The full list of participating teams is as follows;
Boys' Pool A - Havant, Beeston, Guildford, Bowdon
Boys' Pool B –Cheltenham, Surbiton, Lichfield, Harrogate
Girls' Pool C -  Beeston, Stourport, Isca, Southgate
Girls' Pool D –Ben Rhydding, Reading, Surbiton, Marlow

Full schedules can be found > U16 Club Finals Schedule

Ticket Prices
One Day Ticket
Adults: £7.00
U18s: £2.00
Two Day Ticket (U16 & U18s only)
Adults: £12.00
U18s: £3.00

Ticket prices increase if purchased on the day at the venue.
You can purchase tickets for the event here.

Venue
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre
Eton Manor, Leadmill Lane,
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
London
E20 3AD

Please note there that parking on site is limited and is therefore reserved for participating teams and officials. Therefore there is strictly no parking for spectators.

England Hockey Board Media release

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