News for 01 September 2017
All the news for Friday 1 September 2017
Belgian loss sees Irish men set for relegation pool
Henri Raes and Peter McKibbin tangle. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
The Irish Under-21 men ended their EuroHockey Junior Championship group phase in third place following a battling 3-1 loss to Belgium in Valencia, meaning they will battle to avoid relegation on the weekend.
Despite the loss, coach Jonny Caren took the positives from the performance against a side featuring seven of the players that lined out in the Junior World Cup last December.
“Really happy with how the boys performed,” he said afterwards. “There was a lot of good hockey. Our game plan was to play through the pocket of Belgium and the midfield today was fantastic along with the service for the midfield.
“It got us on the ball higher up the pitch; we just need to get better in that final third which will really count in the next pool phase against Portugal where we are going to have to make those count.”
The tie saw a limited role for Keith O’Hare at the back while John Mullins was “a little freer” from his niggle that curtailed his involvement against Austria. Early on, the lively Fred Morris profited from a good advantage to lay back to Matthew Crookshanks whose sweep shot was well saved by Charles Masset in the third minute.
Belgium countered with a truly brilliant finish from Henri Raes to break the deadlock eight minutes in with a top corner rocket as the rain began to pour.
Ireland had their moments with Luke Madeley drawing another good stop from Masset while Jamie Carr kept out two drag-flicks in a strong performance between the posts.
Again, there was a big stroke decision. Madeley was adjudged to have blocked on the line with his foot rather than his stick; Caren said the video suggested otherwise: “We looked at it and its not a stroke – but that seems to be a common theme this tournament”.
Alexis Lemaire had no second thoughts to its legitimacy and flicked home for 2-0 at half-time. Ireland started the second half well and should have been bolstered when Fabrice van Bockrijk was shown yellow for a foul on Mark Samuel.
There was niggle and a physicality to both sides throughout and Madeley followed the Belgian to the sin-bin with a green. During the 10 v 10 spell, Raes made it 3-0 when his intended cross took a defensive stick to deflect in; 3-0 with 16 minutes to play.
Luke Madeley attempts to tackle Martin Lambeau. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
Geoff Cole got one back within a minute from Julian Dale’s low drag-flick and Ireland pushed on for the guts of the closing quarter until both John Mullins and Madeley got yellows, taking the heat out of the tie.
It means Ireland go into the relegation pool with Austria with one point with upcoming games against Portugal and one of either Spain, the Netherlands or England.
Men’s EuroHockey Junior Championships
Pool B: Ireland 1 (G Cole)
Belgium 3 (H Raes 2, A Lemaire)
Ireland: J Carr, L Madeley, K O’Hare, M Samuel, F Morris, R Getty, J Mullins, C Empey, J Dale, P McKibbin, M Crookshanks
Subs: K Marshall, S Grace, D Nelson, G Cole, D Mawhinney, S Wolfe, J Milliken
Belgium: C Masset, F van Bockrijk, L Sidler, A Lemaire, N Poncelet, T Willems, M Lambeau, H Raes, S Verhoeven, A Le Clef, A Kina
Subs: M Lootens, T van der Putten, R Delavignette, G Stockbroekx, L Capelle, M Loots
The Hook
Junior Green Army go down to the wire on Sunday
Suzanne Kelly holds on to possession. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
The Irish Under-21 women’s EuroHockey Junior Championship hopes will go down to the final day when they meet either Spain or Belgium.
By that time, they will know exactly what is required from the tie in avoid last place in a three-team group that will also feature France.
The Junior Green army do so off the back of a stop-start performance 3-1 loss to Germany, producing some great spells but being punished in the minutes in between.
Coach Dave Passmore said of the “Whenever we got a flow, we managed to get a card. When they come in the back two lines, it is harder to adjust. At the start of the second half, we had 10 or 11 minutes when they didn’t get into our circle.
“It was the same in the second period. But it’s the bits in between which were all important.”
Charlotte Gerstenhofer broke the deadlock eight minutes into the tie, ripping in a reverse from the top of the circle for 1-0. On the counter, Ireland made several good breaks with Ellen Curran’s rush out of defence leading to a Sorcha Clarke that Femke Jovy, back-pedaling, got a crucial block to.
Edel Nyland also made a strong run that Jovy kept out before the equaliser came in the 19th minute. Ruth Maguire made a quick dodge to the right baseline and fired in to the near post where Abbie Russell got a touch over the goalkeeper.
Germany fought back immediately to win two corners, one which Jess McMaster charged down, the other saw Sara Twomey save off the line. They went back ahead in the 22nd minute when Lena Micheel spotted a gap through the middle from a quick free and shot home from the top of the circle.
“There were lots of positives, our corner defence was really good. For phases, we coped with their press and created good opportunities, particularly on the counter.
“However, their first two goals were lapses in defence from a free hit where we didn’t get in front of the ball; we’ve never done that before so to happen twice in one game is frustrating. That’s what gave them the game.”
It stayed that way for a long time with Ireland shading the third quarter. And they had their big chance to get level once again early in the final phase. Sarah Torrans was set free one-on-one with Jovy with the goalkeeper getting a stick in to stall her progress. The follow-up shot was deflected over the bar.
A French equaliser on the other pitch against England – at 2-2 – set up an intriguing end-game. For Germany, they needed at least another goal to force the issue and get in the frame for a semi-final spot but also required an English winner. Ireland, meanwhile, needed a goal to have the chance of bringing a point into the relegation pool.
It led to a tumultuous final two minutes with Germany grabbing their goal from a corner move from Nele Aring’s deflection for a 3-1 lead. The news filtered through that England had a corner which they scored from, sending the French into the relegation pool with Ireland.
Erin Getty under pressure. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
For Passmore, he was left to reflect on the challenge ahead: “Under-21s is about learning in pressure situations and what needs to happen is that it doesn’t happen again. Every game we learn and improve. Now it’s in our hands to see whether we stay up.”
Women’s EuroHockey Junior Championships
Pool B: Ireland 1 (A Russell)
Germany 3 (C Gerstenhofer, L Micheel, N Aring)
Ireland: E Buckley, S Torrans, S Clarke, E Getty, H McLoughlin, R Maguire, E Nyland, A Ogilby, S Patton, S Twomey, E Curran.
Subs: T Hastings, J McMaster, T Doherty, M Carey, A Russell, S Kelly, L Murphy
Germany: F Jovy, M Schaunig, N Aring, B Wenzel, J Meffert, K Kirschbaum, E Grave, L Micheel, A Vivot, L Birkner, M Marquardt
Subs: K Kiefer, E Davidsmeyer, T-M Schubert, C Gerstenhofer, N Pluta, S Zimmermann
The Hook
England U21 men draw with the Netherlands
England U21 v Portugal
England U21 men drew their second group game at the EuroHockey Junior Championships with the Netherlands.
The Netherlands raced into the lead through Teun Beins’ penalty corner before strikes from Will Calnan and Duncan Scott had put England into the lead.
However after 45 minutes Noud Schoenaker’s field goal levelled the scores and the sides had to settle for a point each.
England next face Spain in their final pool A match with qualification to the semi-finals still in the balance.
England Hockey Board Media release
Late Sanders strike sees England U21 women to victory
England u21 v Ireland
A last gasp strike from Erica Sanders fired England to a 3-2 win over France in their final pool game.
The win secured top spot for England who will now face either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Head coach Colin Clarke said: "We are delighted with the playing group to come through with a win against France and secure top spot in a challenging group.
"We will now come together as a player and management group and refocus for the semi-finals on Saturday."
Delfina Gaspari gave France the lead on 17 minutes but straight from the restart England levelled through Holly Munro.
Charlotte Childs then put England ahead after the break however Victorine Vankemmel’s strike looked to have earned France a point.
However in the final minute Sanders grabbed the winner. Her initial effort from a penalty corner was rebounded back to her which she hammered into the corner.
England Hockey Board Media release
Ballot update: 75,000 tickets already applied for
England Hockey are reporting incredible demand following the launch of the ticket ballot for the Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018.
- All England pool games, the Quarter-Final, Semi-Final and Final are going to sell out in this ballot. So if you want to see hosts England or the big knockout games involving your team, the only way to get tickets is to enter the ballot before 18:00 (BST) on Wednesday 6 September.
- In total, more than 75,000 tickets have been applied for in only a few days, on top of the 21,000 purchased by English hockey clubs earlier in the year.
- If you enter the ballot now, you still have an equal chance of success.
- Kids tickets start from just £1 so the World Cup is open to everybody.
- Click here to enter the ballot.
This massive event will be held at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and will see the very best women's international hockey teams go head to head on what is one of the biggest events in the sport.
With England, Netherlands, Argentina, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, China, Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain and South Africa already confirmed - fans from across the world can enter the Public Ballot now!
How can I secure my tickets?
Due to the incredibly high demand for tickets, we are running a ballot system to ensure everyone gets a fair chance to get the tickets they would like. This ballot is now live and will close at 6pm (BST) on Wednesday 6 September.
You simply need to register, select which sessions and tickets you’d like and give payment details. You will not be charged at this point. The ballot will then be drawn after the 6 September and if successful you will be notified and charged for your tickets by the end of September. Please note, once you have entered the ballot you can log back in and amend your order up until 18:00 on 6 September.
What has happened so far?
A Hockey Family priority ticket sale was launched in April 2017 where an unprecedented 21,000 tickets were sold in the two weeks the window was open. This demonstrates the huge demand there is for tickets, so make sure you enter the ballot now!
How can I ensure I see my team play when applying for tickets in the ballot?
Whilst we don’t know the full schedule as some teams still need to qualify, we have plotted when hosts England will play each game so home fans can ensure they select these tickets in the ballot. You can have a look at the schedule here.
Remember – the England sessions are going to sell out, so consider applying for another match as well to give yourself the best opportunity to be at this once in a lifetime event.
I’ve never been to an international hockey event before, will this be a good day out?
In short, yes! Hockey is a brilliant sport to watch live and this tournament will showcase just how fast-paced, action packed and highly skilled the game is. You’ll be able to see English members of the Great Britain Olympic squad battling for medals to go alongside their Olympic gold. Amongst others, they will come up against defending World champions Netherlands and reigning Hockey Champions Trophy and Hockey World League champions Argentina. In addition to all the action on the field, we are planning the biggest fan zone we’ve ever staged for a hockey event ensuring there will be something for all the family to enjoy.
Which teams will be playing?
As well as England, the Netherlands, Argentina, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, China, Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain and South Africa have all qualified so far. With the top nine teams in the World all qualified, all teams will need all the support they can get - so make sure you are ready to cheer them on!
Should I wait until general sale to buy England tickets?
In a word, no! General sale will be at a later date to be announced, but if you want the best chance of England tickets then you should enter the ballot! All England Pool tickets will sell out in the Public Ballot so if you want to watch England on home soil then make sure you apply in the Ballot.
Click here to enter the ballot!
FIH site
Oceania Cup Set For Hockey5s Excitement
By Robert Muir
Coming to this year’s Oceania Cup is the newest form of Hockey, Hockey5s, which brings hockey into a new age of superfast and high scoring spectacles.
This electrifying modified form of the game has been trialled by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) since 2014 and is the official form of Hockey at the Youth Olympics.
The modified game brings two teams of five on to a regulation half field but is designed to be played on a number of different sized grounds and with or without boundary boards.
This allows for Hockey5s to be more accessible to communities worldwide. While not aiming to replace the traditional form of Hockey, it is instead aimed to compliment it while expanding the reach of hockey worldwide.
Key Rules:
• 55 metres by 41.7 metres pitch (rectangular half normal size).
• Three periods of 15 minutes
• Five players per side on the field
• No drawn games (extra time)
• No Scoring D, goals can be scored from anywhere
• One-on-one challenge instead of penalty corners.
The reduced team size allows for lots of space on the pitch and encourages the uses of individual skills to beat opposition players and create opportunities to score.
The ability to score from anywhere on the field means goals can come from the smallest of chances and goalkeepers have to stay alert at all times.
Australia has so far seen success in the format after sending a men’s team to the Youth Olympics in 2014 who went on to win gold at the event.
To see Hockey5s in action watch the highlights of Australia’s gold medal match against Canada here.
The schedule for the Oceania InterContinental Hockey5s can be found here and sees Australia Country play Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Come watch this exciting new form of hockey at this year’s Oceania Cup in Sydney. Tickets on Sale Now!
Hockey Australia media release
AHL - QLD History
The last 3 years of QLD's AHL
Holly MacNeil
In the 2016 Australian Hockey League tournament, the Queensland Blades finished fifth. In their match fighting for fifth place against the Malaysian Tigers, they won 4 – 2. At half time, they were up 1 – 0 and finished with a strong second half pushing out another 3 goals. Daniel Beale was the Blades top goal scorer for this tournament with 6 goals.
In the 2015 tournament, the Blades finished in the gold medal match against WA winning, 2 – 1. Cale Cramer scored both goals in this final although Jamie Dwyer finished as the Blades top goal scorer for the tournament.
In 2014, Blades went down to finishing in fourth position although they competed in the bronze medal match against Victoria. They came a draw so they went into a shootout and Victoria came out on top winning 4 – 2. Four of the Blades players finished with 3 goals each for the tournament; Jake Whetton, Joe Reardon, Dylan Wotherspoon and Justin Douglas.
The Queensland Scorchers won the Australian Hockey League tournament in 2016. They versed Victoria in the gold medal match where they were seen to win 3 – 2. They were down 1 – 0 at half time but they fought back in the second half where they scored a consecutive 3 goals. Jodie Kenny scored 4 goals throughout the tournament making her the top goal scorer for the Scorchers.
In the 2015 AHL tournament, the Scorchers finished first again with another gold medal match against Victoria where they won, 2 – 1. Jodie Kenny also finished top goal scorer again for the Scorchers.
In 2014, they made it to another gold medal match against NSW Arrows. Unfortunately, they went down 2 – 3. Although, in this tournament Kenny pulled through and came out on top with the top goal scorer in the whole women’s tournament with an amazing 9 goals.
Hockey Australia media release
Women’s indoor hockey leaves much to be desired
FOR any other sport, winning three gold medals out four at the SEA Games would have been considered a success.
Well, not for hockey
The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) promised to deliver all four golds – two each in men and women’s field and indoor hockey.
There was no doubt that the men and women would win the two field hockey golds. These two teams are simply way too good for their SEA opponents.
The same cannot be said of the indoor hockey teams.
This is the first time that the indoor game is being played in the SEA Games. The MHC, after a long delay, finally got around to forming an indoor national team early this year.
The women’s indoor hockey team are ranked second in Asia while their male counterparts finished fifth in the Asia Cup in Doha in March.
Although both teams are ranked higher than their SEA Games rivals, there was apprehension over their ability to deliver the gold.
They were right to be worried because only the men’s team won gold. The women settled for bronze, finishing behind Indonesia (gold) and Thailand (silver).
Women’s indoor hockey coach K. Gobinathan said that Indonesia and Thailand had improved greatly.
“They have put a lot into preparing their teams and had targeted the indoor hockey gold. I have no excuses as we tried our best. We lacked experience,” he said.
It is time for MHC to pay more attention to indoor hockey and start a permanent national indoor team.
The sport is likely to remain a part of the SEA Games programme given that the other teams are enthusiastic about it.
The Star of Malaysia
Junior women’s hockey squad named
Some have played for senior India
A 28-member core group for the Indian junior women’s hockey team was announced on Thursday following selection trials earlier this month.
The trials were conducted by High Performance Director David John and junior India coach Baljeet Singh Saini during the previous camp in Bengaluru following which the initial group was further pruned to 28.
They were tested on speed, agility, skills and basic understanding of the game.
The players were shortlisted on the basis of their performance at the junior National championships earlier this year.
Conditioning camp
The core group probables will assemble at the SAI Centre, Bhopal, on September 3 for a 20-day conditioning camp ahead of their participation in the Australian Hockey League (AHL).
Interestingly, some of the names in the core group have already played for India at the senior level.
“The Australian Hockey League (AHL) saw participation from the junior men’s team last year.
“We will also be having a women’s India-A team in the AHL and it will be a great exposure for the youngsters.
The team will be a combination of newcomers and under-23 players with international exposure,” Saini said.
The probables:
Goalkeepers: Divya Thepe, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Kushboo
Defenders: Neelu Dadiya, Ashmita Barla, Priyanka, Suman Devi Thoudam, Salima Tete, Ritu, Manisha Chauhan.
Midfielders: Udita, Ishika Choudhary, Mahima Choudhary, Gagandeep Kaur, Nilanjali Rai, Mariana Kujur, Baljeet Kaur, Reet, Sadhna Senger.
Forwards: Preeti Dubey, Sangita Kumari, Jyoti, Navpreet Kaur, Mumtaz Khan, Karishma Singh, Deepika Soreng, Amrinder Kaur, Lalrindinki.
The Times of India
Weekend College Games
Each week, USA Field Hockey highlights some of the top college games in Division I, II and III.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31
DII: Converse vs Limestone | 4 p.m. ET
This Thursday, marks the start of many things for both Converse and Limestone field hockey programs. Both teams will be starting their 2017 campaigns for the NCAA Division II title and this is also the start of a new experience for Converse College. The Valkyries start off their inaugural season and will play their first contest ever against Limestone College. Limestone was selected to finish third in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Preseason Poll. The Saints return Goalkeeper of the Year Tabria Cochran and Rookie of the Year Kate Remley.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
B1G/ACC Cup
DI: No. 12 Boston College vs No. 14 Northwestern | 4 p.m. ET
In the opening game of the B1G/ACC Cup, Boston College will face off against Northwestern at Spooky Nook Sports, the Home of Hockey, in Lancaster, Pa. Boston College swept their opening weekend with a pair of victories. Last Friday, the Eagles defeated Quinnipiac 6-1, with four of their goals coming from freshmen and on Sunday they defeated No. 18 Albany in a double overtime thriller. The Eagles will look to use their depth when they take on No.14 Northwestern this Friday. Northwestern started off their 2017 campaign with a 1-0 win against Stanford last Saturday but returned to the pitch Sunday where they lost 7-0 to higher ranked Connecticut. Northwestern is looking for an upset against closely ranked Boston College to get their momentum back on track.
DI: No. 2 Duke vs No. 6 Maryland | 7 p.m. ET
The second match-up is between two top nationally ranked Division I field hockey teams who are coming off successful opening weekends. Last Friday, No. 2 Duke blanked William and Mary, 5-0. The Blue Devils' five goals were scored by four different players showing their diversity and depth. No. 6 Maryland netted two second half goals to beat St. Joseph’s, 2-1, in their season opener last Sunday. The Terps were led by the Player of the Game, Sabrina Rhodes, with her first career goal being the game winner.
DII: Mercy vs Belmont Abbey | 3 p.m. ET
Mercy and Belmont Abbey will begin their 2017 seasons on Friday, September 1 at Belmont Abbey College. Mercy field hockey will look to improve upon a school record seven wins in 2016 and qualifying for the post-season for the first time in program history. The Mavericks will focus on using their experience since they have 16 players returning from last year. Belmont Abbey has been picked in a tie for fourth place in the ECAC League Coaches’ Poll while last year they were an affiliate member of the ECAC League. The squad is excited for the opportunity to be full members of the ECAC and eligible for the league championship tournament.
Misericordia Tournament
DIII: No. 3 Salisbury vs King's (Pa.) | 5:30 p.m. ET
Salisbury field hockey will kick off the season ranked No. 3 in the NFHCA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll. In 2016, they finished with an 18-2 overall record and captured the programs 20th Capital Athletic Conference Championship and made it to the programs 14th NCAA Semifinal appearance before being knocked out of the tournament. King’s field hockey finished the 2016 season with a 13-7 overall record. King’s is excited to open up their 2017 campaign against tough national powerhouse Salisbury. The squad hopes that having a competitive schedule will help prepare them for post season. 
DIII: No. 1 Messiah vs York | 7 p.m. ET
Defending National Champions and currently ranked No. 1, Messiah opens their 2017 season at home against York College of Pennsylvania. The Falcons will look to carry over the momentum from last season and look to a mix of returners and newcomers figures to keep them among the top teams in the NCAA once again. Under the new reigns of of head coach Katie Fost, York will look to improved on their 13-6 record last year. The Spartans are welcoming back the team's top four goal scorers, starting goalkeeper and four top defenders. This experience and leadership will be key when they take on Messiah.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
DI: Appalachian State vs Lafayette | 2 p.m. ET
After narrowly missing the Patriot League tournament last season, Lafayette is looking to return to the postseason in 2017. The Leopards started off their hunt to make the postseason on the right foot with a 3-0 victory over Hofstra. The squad is led by its returning captains Cody Hunsicker and Rachel Bird. Appalachian State split opening weekend with one win and one loss. The Mountaineers defeated La Salle 3-1 on Friday and suffered an 8-0 setback to Georgetown. Appalachian State will be looking to get back on track with a pair of wins this weekend.
DII: No. 2 East Stroudsburg vs No. 9 Merrimack | 1 p.m. ET
East Stroudsburg was selected No. 2 in the 2017 NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll after winning the NCAA DII tournament in 2015. East Stroudsburg went 15-5 overall last season before getting knocked out in the NCAA Division II Tournament First Round. The squad will be looking to redeem its 2016 loss by reclaiming the title this season. Merrimack ended the 2016 season strong, winning five of their final six-regular season games including three straight against ranked foes to reach the Northeast 10 Championship. Welcoming six new players this season, Merrimack will look to its experienced returners as well as its energetic newcomers.
DIII: No. 5 Babson vs No. 11 Skidmore | 2 p.m. ET
Babson was selected No. 5 in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll and were also tabbed to repeat as regular season champs in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). In 2016, the Beavers went 21-3 overall and 8-0 in league play becoming the first women’s program in school history to reach the NCAA Tournament Final Four. This record-breaking squad returns 15 players for the 2017 season. Skidmore was selected No. 11 in the Preseason Poll. The Thoroughbreds are the defending Liberty League Champions and NCAA Elite 8 participants as they are returning eight starters, solid depth and strong incoming prospects. Expect this game to be a close one!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
DI: William and Mary vs Columbia | 11 a.m. ET
After losing its opening game to No. 2 Duke on Friday, William and Mary came out fighting on Sunday against Fairfield to capture a 3-1 victory. William and Mary learned from their loss to the higher ranked team and will look jump on the scoreboard early against their upcoming opponents. This will be the opening weekend for Columbia field hockey who went 8-9 overall last season. The Lions are hoping that their tough schedule this season will push the program to new heights.
DI: No. 3 Delaware vs No. 8 Princeton | 1:30 p.m. ET
The match-up between these two-top ranked Division I teams will be the game to watch in college field hockey this weekend. Delaware, the defending 2016 National Champions, split opening weekend with one win and one loss. The Blue Hens made their mark defeating Indiana 7-0 on Saturday but suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss to No. 9 Louisville the following day. Princeton will start their 2017 season against North Carolina on Friday and then take on the defending champions Sunday. The Tigers are led by four U.S. U-21 Women's National Team players and two U.S. Women's Development Squad athletes. Princeton has the most U.S. representatives in the country so expect this game to be evenly matched and jam packed with tons of action.
DII: Franklin Pierce vs Molloy | 1 p.m. ET
Franklin Pierce was selected No.12 in the Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference Coaches Preseason Poll after going 3-14 overall and finished last in the league a year ago. The squad returns 19 players from last season and they hope this experience will help them make their way back up the NE10 standings. Molloy, who was 2-12 overall in their inaugural season, didn’t have a winning season but they did finish 2016 with a win over Queens University. Molloy is excited to start their second season ever with the goal of improving last year’s record.
*DI Rankings are based off NCAA/NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll (Posted August 22, 2017)
** DII Rankings are based off Penn Monto/NFHCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll
*** DIII Rankings are based off Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll
USFHA media release
Sports Ministry reviews after failures in hockey
By Indraneel Das
The hockey federation even has begun a three-day performance assessment programme for hockey coach Roelant Oltmans. (File | AFP)
CHENNAI: Of Late, there has been intense speculation on Indian hockey team’s head coach Roelant Oltmans’ exit. Several theories have been doing the rounds because of below-par performances in 2017 so far but the head coach did smell triumphs early on.
Apparently, Hockey India’s (HI) High Performance Director David John, at times, was quite critical about the Dutchman’s results. This was exacerbated by his over-reliance on Sardar Singh, something the HI officials did not miss. The hockey federation even has begun a three-day performance assessment programme in Delhi. They have been speaking to players, coaches, officials and Olympians to see where India lagged and where it excelled. The exercise, however, will be keenly followed not because of players’ assessment but because Oltmans is going to be a person of interest in these discussions.
Getting rid of Oltmans so close to World Hockey League Final in Bhubaneswar and Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast next year may not be ideal. HI also needs to convince Sports Ministry who pays his salary. Without their consent, his exit may be difficult. If officials in the Sports Ministry are to be believed, the body will take everything into consideration before taking a final decision.
“They are reviewing his performance and they will submit the report to us,” said an official. “Only after that can we decide.” According to the ministry it has to be best decision for the country. “We have to factor in everything before coming to a conclusion. Whatever has appeared in the media is just speculation.” Hockey, after all, has not plunged into an existential crisis yet.
The New Indian Express
Gini Bramley leads Penn State field hockey into home opening weekend
Aidan Bitterman
Gini Bramley (28) battles for the ball with Simone Vagnoni (16) of Michigan State during the game at Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Penn State defeated Michigan State 4-1. Photo: Tap Permyao
Penn State football isn’t the only top-10 Nittany Lion team getting set for its home opener this weekend.
The No. 7 ranked Penn State field hockey team is getting ready to host Temple on Friday night at 6 p.m. at the Field Hockey Complex. The Nittany Lions (2-0) will then take on No. 15 Wake Forest on Sunday at noon.
The Demon Deacons (1-1) will be the third ranked team the Nittany Lions will play in their first four games, with the Owls (0-2) being the lone, unranked opponent. The Nittany Lions are 34-7-2 all-time against them.
Penn State is by no means overlooking the Owls though.
“They have an aggressive style,” coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss said. “I think for us it’s making sure that we play a passing game and not get caught up in playing too much one-v-one. If we can stretch them out, I think that will be to our advantage.”
Last weekend, junior midfielder Gini Bramley led the Nittany Lions to wins over No. 10 Virginia and No. 23 Old Dominion. Bramley scored three goals in the two games en route to being named Big Ten Offensive player of the week and was also named the National Offensive player of the week by NFHCA.
“She always works magic with her stick skills,” Morett-Curtiss said. “She just plays so instinctively. She’s a good passer, she’s a good communicator, she’s a good goal scorer. She’s the bridge between our middies and our attack so we like that she can play both a forward and a middie role.”
She scored one goal in the 3-2 comeback victory over Monarchs (1-2) and scored twice in the 4-2 win over the Cavaliers (1-1). Both of those wins were on the road, making them that much more impressive.
Despite the impressive first weekend of the season, the Nittany Lions have things that they need to do better if they want to reach their goal.
“There are things that we need to improve upon,” Morett-Curtiss said. “A lot of it is really just getting our midfield play to be a little bit more organized on defense. We really try to focus on who we are.”
The Daily Collegian
Defensive losses burden Bulldogs
Chris Bracken & Matthew Mister
Photo: Robbie Short
The Yale field hockey team’s seniors know struggle. The class of 2018 won just three games total and only one in the Ivy League in each of its first two years on campus. But a much improved 7–10 record and 3–4 Ivy season during their junior campaign raises expectations heading into this year and suggests that the best is yet to come.
“This season we are looking to be more aggressive and offensive minded,” forward Carol Middough ’18 said. “In the past we’ve played more on our heels and let other teams dictate our play, but this season we have the numbers and the confidence to be more offensive.”
When the Bulldogs take the field for their season opener on Saturday against Sacred Heart, head coach Pam Stuper will return seven of her 11 starters from last year.
Returning players accounted for 28 of Yale’s 35 goals last year. Leading the way up top will be Middough, the team’s leading scorer. The then-junior’s 10 goals in 2016 were good enough to earn her Second-Team All-Ivy recognition and the year’s tallies were most by a Yale player since 2011, when the Bulldogs last captured the Ivy title. Middough, whose 78 goals in a single high school season is the third-highest total ever recorded in high school field hockey history, will be the key component to the Bulldog attack.
Starting alongside Middough last year, forwards Allie Carrigan ’19 and Bridget Condie ’20 also return looking to build off their combined nine goals and six assists last year. Forward Brooke Reese ’19, who played in every game last season and was fourth on the team in goals, will also contribute to the production of a deep Yale offense.
Through the midfield, Yale returns identical twins Katie Smith ’18 and Lily Smith ’18 along with Marissa Medici ’19. The Smith sisters have each played in every game of the last three seasons. With elite speed and stick skills on the perimeter, both will be crucial catalysts to the offense in their senior seasons.
Despite all the returning talent, Yale is untested in goal. The Bulldogs graduated Emilie Katz ’17, who minded the net for every minute of the last two seasons. In her four years in New Haven, Katz was a two-time first-team All-Ivy selection and the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year her senior season, an award rarely given to goalies.
Replacing Katz will be a daunting task for Stuper, but both potential starters this year have impressive resumes. Chaney Kalinich ’19 participated in the USA Field Hockey Futures program before coming to Yale, while rookie Sydney Terroso ’21 was named the First-Team All-Star League goalie twice in high school.
“We’ve come off an intense and productive pre-season ready to be competitive and play our game,” forward Brooke Reese ’20 said. “We have a great freshman class with new talent and skills coming to use both offensively and defensively. We stuck to getting faster and stronger this spring and are building off it to enhance our team attack. Offensively, we have a ton of individual talent up front and the key will be our communication and discipline to work the ball into the goal.”
The Eli defense will also have to play without its linchpin, captain Kiwi Comizio ’18. The second-team All-Ivy honoree tore her ACL during the spring lacrosse season, and will miss the entire season. Without any rookie backs on the roster, the returning Bulldogs will have to step up to compensate for the absence of last season’s player of the year.
“Losing Emilie Katz and Kiwi this season was definitely a blow to our backfield,” Middough said. “However, our incoming freshman goalie, Sydney Terroso, has done an amazing job taking Em’s place and coming into the fold of our team.”
Sacred Heart, Yale’s first opponent, is 1–1 on the year as both team’s play on their home turf, Johnson Field, for Yale’s season opener. The Pioneers are searching for their first win in the series since a 3–2 success in 2014 and will look to snap a two-year losing streak against the Bulldogs. Yale took last year’s edition by a score of 2–0 to open the season.
The Bulldogs open the season with five nonconference games before a clash with No. 14 Harvard on alumnae weekend. The Crimson, along with No. 9 Princeton, are the only two ranked Ivy teams and the two favorites to hoist the title at the end of the season. Penn lies just a spot outside the top 25, and the Quakers will join Cornell and Columbia in competing with Yale for a top-half finish.
Yale last posted a winning record on its way to an Ancient Eight title in the 2011–12 season.
Yale Daily News