News for 19 October 2018
All the news for Friday 19 October 2018
Men's Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 - Day 1
Muscat (OMA)
Results 18 October
MAS v JPN (RR) 3 - 0
IND v OMA (RR) 11 - 0
Fixtures 19 October (GMT +4)
18:55 PAK v KOR (RR)
21:10 OMA v MAS (RR)
FIH Match Centre
Malaysia launch Hero Asian Champions Trophy campaign with 3-0 victory over Japan
Faizal Saari scores twice; Tengku Tajuddin adjudged man-of-the-match
Muscat: Riding on two early penalty corner conversions, Malaysia posted a sound 3-0 victory over Japan in the opening encounter of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex here today.
Faisal Saari sent a drag flick into the net to open the scoring in the third minute and Tengku Tajuddin capitalised on a rebound from the goalkeeper on Malaysia’s second penalty corner in the ninth minute to put Malaysia on course to avenging their loss in the final of the recent Asian Games in Jakarta.
Japan fought back to do create some chances in the second quarter, but failed to convert them. Faisal Saari spiked any chance of Japan’s fight-back with a deft penalty stroke in the 51st minute. The penalty stroke was awarded on a Malaysian referral that showed Saari being pushed from behind inside the circle.
Tengku Tajuddin was adjudged man-of-the-match
Malaysian captain Sukri Mutalib said his team had achieved the target of starting with a victory. “We were motivated to start with a good performance. The Asian Games is now behind us. On our way to the World Cup, we want to do well here,” he said.
Roelant Oltmans, who recently took over as the Malaysian team’s coach, was pleased with his side’s performance. “This is a new tournament and a new start. I am happy with the way we player, but we can do better,” said Oltmans. “We cannot change the past, so we hardly discussed what happened in the Asian Games,” Oltmans added.
Japan’s captain Genki Mitani said his players did feel the pressure of being the Asian Games champions going into the match. “We sure felt some pressure from being the Asian Games gold medallists, but we can handle that pressure,” Mitani said. “What hurt us was the two early goals we conceded through.”
Siegfried Aikman, Japan’s coach, said he was disappointed with the loss in the first outing, which he attributed to “individual mistakes.”
“A few individual errors killed us. We did come back strongly, but failed to convert the chances,” he said. “We have a very young team which can do better. We will come back.”
Asian Hockey Federation media release
Malaysia take revenge against Japan in Muscat
By Jugjet Singh
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia started their Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) in Muscat, Oman with a 3-0 win over Asian Games champions Japan yesterday.
Even though Malaysia got their revenge in Oman, it was Japan who had won the more important Asian Games gold medal in Jakarta recently.
Japan fielded five new players, and Malaysia also rested a few players including penalty corner flicker Razie Rahim at the ACT.
And in Razie's absence, Faizal Saari converted a penalty corner goal in the third minute and seasoned striker Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin made it 2-0 by the ninth minute off a penalty corner deflection.
Faizal scored the third goal in the 51st minute off a penalty stroke.
National No 1 goalkeeeper S. Kumar was rested, as he had complained about muscle pain in his right thumb but was still included for the ACT. Hairi Rahman kept goal in the opening match instead.
New Straits Times
M'sia beat Asian Games hockey gold medalist Japan 3-0 in Oman tourney
By Aftar Singh
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia outplayed Asian Games gold medallist Japan 3-0 in Muscat, Oman on Thursday (Oct 18) to get off to a flying start in the men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament.
The win was a debut start for national coach Roelant Oltmans who was hired to chart the fortune of the Malaysian team on Oct 1.
Malaysia, who lost to Japan 3-1 in the penalty shootout in the Asian Games final in Jakarta last month after being deadlocked 6-6 in regulation time, made an impressive start in Oman.
Striker Faizal Saari gave Malaysia the lead in the third minute off a penalty corner at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.
Malaysia kept up the pressure to double the score six minutes later through forward Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil, again off a penalty corner.
Faizal was on target again to score his second and Malaysia's third goal in the 51th minute with a penalty stroke to give Malaysia full points.
Malaysia did not have the services of key defender and penalty corner specialist Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim but they defended well in the match.
The 64-year-old Dutch coach said they were happy with the results and the way the team organised its defence.
"In possession, I would like to see a bit more of the team. No weakness but there is always room for improvement, as mentioned especially in the ball possession," said Oltmans.
Six nations are featuring in the tournament, and Malaysia next play hosts Oman today.
Defending champions India sent an early warning to other teams by trouncing Oman 11-0 on Thursday.
The Star of Malaysia
With 11-0 victory over Oman, India begin process of clearing doubts left by Asiad performance
Sundeep Misra
India celebrate a goal against Oman. Image courtesy: Twitter @TheHockeyIndia
After quite an extra-ordinarily chaotic first quarter, a slightly jumpy Indian team settled down to do what they do well — score goals, a good eleven at that against hosts Oman in their opening match of the Asian Champions Trophy at the Sultan Qaboos Complex in Muscat.
The 11-0 scoreline may not get fans overly excited looking at the level of competition, but the first quarter, goalless at that, showed a certain depth in the Indian squad to re-arrange their structure, keep playing with finesse and keep Dilpreet Singh slightly away from the melee that was causing major road blocks inside the Oman defensive area.
The youngster playing his 31st international match showed lovely positional sense and a perfect pair of hands to notch up his and the tournament’s first hat-trick. Eight Indian players got onto the scoresheet showing the thrust that India deployed in the last three quarters; four goals in the 2nd, two in the 3rd and five in the last quarter summing up India’s performance.
For Oman, who could look back to the 2013 Asian Champions Trophy when they allowed India to score only three goals, an improvement in defensive structural play didn’t mean that they had the patience to constantly stand ahead of the Indian forwards. They did everything right, spreading play on the flanks and in fact even coming close to scoring twice in the 1st quarter, but the relentless pressure and pacy build-ups from the Indian midfield ensured that goals kept coming up as the Omani defence slowly disintegrated.
Oman coach Tahir Zaman — one of Pakistan’s true legends and a member of the side which played two World Cup finals in 1990 and 1994 (the edition Pakistan won) — knew what he was up against. “Against India, it’s always a case of patience and an aligned defence at the back,” he said. “But the moment you give space, they will exploit as they have speed.”
Lalit Upadhyay, a player who can wear two hats – speedy forward and an efficient link-up in the midfield, personified the wonderful mix that a team constantly requires when creating chances. He scored only one goal, the opening one but he intelligently mixed up runs into the Omani striking circle with some subtle taps that others exploited to the hilt. Lalit is a thinking player, but needs a certain role in the team. With Indian captain Manpreet Singh at times pulled into defensive positions, Lalit is the player to provide fast breaks and also man the gap between the forwards and the midfield.
Another player to impress was Hardik Singh making his senior international debut. He overlapped well and showed lovely set of skills in the opposition half. Sterner tests against stronger teams will show his exact mettle. But against Oman, he held his own and more importantly didn’t show any sign of nerves.
Changes were made in the overall play in the 2nd quarter as India came through the middle with Manpreet, Lalit and Chinglensana searching for gaps between a 6-8 man Oman defence. It was finally Manpreet who cleared the way, set up Sumit who tapped it forward for Lalit to fire in a whopper for the opening goal in the 17th minute. With the gates finally open, goals came in the 22nd, 23rd and 30th minutes with Harmanpreet Singh firing in a penalty corner. At the break India led 4-0.
Not too much resistance came in the 3rd or 4th quarter from Oman. In fact, even though Oman only let in two goals in the 3rd quarter, India were clearly playing with rhythm and also using the flanks to good effect. Akashdeep Singh, who usually plays on the left flank, did some good work on the right, hammering in a few good hard hits and also using his skills to frustrate the Oman defence, who by the time the 4th quarter began were looking tired.
Gurjant Singh and Dilpreet scored in the 3rd quarter even though the former would regret a few misses in front of the Oman goal. For Oman, their goalkeeper deserves a pat on the back as he saved around eight chances that looked like sure-shot goals.
Defensively, even though in the 3rd and 4th quarter Oman didn’t really create much up front, Surender and Jarmanpreet Singh waded into attack very effectively. Surender used the left flank while Jarmanpreet powered away on the right. It was Surender’s ingenuity in creating on the line that paved the way for both Gurjant and Akashdeep to get in the goals.
Gurjant picked on a lovely through that was flicked between the defenders legs and then playing on the line, drawing the entire defence towards him, Surender in the last second flicked the ball into the centre of the circle where Akashdeep simply had to whack the ball in.
By the end of the 3rd quarter, India had 19 shots on goal, 41 circle entries and over 80 percent possession. More importantly, they used the midfield to create chances. In matches like the one against Oman, losing structure is easy as most forwards and midfielders would want to dodge and score, losing momentum when the defence provides a solid back six on the line. It’s easy to tense up in front of the goal, go deeper into one’s own territory and try and create moves.
But assists provide confidence and players like Jarmanpreet, Surender, Manpreet, Lalit would feel confident that the play was according to a plan and not just rush in and bang the goals. Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh didn’t get much of the play and aptly the management brought in Krishan Pathak in the 3rd and 4th quarter.
India’s penalty corner run was good if not impressive. They scored five out of eight opportunities. But the goals need to come against better prepared teams and faster runners. The variation, if that was one, off the 7th PC was breathtaking. Harmanpreet took a powerful flick and Chinglensana thrust his stick out in the mid-zone to deflect the ball in for the 9th goal. And then that wonderful moment when Mandeep in the 57th minute dribbled, dodged and danced past four players to set up Dilpreet’s hat-trick would do a lot for Mandeep’s confidence.
Irrespective of the opposition, getting in the goals is a major task. Also impressive was the carefree and relaxed way the team played involving the entire squad in the build-ups with substitutions fast and apt. Coach Harendra Singh has a lot of work to do to ensure that the team gets back into a solid work ethic in the remaining matches and be focused on the target which is to win the Asian Champions Trophy. Winning would be the perfect formula for a team driving itself to perform at home during the World Cup.
After the Jakarta Asian Games, the team has been under a lot of scrutiny, the spotlight constantly on the players, questions being asked of them whether they have it in them to perform with consistency on the world stage. Too many questions and confusion when none of this back room talk should have occurred has been easy fodder for the media. But in the victory against Oman and in the matches up ahead, Harendra and his team have a good chance to clear the muddied waters.
Firstpost
India launch title defence with 11-0 win over hosts Oman
India beat Oman 11-0 , Twitter(@TheHockeyIndia)
Young striker Dilpreet Singh scored a hat-trick as India launched their title defence with a runaway 11-0 victory over hosts Oman in the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat.
After being denied in the first quarter, India opened the scoring through Lalit Upadhyay's goal in open play in the 17th minute.
Three more goals followed in the second quarter of the match played on Thursday night as Harmanpreet Singh (22nd minute) sounded the board with a low drag-flick, followed by Nilakanta Sharma (23rd minute), who flicked in during a goalmouth scrimmage and Mandeep Singh (30th minute), who capitalised on a pass from the right flank.
Having started with two forays into the Indian circle in the first quarter, Oman wilted under pressure in the second half.
Dilpreet scored three goals (41st, 55th and 57th minute) and was adjudged Man of the Match, while Gurjant Singh (37th minute), Akashdeep Singh (27th minute), Varun Kumar (49th minute) and Chinglensana Singh (53rd minute) also made entries on the score-sheet.
Elated at his first Man of the Match performance for the senior national team, Dilpreet credited his teammates for creating opportunities.
"It was not just an individual effort. My teammates created the openings for me to score the goals," he said.
Indian coach Harendra Singh said beginning with a big win was the team's target. "We are happy to start in this manner, but tougher competition is ahead of us," said Harendra ahead of the clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday night.
"I am not happy at the manner in which we played the first quarter. We have a lot of work to do." Oman team's coach Tahir Zaman said he expected India to go all out, but was upset at the errors by his defenders.
"We gave away four or five goals that should not have been there. We were playing against Asia's highest-ranked team. Our target was to sustain and absorb the pressure that was expected from India," said Zaman, a former Pakistan captain.
"Despite the highly skilled opponents, our team did well to create some scoring opportunities in the first quarter. But the difference in quality became evident as the game proceeded," he added.
Daily News & Analysis
Vantage Black Sticks Men tie, 0-0, with Canada in Game 2 of the BDO Hockey Series
The Vantage Black Sticks Men left game two of the BDO Hockey Series with 0-0 tie with Canada last night at Warkworth Showgrounds Reserve, Warkworth.
The game began almost identical to the first game of the series with some back and forth play and an empty scoreboard for the first 30 minutes of play.
The third quarter saw a few chances from both teams but neither were able to find the back of the net.
Eight minutes into the fourth quarter Canada had a close all off a penalty corner but couldn’t get past Vantage Black Stick goalkeeper Richard Joyce.
The remainder of the game saw multiple efforts from both sides but each defence held strong ending the match in a 0-0 draw.
“It was a little bit static and predictable today,” said Head Coach Darren Smith. “We go caught playing the outside the whole time. Canada were determined and defended pretty well so it ended up a game of limited opportunities.
“It was a step up for them but we probably took a step backwards from last night. They guys have worked pretty hard these last two games. It’s been a tough training block. We’ll give them a day off tomorrow and then just see if we can get our structure right so that we have bit more about us particularly through the center of the field for a good game on Saturday.”
The men will have a rest day today and be back to play the final two games in the BDO Hockey Series on Saturday and Sunday (October 20 and 21) at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Pakuranga, Auckland. Both games will kick-off at 2:30 pm.
VANTAGE BLACK STICKS: 0
CANADA: 0
HALFTIME: 0-0
Hockey New Zealand Media release
France upend England to show Olympic hockey credentials ahead of Paris 2024
By Rod Gilmour
France believe they can play alongside top nations PIC: E. Decoudun
‘Hockey sur gazon’ – field hockey as we know it – has been a rare commodity in L’Equipe, France’s daily sports newspaper, in recent years.
But for the first time, since perhaps 2013 when France unexpectedly reached the final of the Junior World Cup, the sport has made a welcome return – and with some aplomb.
That’s because France, the world No 20 men’s side, put up some stout resistance against world No 7 England in two World Cup warm-up matches in Lille this week.
France, coached by Dutchman Jeroen Delmee, were leading 3-2 in a Test match on Tuesday evening thanks to a penalty corner hat-trick from captain Victor Charlet before lapsing in the final minutes as England scraped home 4-3.
England Hockey has a policy not to report non-capped matches. So it was left to the French federation to declare ‘Victoire!’ the following day, coupled with a report in L’Equipe on Thursday as France then secured a memorable 2-1 win over Danny Kerry’s side.
Unfortunately, there was no sign of the live streaming promised on Tuesday, while the unofficial match on Wednesday bore no facts or line ups, so it would be remiss of The Hockey Paper to call this an ’embarrassing’ defeat against a team languishing below Austria in Egypt in the world rankings.
Furthermore, speak to coaches and responses invariably suggest that these pre-tournament matches are a chance to try out new tactics – or not give much away to the opposition ahead of more important games.
Still, France’s win – from a team on the rise – was their first since beating England in a friendly 30 years ago in Lille. Like this week, England had also won the previous day, in a year when Great Britain took preference due to it being their famous 1988 Olympic campaign.
“These two meetings showed that we were indeed able to compete with a world top nation. It is satisfactory even if there are details to be refined,” Charlet admitted to L’Equipe.
France’s recent rise is a fascinating, if under-reported, one and there will be several players on show at the upcoming World Cup who also featured in their run to the 2013 Junior World Cup final in New Delhi.
French showed skill at penalty corner routines PIC: E. Decoudun
The Tricolores will next leave French shores at the end of the month for a 12-day tour to South Africa and four-Test series before travelling to India for the World Cup.
Back home, the Federation is currently outlining its agenda within France, having hired a communications agency to deliver ‘hockey sur gazon’ to the wider public, with the backdrop of the Paris 2024 Olympics coming into view.
L’Equipe had profiled the sport in a big feature last weekend, entitled ‘The not-so-insane mission of French hockey’. And judging by their on-field performances this week, the vision is far from crazy.
The FFH’s ‘Ambition Hockey 2024’, launched in March, is a multi-layered development plan: to double the number of players to 125,000 and 40 per cent women, to organise more international elite competitions and to increase its digital and media reach, as well as its own financial resources.
The Federation’s ambitious outlook stretches to the field, with an aim of “shining” at an Olympic Games. The men last participated at the 1972 Munich Games, while the women’s team has yet to qualify.
Ambitious plans for field hockey ahead of Paris 2024 PIC: France Hockey
“The Olympics in France are a great opportunity to develop and create a collective movement,” Olivier Moreau, president of the FFH, told a business briefing in Paris on Thursday.
“This is the moment where we have to aim high. If we want to see the boys on the podium in Paris, and the girls in the Top 10, it is now that we must make headway.”
Next month’s World Cup will at least allow France to showcase themselves once again on the world stage – and where they need to be in six years time in Paris.
The Hockey Paper
Women’s Wanglibao Hockey Champions Trophy tickets on sale
Fans can now buy tickets to watch the best of the best in Changzhou this November Photo: FIH/WSP
With less than a month until the start of the Women’s Wanglibao Hockey Champions Trophy Changzhou Wujin 2018, the excitement around the event is building-up with ticket sales now launched and Chinese online financial and property management company Wanglibao joining as title sponsor.
There are three ticket categories for fans to purchase:
General admission – US$20 per day
Pack for the six competition days – US$100
VIP (including VIP tickets & catering) – US$450 per day
The Wanglibao Hockey Champions Trophy Changzhou Wujin 2018 will take place at the Wijun Hockey Stadium between 17-25 November.
The prestigious event will feature six teams among the best-ranked ones in the world: the hosts - China, reigning World Cup and World League champions Netherlands, 2016 Olympic champions Great Britain, the 2016Hockey Champions Trophy winners Argentina, Tokyo 2020 hosts and recently crowned Asian champion Japan as well as reigning Oceania champions Australia.
The full schedule of the tournament is available on the official event website here.
China will come up against recently crowned World Cup winners Netherlands in their homeland Photo: FIH/Getty
The Women’s Wanglibao Hockey Champions Trophy Changzhou Wujin 2018 will round off a truly spectacular year for the women’s game following the hugely successful Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018 which was won by Netherlands in August.
News about this event and subsequent ticket information is regularly updated on the official Women’s Wanglibao Hockey Champions Trophy Changzhou Wujin 2018 website whilst other updates are regularly posted via FIH Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Ticket information:
To purchase tickets, fans simply need to create an account on the ticketing platform (http://hockey.jianshenweb.com) and request the number of tickets per day. Then a QR code is generated which will have to be shown at the ticket office of the venue. Fans will then pay at the venue in cash and collect their tickets accordingly.
Full details available here
#HCT2018
FIH site
Delfina expects 'crazy' crowds and new role models when FIH Pro League arrives
Delfina Merino is used in playing packed stadiums across the world, but nowhere, she says, is like playing in front of the home crowds in Argentina.
“The crowd goes crazy for hockey,” says the 2017 FIH Hockey Stars Player of the Year, “there is singing, dancing and the noise… it is truly crazy.”
All of which means that the Argentina hockey team is eagerly anticipating the arrival of the FIH Pro League in their country as they prepare to host the world’s best teams – male and female – in the inaugural year of competition.
“It is early to say,” says Merino, “But there are so many benefits to the FIH Pro League. The prospect of so many international fixtures in a short period of time will really bring hockey back to the people of Argentina.”
"While hockey is already the number one sport for females in Argentina, even more people will identify with our team once the FIH Pro League begins."
Delfina Merino, Argentina
It has been some time since Argentina played host to major senior international hockey. The 2016 Hockey World League Final in Rosario was the last occasion. Then, one of the game’s global icons was celebrated as the stadium was officially named after Luciana Aymar who, two years earlier, ended her illustrious playing career on a winning note at the 2014 Hockey Champions Trophy in her homeland in front of an emotional audience.
The FIH Pro League will be a chance for Argentina and its opponents to taste South American hockey at its best.
For Merino, the FIH Pro League will also provide an opportunity for players to experience hockey in different countries and within different cultures. While the 29-year-old is a seasoned traveller – having spent time playing club hockey in Europe as well as travelling the globe with Las Leonas – it is the new recruits to the team that will benefit most from the experiences.
“It will give players the chance to see other cultures but also regularly experience different styles of play and see how other countries prepare for international games,” says the 2010 World Cup gold medallist.
“Yes, the travelling and dealing with jet-lag could pose some problems but each team will have its own way of dealing with that. It might mean a few more days off after travelling, it might mean adapting the way we train, but we will work that out as we experience this new format.
“Every country will have its own way of dealing with the new challenges but that is also what adds to the excitement and interest of the FIH Pro League.”
As someone who played alongside the eight time winner of the FIH Player of the Year, and counts Aymar as a friend and role model, Merino knows the power of live sport on the public’s appreciation of the game. “It is going to be really cool to play the FIH Pro League in Argentina. The fans will love to see international hockey in our country. New role models will be created and, while hockey is already the number one sport for females in Argentina, even more people will identify with our team. This will drive interest and passion for the sport to new levels.”
Argentina’s first home matches take place on 26 January 2019 at the Estadio Municipal de Hockey, Cordoba, when first the men and then the women take on the Red Lions and Red Panthers of Belgium.
#FIHProLeague
FIH site
PREVIEWS: Investec English Women's Hockey League
Unbeaten in their first four matches, Buckingham will be hoping to maintain their good start to the season when they entertain top flight newcomers Beeston in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division on Sunday.
A victory could see Buckingham go top of the table if other results go in their favour, and would see them secure a third win in their first five matches, having drawn two other games.
But Beeston will be no pushover, having only lost one of their first four games, and they could overtake their hosts and potentially go third if they secure a good win.
“Beeston are a good side,” said Buckingham head coach Zak Jones. “We played them pre season so we know they play a really fast open brand of hockey and will be tough opponents.
“I’m pleased with the start we’ve made, although it was a bit frustrating to have drawn a couple of games because we had our chances to win. But we’re getting up to where we want to be.”
Elsewhere, leaders Surbiton will be aiming to make it five games unbeaten when they entertain Bowdon Hightown on Saturday, while the University of Birmingham will want to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Surbiton when they host Canterbury, also on Saturday.
As well as the Buckingham versus Beeston clash, Sunday’s matches include in-form Holcombe playing host to East Grinstead, while Slough go in search of their first victory at Clifton Robinsons.
In the Investec Conference East, early leaders Cambridge City will want to preserve their winning run with a win at Harleston Magpies, while last season’s champions Hampstead & Westminster entertain newcomers Horsham.
The top two are preparing for battle in the Investec Conference North, with leaders Ben Rhydding at home and Loughborough Students providing the opposition. Third-placed University of Durham play on Saturday afternoon at Sutton Coldfield.
Two unbeaten teams face each other in the Investec Conference West, with leaders Olton & West Warwicks at home against third-placed Gloucester City.
Another team with three wins from their first three games, second-placed Stourport are hosting Swansea City.
FIXTURES
Investec Women’s Hockey League
Saturday, 20 October 2018
Investec Premier Division
Surbiton v Bowdon Hightown 12:00
Univ of Birmingham v Canterbury 16:00
Investec Conference East
Wimbledon v Sevenoaks 14:00
Investec Conference North
Sutton Coldfield v Univ of Durham 12:30
Sunday, 21 October 2018
Investec Premier Division
Buckingham v Beeston 12:00
Clifton Robinsons v Slough 13:00
Holcombe v East Grinstead 14:00
Investec Conference East
Ipswich v Bedford 12:00
Harleston Magpies v Cambridge City 13:30
Hampstead & Westminster v Horsham 13:30
St Albans v Southgate 14:00
Investec Conference North
Brooklands Poynton v Timperley 13:00
Ben Rhydding v Loughborough Students 13:30
Fylde v Belper 13:30
Leeds v Leicester 14:00
Investec Conference West
Exe v Reading 12:00
Trojans v Oxford Hawks 12:00
Barnes v Isca 13:00
Olton & West Warwicks v Gloucester 13:30
Stourport v Swansea City 14:30
England Hockey Board Media release
Irish Weekend fixtures have potential for reward
National coach Graham Shaw has been extending his panel for camps that have been taking place around the provinces
Mary Hannigan
Gemma Frazer of Belfast Harlequins (left) and Anna May Whelan of Railway Union. Photograph: Rowland White/Presseye/INPHO
Not that there’s ever a need for an added incentive to play your way on to the Irish senior panel, but with a busy and exciting 2019 ahead for a national team that has acquired an unprecedented status after their summer heroics, there’s an extra motivation for club players to catch Graham Shaw’s eye this season.
Ireland’s pre-Christmas plans will be firmed up over the next 10 days, Spain or Italy possible destinations for a training camp and some friendly internationals. Ahead of that Shaw has been extending his panel for the national camps that have been taking place around the provinces over the last couple of Sundays with players who show promising early-season form being rewarded.
Among them are two players returning to the panel having taken a break from international hockey for work and study reasons, Gemma Frazer and Jenna Watt of Belfast Harlequins, along with their goalkeeping club-mate Marianne Fox. Fellow Ulster woman Serena Barr, now playing her hockey in the English Premier League with Beeston, has also been invited to join the Northern-based camp.
The Harlequins trio will be back in Hockey League action on Saturday when Muckross visit Deramore Park, the Davy Frazer-coached side hoping to improve on last weekend’s disappointing display when they lost 3-0 at home to Cork Harlequins.
Cork, meanwhile, host a Pembroke Wanderers side that should be in good spirits after beating Railway Union in their last outing. Railway’s opponents at Park Avenue this weekend are table-toppers Pegasus, who have won all three of their games to date.
Winning ways
Loreto will expect to get back to winning ways after dropping their first points of the season to UCD; an Ards side that has yet to score a goal in the new campaign are their opposition at Grange Road. The students face a trickier-looking task – they’re away to Old Alexandra with whom they and Loreto are tied on six points, Alexandra beating Muckross 5-1 last weekend with the help of an Áine Connery hat-trick, bringing to four her tally in just two games.
Hockey League – Saturday: Cork Harlequins v Pembroke Wanderers, Farmers Cross, 1.05; Old Alexandra v UCD, Milltown, 2.0; Belfast Harlequins v Muckross, Deramore Park, 2.30; Railway Union v Pegasus, Park Avenue, 2.30; Loreto v Ards, Grange Road, 2.50.
The Irish Times
Weekend College Games
Each week, USA Field Hockey highlights some of the top college games in Division I, II and III.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18
DIII: No. 19 Amherst vs. Smith | 7:00 p.m. ET
Under the lights tonight, Amherst will host Smith in Massachusetts for a non-conference match-up. No. 19 Amherst is coming off back-to-back conference wins this past weekend when they defeated Colby 2-1 in overtime on Saturday and turned around to be victorious over Bates 3-1 on Sunday. After a scoreless first half against Colby, the Mammoths came out strong dominating the first half against Bates. Amherst is now 8-4 overall and 4-4 in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play. Smith is coming off a tough 0-3 loss to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opponent No. 11 Babson College. Despite the loss, Smith stood strong on defense making 11 saves. On Tuesday, the Pioneers faced Worcester Polytechnic Institute in another NEWMAC game. This game went into overtime as Smith rallied for the 2-1 win to put them at 9-5 overall and 4-2 in conference play. The last time these two teams plated, Amherst defeated Smith 3-0.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19
DI: Ohio vs. Kent State | 3:00 p.m. ET
Don't miss this anticipated Mid-American Conference (MAC) game that will help determine the rankings in the upcoming conference tournament! Ohio is coming off a 3-4 loss to MAC opponent Longwood on Friday. The Bobcats started the half strong by getting on the board first but Longwood responded with two of their own, a that pattern would repeat in the second half as Ohio ultimately fell one goal short. This moved Ohio to 4-8 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Kent State is also coming off a 0-4 loss at the hands of No. 22 Ohio State on Sunday. The Flashes fought the entire game and recorded a defensive save against the Buckeyes but it wasn’t enough to come away with the win. The loss dropped Kent State to 5-10 overall and 3-1 in conference play and also ended their three game winning streak. Both teams will be looking to get back on track with a win this Friday.
DII: No. 10 LIU Post vs. Franklin Pierce | 2:00 p.m. ET
No. 10 LIU Post will host Franklin Pierce in a Northeast-10 (NE10) battle in Brookville, N.Y. The Pioneers are coming off a big 6-0 win against New Haven on Wednesday. LIU Post got out to an early lead scoring twice within the first five minutes and never looked back. The victory moved LIU Post to 7-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play. Franklin Pierce meanwhile is coming off back-to-back conference wins over Southern Connecticut State, 5-1, and Saint Michael's, 1-0. The last time these two teams met, LIU Post defeated Franklin Pierce 2-0. Tune into see who comes away with the victory this year.
DIII: Skidmore vs. Union | 4:30 p.m. ET
Tune it to this Liberty League match-up when Skidmore hosts Union in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.Skidmore is coming off back-to-back overtime losses this past weekend to conference foes. Skidmore fell 1-2 in double overtime to the University of Rochester on Friday and then fell 1-2 in overtime to William Smith College on Sunday. On Wednesday the Thoroughbreds were unable to withstand Utica's offense as they lost 1-4, even though they held the advantage in shots and penalty corners. Skidmore is now 6-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play. Union is coming off a 0-7 conference league loss to No. 12 Vassar this past Sunday. The Dutchwomen had trouble generating offensive chances and will be looking to improve their circle outcomes when they take on Skidmore. Union is now 5-8 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20
DI: Saint Louis vs. No. 12 Saint Joseph's | 1:00 p.m. ET
Saint Louis will host Saint Joseph’s in an Atlantic Ten Conference clash in Maryland Heights, Mo. this Saturday. Saint Louis is coming off a 0-5 loss to conference opponent Lock Haven this past Sunday. Lock Haven's quick start put the Billikens on their heels and was too much to overcome. The loss dropped Saint Louis to 3-10 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Saint Joseph’s is coming off a big 2-0 win over conference foe Richmond last Sunday. The Hawks' executed their offensive opportunities scoring on a penalty corner and penalty stroke. The win improved Saint Joseph’s to 12-2 overall and 5-0 in conference play. The last time these two teams played, Saint Joseph’s defeated Saint Louis 2-0.
DII: Assumption vs. Adelphi | 1:00 p.m. ET
Check out another NE10 battle this Saturday when Assumption hosts Adelphi in Worcester, Mass. Assumption is coming off a 4-1 conference win over American International this past Friday, but fell 1-2 to Merrimack on Wednesday. The conference loss moved Assumption to 6-5 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Adelphi is coming off a thrilling 1-0 overtime win against conference foe Saint Michael’s this past Saturday. Adelphi recorded twelve shots but Saint Michael’s held strong on defense to force the game into overtime. The Panthers were able to secure the win four minutes into the first overtime period. On Wednesday, Adelphi took on Bentley in a nail-biter game. Adelphi's goalkeeper made a save with no time on the clock to secure the victory for the Panthers. With the win, they improved to 6-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play. Tune in to see who moves up in the NE10 conference rankings.
DIII: No. 8 Montclair State vs. No. 5 Rowan | 5:00 p.m. ET
Don't miss this top-10 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) showdown as Montclair State hosts Rowan in Montclair, N.J. which will adjust both team's perfect conference records. No. 8 Montclair State is coming off a huge 2-1 overtime win over conference opponent The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) on Sunday. The Red Hawks upset No. 4 TCNJ scoring on a 1-on-1 breakaway at the 4:55 minute mark in the first overtime period. On Wednesday, Montclair State added a win when they beat William Patterson 2-0 to extend their winning streak to eight games and move their record to 15-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Rowan also just faced TCNJ on Tuesday winning 3-2. Although TCNJ scored first, Rowan scored three in row to secure the victory. Prior to that they recorded a 7-0 win over Ramapo, scoring five first half goals.The Profs remain undefeated this season with a record of 15-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Tune into see which team can continue their winning streak.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21
DI: Northeastern vs. James Madison | 1:00 p.m. ET
Boston will welcome James Madison when Northeastern host them in a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) match-up. Northeastern is coming off a 5-1 win over Dartmouth this past Sunday, in which four different players scored in the victory. The win improved the Huskies winning streak to four, including two CAA victories. Northeastern is now 6-8 overall and 2-1 in conference play. James Madison is coming off a 0-5 loss to No. 22 Ohio State last Friday. James Madison couldn’t get a shot off until the 25th minute and the slow start put the Dukes on their back foot. On Tuesday, James Madison hosted Saint Francis and recorded an impressive 8-1 victory. This moved them to 5-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Last season when these two teams met, James Madison defeated Northeastern 4-0. Tune into see who moves up in the CAA conference rankings.
DII: No. 10 Limestone vs. Queens (NC) | 1:00 p.m. ET
Limestone will host Queens in a South Atlantic Conference (SAC) battle in Gaffney, S.C. No. 10 Limestone is coming off an 8-0 win over conference opponent Belmont Abbey this past Saturday. Limestone had a quick start scoring back-to-back goals just eight minutes into regulation and with the win they remain undefeated in SAC play and improved their winning streak to six. The Saints are 7-3 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Queens is coming off their first SAC loss to Coker on Wednesday. Queens scored first but Coker added three before sharing goals as the Royals fell 3-4. The loss moved Queens to 7-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play. Tune in to see which team remains undefeated in SAC conference play.
DII: Oberlin vs. DePauw | 12:00 p.m. ET
Another conference match-up as Oberlin will host DePauw in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). This game will be the second time these two teams have played this season. Back in September, DePauw defeated Oberlin 4-1. Oberlin is coming off 0-5 loss to conference opponent Denison this past Saturday. Despite the loss, Oberlin recorded ten saves against Denison’s threatening attack. The loss dropped Oberlin to 1-13 overall and 0-10 in conference play. The Yeowomen will be looking for their first conference win when they take on DePauw this weekend. DePauw is coming off a 4-3 win over Concordia Wisconsin on Wednesday. Concordia Wisconsin held a 3-1 lead early in the second half before DePauw's scored three goals in a stretch of 19 minutes and the defense shut out the Falcons in the second half for a 4-3 Tigers win. This improved them to 8-7 overall and 5-5 in conference play. Will Oberlin be able to get revenge over DePauw's September victory or will DePauw be victorious again?
USFHA media release
No. 9 Field Hockey Faces No. 3 Princeton with Championship Consequences
By Matthew Mu
Senior forward Kathleen Young has knocked in four goals this season for the Crimson. Photo: Timothy R. O'Meara
Both coming off of commanding 8-0 victories over Cornell and Brown, respectively, Ivy powerhouses No. 9 Harvard and No. 3 Princeton will meet up once again at the Tiger’s Bedford Field for the de facto Ivy League championship game.
“This game is a top 10 matchup which is always great to have,” said head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden. “I think the Harvard-Princeton game over the last couple of years has really set itself apart by being the game that decides the Ivy League championship. I still consider us the underdogs in how we approach the game. The stage is set and there will be a lot of people out there and we know that.”
After earning its school-record ninth consecutive victory, the Crimson (12-1, 4-0 Ivy League) achieved its highest national ranking ever at No. 9 in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The team boasts both a strong offense and a steel-walled defense, currently standing at sixth in the nation in scoring offense at a 3.62 goals per game and an impressive second in goals against average at 0.77.
Juniors Bente van Vlijmen (10 goals, five assists) and Maddie Earle (12 goals, two assists) spearhead Harvard’s offense, with Earle leading the Ivy League in scoring with 26 points — on pace to threaten the single season program scoring record of 42 points held by Judy Collins '99 and Shelley Maasdorp '05.
Meanwhile, the Tigers (11-3, 4-0) boast a resume of similar caliber, with its defense at 1.12 goals against average and its offense at 3.5 goals per game. Coming into Saturday’s match, Princeton is 40-6-2 all time against the Crimson, winning 23 of the last 24 meetings with Harvard’s only win in 2016. Despite the unfavorable historical standing, coach van Herwaarden remained highly optimistic of his team’s odds this season.
“We’ve been consistent for the past three to four years, and we’ve been able to turn the program around and set ourselves up to win the Ivy League championship on a yearly basis,” van Herwaarden stated.
Hoping to continue with its success, the team seeks to capitalize on its superb defense that has produced seven shutout victories so far. The Crimson’s back line will be threatened by sophomore Julianna Tornetta, who scored 3 goals against the Bears. Other weapons for the Tigers include freshman Hannah Davey who ranks 20th in the nation in assists per contest and sophomore MaryKate Neff who leads the league in defensive saves.
With four more games in the regular season, three of which are crucial Ancient Eight matchups, there’s still much to do for the field hockey team especially as they fight their way to the championship.
“I think we’re in a great boat,” van Herwaarden said. “There’s been a growth that’s been much seen on a week to week basis. Although our record, with nine straight wins is fantastic and our rank, at number nine, is fantastic, we haven’t seen our best effort yet. Our team knows it. There’s still a whole new level to us so it’s exciting just to keep growing and keep that mindset. We are putting ourselves in the best position possible to win the Ivy League championship.”
The Crimson
Amid rough stretch, Northwestern ends regular season against Mayland, Ball State
Greg Svirnovskiy
Christen Conley controls the ball. The sophomore has four assists on the season. By Alison Albeda
After a recent skid in which Northwestern has dropped four of its last five games — including the last three by one goal each — all but eliminating any hope for an at-large NCAA tournament slot, the Wildcats head into a weekend tilt looking to prove their mettle.
No. 17 NU (8-8, 3-4 Big Ten) heads to No. 2 Maryland (15-1, 6-1) on Friday before returning to Lakeside Field to play Ball State (2-12) on Sunday.
Despite the Cats’ losing stretch, the mood surrounding practice this week was decidedly upbeat, with players and coaches looking to use the weekend as a barometer for the team’s Big Ten Tournament chances.
“We’re just trying to get better everyday and really just trying to bring the energy to practice,” coach Tracey Fuchs said. “I’m sure the players are a bit frustrated but they’ve come everyday and they’ve worked really, really hard and hopefully we’ll see some benefits from that whether it be at Mayland or in the first round of the (tournament).”
Fuchs said NU’s record doesn’t fairly reflect the talent of its players or the work they’ve put in to be better during practices. The team has no mathematical chance to top the Big Ten, so there’s no pressure to win over the weekend — a fact she said will allow the Cats to gauge their potential for postseason tournaments and gain confidence.
“We just need to find a way to finish the game and not have a bad spurt of five or 10 minutes,” Fuchs said. “We just need to go in, relax and play and see what happens and see where we are. Knowing we can’t win the Big Ten season, we’re preparing for the tournament.”
The team has failed to avoid defensive lapses in their last few games. But the past week of practice has given Fuchs confidence she’ll see a good effort against the Terrapins.
The week of practice has allowed Fuchs to address the team’s greatest liabilities, rebounds and corners. Junior goaltender Annie Kalfas and the rest of the defensive unit stayed on the field for an extra 15 minutes at the end of Wednesday’s practice to work on those issues.
The team, Kalfas said, isn’t disheartened by its recent one-goal losses. Rather, they are a symbol for how close this season’s games have been.
“They’re all one-goal losses, so we just gotta get better at finishing our opportunities, making up (those) one goal differences and not letting that kind of supply us again,” Kalfas said.
Senior midfielder Eva Van Agt said the urgency the Cats displayed in the second half last week against Penn State is exactly how they need to play at all times.
Van Agt said though the results the team has seen in recent weeks have not been up to par, the manner in which they’ve been coming is encouraging.
“We just try to make it a positive thing,” Van Agt said. “Since Ohio State, we’ve been growing. I think Rutgers and Penn State were real battles and we’ve been putting up real good team efforts and we’ve been improving in play. I think it’s just a positive for us that we can match up against those teams.”
The Daily Northwestern
HA Appoints New Manager - Performance Pathway and Network
Ben Somerford
Hockey Australia (HA) is delighted to today announce the appointment of Bill Davoren as the new Manager - Performance Pathway and Network.
Davoren joins HA with a long history in both Olympic and professional sport, bringing considerable knowledge and experience from roles within the AFL industry, Triathlon Australia and the Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS).
HA High Performance (HP) Director Toni Cumpston said: “Bill has more than 25 years of experience working in elite sport, across both Olympic and professional sports, which will complement our HP team and provide leadership and direction to our Network and performance pathways.
“His experience across a range of sports means he’ll bring new ideas and best practice methods to help us evolve internally and ensure we remain world leaders in our sport.”
Davoren spent the past decade as High Performance Manager at three AFL clubs; Collingwood, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs, working directly with elite athletes and HP coaching networks.
Prior to that, he spent six years as Triathlon Australia’s National Performance Director and Head Coach, during a period where Australia won three Olympic medals, three Commonwealth Games medals and 11 World Championship medals.
Davoren also spent eight years as the Sports Science/Performance Manager at the TIS, providing his grounding in strategic leadership and operational management of elite sporting teams.
He also has experience teaching, coaching, developing and mentoring athletes and coaches at a variety of levels across multiple sports.
Davoren takes up the role following Michael Crooks departure earlier this year and will commence on Monday 22 October.
Hockey Australia media release