News for 04 September 2018
All the news for Tuesday 4 September 2018
Poland take top spot in Gniezno, while Italy defy the rankings
The highest ranked team at the latest Hockey Series Open men’s event, Poland, showed why they had top billing as they stormed to victory and a place in one of three Hockey Series Finals next year.
Poland, who are currently ranked 21 in the FIH Hero World Rankings, won four and drew one of their matches in the Hockey Series Open in Gniezno, Poland. From a defensive point of view, Head Coach Karol Sniezek will be delighted with the fact that his team conceded no goals throughout the tournament and netted an impressive 32 goals.
The event was also good news for Italy, who finished second, as the top two teams qualify for the next round of the inaugural Hockey Series competition, the FIH Series Finals.
Italy (WR:37) came into the Hockey Series Open as the fourth ranked team, but after winning three of their matches and drawing the other two – including a cagey 0-0 draw with the eventual winners, they have cause to celebrate. This was a great result for Head Coach Roberto Da Gai and his squad as they finished above the higher-ranked teams, Ukraine (WR: 25) and Czech Republic (WR:28).
Ukraine will rue their draw with Italy as they started in fantastic form, scoring 32 goals in their opening two matches (11-1 against Lithuania (WR:48) and 21-0 against the Cyprus (WR:60). Ukraine lost against Poland 2-0 and drew with Italy 1-1. With only one point separating Ukraine and Italy in the battle for second place, for the team led by head Coach Pavlo Mazur, it was a case of so near and yet so far.
With 42 goals in five matches, it is little surprise that Ukraine’s players dominated the top scorers’ table. Viacheslav Paziuk was overall top scorer with nine goals – eight of them from penalty corners. His team mate Maksym Onofriiuk was in second spot alongside Italy’s Agustin Nunez with eight goals and three other Ukraine players were in the top ten – Bohdan Kovalenko (6), Vitali Kalinchuck (5) and Oleh Polishchuk (5).
Poland and Italy will now be preparing to take their places at one of three FIH Series Finals events, which will be played in 2019, with berths into the Olympic Qualification Events up for grabs. Each of these FIH Series Finals will consist of eight teams and will take place throughout the world.
#HockeySeries2018
FIH site
Portugal plays host to sixth men's Hockey Series event
As the Hockey Series Open continues to excite and inspire hockey fans around the world, the next men’s event is all set to get underway in the Portuguese city of Lousada.
Among the teams taking part in the sixth men’s event in the Series are two teams knocking on the door of the world’s top 20 - Scotland (FIH Hero World Ranking: 22) and Russia (WR:23).
For Scotland, the past two years have been very much an upward curve, with results including a win at the 2017 EuroHockey Championship II in Glasgow, qualification for the 2017 FIH Hockey World League Semi-Finals and a highest ever finish at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast earlier this year.
Scotland men’s Head Coach Derek Forsyth said, “I’m looking forward to the Hockey Series Open with a lot of new faces in the squad. It’s exciting times ahead with many young talented players emerging and getting this opportunity to play in a senior international tournament.”
The team from Russia, although the second highest ranked team in Lousada, is bringing a number of debutant players to the competition. Among these are the talented young defender Georgii Arusiia and midfield/striker Pavel Iurinov. Head Coach Vladimir Konkin will be looking to the experience of Iaroslav Loginov and Aleksei Maiorov to ensure Russia are in the mix for the top two places and qualification to one of three FIH Series Finals to be played in 2019.
Ranked at 35 in the world Belarus are the third highest-ranked side at this event and they will be looking to upset the rankings. Belarus were unlucky not to qualify for the second round of the FIH Hockey World League in 2017 after they put in some good performances against good quality opposition. Uladzislau Belavusau was just one of a number of impressive Belarus players as he demonstrated his ability in front of goal. Certainly, Head Coach Sergej Drozdov will be hoping to finish near the top of the table.
Host nation Portugal are just behind Belarus with a world ranking of 36 and the two teams play off on the opening day of the event. With 11 of the squad under 21 years of age this is a team that is building for the future but a strong start against Belarus, coupled with home support, could see Portugal produce some surprise results.
The other two contenders in Lousada are Turkey (44) and Gibraltar (66). Both teams have been working hard on their elite squad development in recent months and either side could provide an upset over the higher ranked teams.
The biggest obstacle both squads face is inexperience among the players, but events such as these are exactly designed for that purpose – to give developing nations the opportunity to play high quality matches on an international stage.
The Hockey Series in Lousada starts on Tuesday 4 September and is a round-robin event, with the champion being crowned on Sunday 9 September.
The teams placed first and second will qualify for one of three FIH Series Finals which will be played in 2019, offering berths into the Olympic Qualification Events up for grabs. Each of these FIH Series Finals will consist of eight teams and will take place throughout the world.
#HockeySeries2018
FIH site
Rocky road to Tokyo for hockey
By Jugjet Singh
The national hockey team with the silver medal they won at the 2018 Asian Games, in Jakarta, upon arrival at klia2 today. Pix by AHMAD IRHAM MOHD NOOR/ NSTP
KUALA LUMPUR: The national men's hockey team missed the Olympic spot by 20 seconds when they lost to Japan in the Asian Games final.
And now, they will have to take a long and winding road to try and play in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
The International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) qualifying process is confusing to a layman as the article on it, posted on the world body’s website, looks more like a lawyer’s statement.
However, to make matters simple, Malaysia must finish top-two in the Hockey Series Finals which will be held on April 23-May 1 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
And after that, Malaysia will be paired with another team based on rankings, in the 14-team qualification event either in October or November in 2019.
Here teams will play two matches against each other, and the aggregate score will decide who qualifies for Tokyo.
"It's very confusing,” said former Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) genaral manager Maninderjit Singh.
"Let’s forget about the defeat at the Asian Games. We must focus on the next door which leads to Tokyo.
"First of all, Malaysia must make sure they do not drop from World No 12. They should strive to further improve their ranking by doing well in the World Cup (in December).
"They must beat Pakistan (who are in Malaysia's group in the World Cup) and advance to the next stage and challenge higher ranking teams and beat them as well.
"Preferably, a top-10 finish among 16 teams in the World Cup will boost their chances of qualifying for Olympics.
"This is because when Malaysia play in the Olympics qualification event, which has 14 teams, rankings will play a major role.
"There, sorted out by latest FIH rankings — teams placed in first, second and third will face teams in 12th, 13th and 14th randomly. Similarly, teams who are placed from fourth to seventh will face teams placed eighth to 11th randomly.
"The teams will face each other over two legs and the winner will qualify for Olympics," said Maninderjit.
To make it simpler: "Let’s say Malaysia are paired with Spain in the qualification event. We will travel to Spain because they are higher ranked than Malaysia, and play them twice," said Maninderjit.
India, Pakistan, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Germany, England, Spain and Ireland could turn out to be Malaysia's challenges in the final qualifying tournament.
It is the same script is for the Malaysian women as well.
New Straits Times
MHC to appeal for Olympic slot
By SAIFUL AFFENDY SAPRAN
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal. Pic by STR/OWEE AH CHUN.
SEPANG: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) will appeal to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) requesting for the men's team to get Asia’s automatic slot to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
This was revealed by MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal on Monday.
Malaysia drew 6-6 with Japan in the Asian Games final, and then lost 3-1 on shootout, to be denied the Olympic ticket.
Subahan said he spoke about it with FIH chief executive officer Thierry Weil in Jakarta last weekend.
"In my meeting with Weil, I told him that if Japan becomes champions, if can, the runners-up should be allowed to take up the automatic qualification spot for the Tokyo edition.
"He agreed with my opinion, and said that should be the case.
"Now we need to take the matter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and also get an approval from the FIH congress which will be held in November," said Subahan.
Subahan said not only Malaysia are in this situation, the India women's team who lost to Japan in the final are also facing a similar predicament.
"Japan have qualified on merit as hosts, so the Olympic slots for both men and women should be given to the runner-up.
"I will make an appeal to the FIH as soon as possible," said Subahan.
Subahan agrees that there will be quarters who will dispute MHC's stand.
"But this is the chance we have and we must not let it go," he said.
New Straits Times
Were Malaysia robbed in the Asian Games Final?
Remembering that with 8 minutes to go Malaysia were leading 5 - 2 and Japan managed to equalise with 13 seconds left in the match to send it into a shootout, what if one of Japan's goals was not a goal and should have been disallowed? Would Japan still have had the time to equalise?
Searching through Youtube finds "Malaysia vs Japan Hockey Final 6-6 Full Match Highlights" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVm_viAmBrY as a fairly poor quality video. If you go to 6:24 and watch the fantastic Japanese penalty corner routine that led to their 4th goal, firstly, it would appear that the ball did not leave the circle, although there is no absolute evidence of this, but what is absolutely clear is that the shot that scored the goal was hit and the ball hit the net way too high to have been a legal first shot on goal. The goal should not have been given.
As this was the first Asian Games to have video referrals is is a wonder how this such obvious and costly mistake was allowed to stand.
Indian hockey in uncomfortable zone after disappointments in Indonesia, but not for too long
Sundeep Misra
India's team members celebrate after winning the match against Pakistan during the men's field hockey bronze medal match between India and Pakistan at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on September 1, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MONEY SHARMA
SQ 406, the A-380 double-decker, from Singapore to New Delhi cruised 40,000 feet above the Indian sub-continent. Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams slept, snoozed, and watched films while a few chatted. The men still in a stupor, their semi-final melt-down, attached like a cyst in the system; the Indian coach Harendra Singh, still unable to come to terms with the loss. “Suddenly the match comes back and there is that sinking feeling, moments of the match flash across and we know we did it wrong,” he says, his face a myriad of conflicting emotions. He and the team, knew that Gold was for the taking.
But maybe, in the loss at Jakarta, there is a way forward. “In every loss, there is learning,” says Harendra. But as he speaks, he and his team would never have thought or believed that they would not be playing the final.
Immediately after the defeat to Malaysia, FIH President and former HI President, said in an interview to PTI: “It was shocking to say the least. I have not seen such a bad performance in the last few years. You are ranked 5th in the world and against a side which is ranked 12th in the world, you looked clueless. This is not acceptable.”
But if modern sport was so straightforward and if every tournament finished as per rankings, Malaysia should have won the Asian Games hockey final after leading 5-2 in the fourth quarter. But the Japanese (16th ranked) in their first-ever final scored three goals in seven minutes to level the score. Tengku Tajuddin scored in the 59th minute to put Malaysia ahead again. But with exactly 13 seconds left on the clock, Hiromasa Ochiai levelled at 6-6 to force the shootout. The rest, as the cliché goes, is history.
If India is still coming to terms, unable to exorcise the ghosts of the semi-final, imagine what the Malaysians must be going through!
It’s a tough road ahead; anyway which team in the world enjoys an easy ascendancy to the top. It’s the same side that reached the Champions Trophy final. Apart from the semi-final against Malaysia, India did play well. They held their own against South Korea beating them 5-3. Against Japan, the eventual winner, India probably played its best match in the tournament, thrashing them 8-0. If peaking in a tournament came early, that was the match for India where they played their finest hockey; all ingredients, speed, skill, intensity, aggression, mental strength, focus, coming together in four wonderful quarters.
Flick the pages of Indian hockey history and there are numerous examples where after losing a semi-final or having not made one, the slide is like a free-fall. It didn’t happen in Jakarta. Faced with the pressure of playing a bronze medal against Pakistan, a day after the crippling loss to Malaysia, the team came back and showed enormous intensity against a Pakistan side that too wanted to go out on a high. There were moments of intense pressure and the players coped with it. Birendra Lakra was out of the team with an injury as India played with 17; key man in the defence sitting out with a strapped knee. There were missed chances but there was resilience too. Pakistan did cut the scores in the 4th quarter. But the Indian defence held on. Some pride was redeemed. The once-in-a-four year travelling officials ready to plunge in the knife sheathed it; for the time being.
There is no doubt that against Malaysia, India wasn’t intelligent in the last quarter, probably not intelligent enough in the last two minutes. They didn’t embrace the pressure. Rather, ran away from it, making elementary errors. Players you would entrust your life with to win a match, crumbled. It’s a sign of mental degeneration when hype and pressure combine to chill your senses into a form of fatigue as every passing second seems like an eternity. The players acknowledge it. Maybe, instead of cat-calling the players and coaches saying ‘let down the nation; just can't sit and take away salaries’, they could have spent time with the team management and looked at the issues – for one mental strength and playing more matches against the top ranked teams, instead of just sitting in Bangalore and training day in, day out. It’s in retrospect but when New Zealand came to play a Test series against India, instead of playing in front of a packed stadium, the Kiwis played at the Sports Authority of India turf where not even 100 fans can be accommodated.
India's team wait during the penalty shootout at their men's hockey semi-final match against Malaysia at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Everybody knows introspection is a luxury. At the same time, soul searching gives you the opportunity to look at things head on and not sweep them under the carpet. This hockey team is the best we have, if there are more with the same level of skill, speed and intensity, bring them on.
Eighty-six days remain before India begins one of its most important campaigns - the 2018 World Cup which begins on 28 November. More than 90 percent of the core of this group will remain and so would, hopefully, the support staff. Changing players at this stage would be a folly, an impulsive reaction that could have lasting consequences as we move nearer to the tournament. It is apparent that more needs to be done when pressure comes on the team. Against Pakistan, the team picked itself up and played a match most teams hate playing, especially for a team that had all the while mentally tuned themselves into entering the final. Harendra after winning the bronze said, “Yes, we are disappointed but at the same time one needs to understand that we played the bronze medal match with all that we have had and the players showed character and a lot of mental strength in beating Pakistan.”
Former India coach and presently the chief coach of Pakistan, Roelant Oltmans was disappointed with India’s showing. “To be honest, I am a bit disappointed. I was sure India was going to win this tournament and we were going to give them a hard time if we had met them in the final. But I am happy to see the development of some of the players in the India team.”
Consistency in thought and intensity are one of the two areas that Harendra and his team would work on in the coming months. But by not being a part of the Pro-League, they do lose out on valuable competition over a period of six months when the league begins. With nine teams in the fray (in both men’s and women’s), India would have had 16 top class matches. But now will have to arrange Test series with most, which is not an easy task as other teams also realise the importance of an easier group if India doesn’t qualify for the 2020 Olympics. The other aspect, even though it’s too early to say that but if India were a part of the Pro League and didn’t finish in the top four, its chance of qualifying for the Olympics was over and done with as only the top four teams come into the mix. It’s a tough road to Tokyo but certainly not one that is impossible.
The women were the silver lining but it’s interesting to note that no HI officials said anything after India lost to Japan in the final. India is ranked 9th while Japan are ranked 14th. Having said that, the women have a superb core of players and with the fitness levels going up, they are an interesting mix of skills, tenacity and high on ambition. After losing the final, captain of the side Rani Ranipal, fighting to hold back her tears said, “We shouldn’t have lost this game. The final was ours and some mistakes cost us in the end.” In fact, even in the final minute, seconds left, Vandana Katariya couldn’t hold onto a through ball with the Japanese goalkeeper out of position. Such moments would haunt both the men’s and women’s teams. Sjoerd Marijne was disappointed after the final and rued the missed opportunities but admitted that there is a core that could be built on to take India into the top six of the world rankings.
Silver medalist India's team walks after losing to Japan during their gold medal match at the women's hockey match at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018. Japan won gold. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In the 2017 Asia Cup, India had beaten Japan 4-2 in the semi-finals and then in the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, we won 4-1. So losing the final was painful for the players. Rani was, however, clear that like Marijne she knew this was a brilliant group of players. “I know this is a very good group and should stick around for at least four years. We have the capability and after going back we will look at the mistakes done and improve upon them.”
Silently, the A-380, ‘big bird’ landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Quietly, the teams filed out, picking up their bags, mentally tuned into answer what went wrong as the throng of media patiently waited outside.
At this moment of time, Indian hockey is not in a comfort zone; but not for long. The team, players will feel powerless. They will silently take in the barbs. Surely, they will come back, fuelled by the realisation of the mistakes, in their quest to prove they are more than the sum of their parts we were witness to in Jakarta.
Firstpost
Consolation bronze in Asiad can’t heal our pain, says Sreejesh
Indian men's hockey team captain Sreejesh takes selfie with their bronze medals during the medal ceremony at the 18th Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta. Photo Credit: PTI
The defeat sent shock waves in the Indian hockey fraternity and some even said that overconfidence let the team down.
Indian men’s hockey team captain PR Sreejesh feels that a bronze medal and win against Pakistan can hardly heal the pain of not being able to win the gold at the Asian Games.
India lost to Malayia in a shoot-off after conceding an equaliser in the final minute of the regulation time.
Being the defending champions and ranked fifth in the world, India were clearly the overwhelming favourites to retain the Asian Games gold and they lived upto the billing in the pool stages, scoring a record 76 goals before the defeat in the semifinals.
The defeat sent shock waves in the Indian hockey fraternity and some even said that overconfidence let the team down, but Sreejesh begs to differ.
“There is no question that we are disappointed. We the players know how hurt we are because we have performed exceedingly well through the year. The bronze is a consolation medal and it can’t heal our pain,” Sreejesh told PTI during an interaction.
There were talks about the team being complacent but Sreejesh begged to differ.
“After the loss to Malaysia, some people said that we became overconfident but it is not true. We were confident not overconfident. We were confident of beating anyone but silly mistakes cost us dear,” he said.
“In the game against Malaysia, we started well but our tactics of slowing down the game in the middle backfired. It gave the opposition chances to attack us and they took advantage of it.”
The Indians went into the Asiad looking to seal their Olympic berth well in advance but that didn’t happen.
Sreejesh, however, said that all is not lost and exuded confidence of qualifying for the Olympics in future.
“Asian Games is one of the chances to qualify for the Olympics, it’s not the last. There will be ample options available to qualify for the Olympics and we are confident of achieving it,” he said.
“It’s just that we were capable of qualifying from the Asian Games but we couldn’t make it.”
The skipper, however, is confident of turning it around in the season-ending World Cup to be held in Bhubaneswar.
“We are top 5 in the world at the moment but in a World Cup you can’t predict anything because top 16 teams of the world will be there. In the end, it will boil down to how you perform on the ground,” Sreejesh said.
“But if you look at our performance throughout the year we are a podium contender. We just need to maintain our consistency on the turf,” he added.
The Hindu
Polo add 33rd Campionat de Catalunya title to their record
©: José Mari Llorens
Real Club de Polo won the 98th edition of the Campionat de Catalunya as they won the final 2-0 against Club Egara on Sunday.
The reigning Spanish champions won the title for the 33rd time courtesy of goals from Àlex Casasayas and Xavier Lleonart on his return to the club following an EHL winning year with Bloemendaal.
The encounter was broadcast live by Esport3 with journalist Jordi Robirosa and the men's Head of the ARC of the FCH, Oriol Freixa, on commentary.
Junior FC enjoyed a strong competition ahead of their EHL debut next month with a bronze medal. They started off with a 2-0 win over FC Barcelona but lost out 3-2 to eventual champions Polo.
They did win their bronze match in a shoot-out after sharing a 3-3 draw with Atletic Terrassa, winning the decider 4-2.
Speaking about the weekend, Junior coach Roger Pallarols is happy with how his side is preparing for the new campaign.
“We have been doing well; we are preparing for the Euro Hockey League and want to reach 100%. The team has the maturity of the last season and we are asking maximum of them.
“The team is in very good shape although we are obviously not at full fitness at the moment for the season ahead."
The Spanish league season starts next weekend with Junior hosting Jolaseta, Polo going to CD Terrassa and Club Egara facing Linia 22. Atletic Terrassa come up against RS Tenis and Club de Campo meet FC Barcelona.
Euro Hockey League media release
SA Suns Latest To Confirm 2018 AHL Squad
Ben Somerford
Several states have announced their preliminary squads and released ticket details with the 2018 Australian Hockey League (AHL) a month away from commencing.
The 2018 AHL will take place throughout October, with three rounds played at venues around the country, before a centralised finals series in a to-be-confirmed location on 25-28 October.
This year’s AHL marks a significant change from the previous centralised 10-day carnival format, allowing fans across the country an opportunity to witness their state on home turf over the course of a month.
All squads must be submitted by the deadline of 5 September, ahead of the 6-7 October opening round.
South Australia Suns confirmed their squad on 31 August to be coached by Mark Dedman and led by internationals Jane Claxton, Karri McMahon and Ash Wells, with ex-Hockeyroo Gabi Nance unavailable but Chilean Mariana Lagos included.
The SA Hotshots, who'll be coached by Michael Nobbs, are yet to announce their squad.
Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia have announced their squads, while Hockey Queensland confirmed their extended squads back in June, although they'll be without recently retired Kookaburras captain Mark Knowles.
Hockey NSW also have announced their preliminary Waratahs and Arrows squads to be coached by decorated ex-Australia players Brent Livermore and Katrina Powell respectively.
Hockey ACT confirmed their Lakers and Strikers squads minus Anna Flanagan who has linked up with the Arrows, while Hockey NT are yet to announce their lists.
Hockey NSW have released tickets for their Round One match-up against Queensland on Saturday 6 October at Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre via Ticketbooth.
Hockey Victoria have announced an exciting bundled Hockey Fan Package for their two Rounds Two and Three fixtures in Melbourne, along with 2019 FIH Pro League and 2019 AHL games with tickets on sale on Monday 3 September via this link.
Hockey Queensland have released tickets for their home fixtures in Brisbane on Saturday 20 October against Tasmania.
Hockey Tasmania have opened ticket sales for their Saturday 6 October fixture against ACT in Hobart and Round Two home fixture against NSW on Sunday 14 October.
Hockey ACT have revealed details on their tickets which will be cheaper if purchased online. Canberra will host matches against Queensland on Sunday 14 October and against NSW on Saturday 20 October.
Hockey SA are expected to release details on tickets shortly, while it’s anticipated there will be walk-up sales only for Hockey WA and Hockey NT’s fixtures.
Confirmed Men’s AHL Squads So Far:
Canberra Lakers
Davis Atkin (Wests), Garry Backhus (Wests), Malcolm Beer (St. Patrick’s), Andrew Charter (Hockey Australia), Dan Cleary (St. Patrick’s), Joshua Chivers (St. Patrick’s), Owen Chivers (Wests), James Day (OCHC), Tom Deane (United), Dean Evans (Goulburn), Anand Gupte (Wests), Niranjan Gupte (Wests), Jamie Hawke (Central), Brendan Hill (United), Jeremy Hopkins (United), Brendan Laidley (TVHC), James Lawrence (TVHC), Pat Keir (Central), Aaron Kershaw (Goulburn), Aaron Knight (United), Matt McLaughlin (Wests), Lewis McLennan (OCHC), Nic Milne (TVHC), Matt Neeson (United), Jeremy Payne (Albury-Wodonga), Dean Robertson (Goulburn), Lewis Shepherd (OCHC), Stuart Shepherd (United), Oscar Smart (Albury-Wodonga), Blake Smith (OCHC), Brad Smith (Goulburn), Ben Staines (Goulburn), Jake Staines (Goulburn), Thomson Stuckey (Central), Glenn Turner (Goulburn)
NSW Waratahs
Tim Brand (North West Sydney), BJ Bruton (Newcastle), Matthew Butterini (Far North Coast), Benjamin Craig (North West Sydney), Tom Craig (North West Sydney), Matthew Dawson (Newcastle), Hayden Dillon (Newcastle), Blake Govers (Illawarra South Coast), Kieran Govers (Illawarra South Coast), Jack Hayes (Illawarra South Coast), Nick Holman (Central Coast), Samuel Liles (Tamworth), Kurt Lovett (Parkes), Dylan Martin (Central Coast), Nick McEwen (North West Sydney), Flynn Ogilvie (Illawarra South Coast), Simon Orchard (Newcastle), Ryan Proctor (Metropolitan South West), Lachlan Sharp (North West Sydney), Nathanael Stewart (Metropolitan South West), Ashley Thomas (North West Sydney), Tristian White (Illawarra South Coast), Matthew Willis (Tamworth)
Queensland Blades
Jacob Anderson (Mackay), Matthew Argent (Brisbane), Cade Banditt (Ipswich), Daniel Beale (Brisbane), Robert Bell (Brisbane), Scott Boyde (Brisbane), Jarrod Brown (Ipswich), Douglas Buckley (Rockhampton), Jarrod Carseldine (Brisbane), Oliver Crane (Tweed Border), Justin Douglas (Townsville), Matthew Finn (Toowoomba), Michael Francis (Brisbane), Ashley Hennegan (Mackay), Tim Howard (Brisbane), Shane Kenny (Brisbane), Joshua Mynott (Maryborough), Mitchel Nicholson (Townsville), Hugh Pembroke (Brisbane), Corey Piggin (Gold Coast), Joel Rintala (Townsville), Ian Schulz (Sunshine Coast), Matthew Shaw (Brisbane), Nathan Smith (Ipswich), Matthew Swann (Mackay), Jared Taylor (Brisbane), Aaron Weiss (Gold Coast), Corey Weyer (Gold Coast), Jake Whetton (Brisbane), Blake Wotherspoon (Tweed Border), Dylan Wotherspoon (Tweed Border)
Tassie Tigers
Kieron Arthur (NWG), Benji Austin (NWG), Hayden Beltz (DiamondBacks), Joshua Beltz (DiamondBacks), James Bourke (NWG), Tim Deavin (Derwent / Tamar Churinga), James Dick (University), Jeremy Edwards (OHA), Gobindraj Gill (NWG), Nicholas Leslie (OHA), Kurt Mackey (OHA), Samuel McCambridge (OHA), Linden McCarthy (Derwent), Sam McCulloch (Canterbury), Eddie Ockenden (NWG), Jayden Pearson (University), Benjamin Read (University), Billy Shaw (Derwent), Oliver Smith (OHA), Jack Welch (DiamondBacks), Alistair White (NWG), Grant Woodcock (DiamondBacks)
Victoria Vikings
Kiran Arunasalam, George Bazeley, Josh Bretherton, Jonothan Bretherton, Joel Carroll, Chris Ciriello, Tim Cross, Johan Durst, Nathan Ephraums, Russell Ford, Stephen Gale, Casey Hammond, Max Hendry, Ben Hooppell, Aaron Kleinschmidt, James Knee, Zach Meaden, Andrew Philpott, Josh Pollard, Jayshaan Randhawa, Andrew Scanlon, Josh Simmonds, Damon Steffens, James Webster, Oscar Wookey
WA Thundersticks
Tim Andrew (UWA), Graham Begbie (YMCC), Simon Benetti (Westside Wolves), Joshua Bowen (Old Haleians), William Byas (Westside Wolves), James Collins (Victoria Park Xavier), Jyi Connolly (YMCC), Bryn de Bes (WASPS), Matthew Fisher (UWA), Liam Flynn (Old Haleians), Jason Gabriel (Victoria Park Xavier), Dane Gavranich (Westside Wolves), Timothy Geers (Melville City), Frazer Gerrard (UWA), Brandon Gibbs (WASPS), Coby Green (UWA), Jake Harvie (Westside Wolves), Joe Kenny (Westside Wolves), Brayden King (Old Haleians), Tyler Lovell (YMCC), George McGeoch (Westside Wolves), Trent Mitton (WASPS), Alistair Murray (Westside Wolves), Marshall Puzey (YMCC), Alec Rasmussen (Old Haleians), Daniel Rayney (WASPS), Ben Rennie (Old Haleians), James Richardson (WASPS), Marshall Roberts (YMCC), Daniel Robertson (Old Aquinians), Tom Wickham (UWA), Aran Zalewski (Old Aquinians)
Confirmed Women’s AHL Squads So Far:
Canberra Strikers
Bella Apps (OCHC), Catriona Bailey-Price (OCHC), Lucy Balfour (OCHC), Edwina Bone (UCHC), Meredith Bone (UCHC), Kalindi Commerford (TVHC), Talia Constance (North Canberra Eagles), Ashleigh Deacon (TVHC), Ainslee Deeth (St. Patrick’s), Emma de Kiefte (UCHC), Sassie Economos (TVHC), Mikayla Evans (St. Patrick’s), Naomi Evans (St. Patrick’s), Talei Forrest (TVHC), Sophie Gaughan (TVHC), Kate Gilmore (OCHC), Laura Gray (TVHC), Stef Kindon (St. Patrick’s), Rebecca Lee (TVHC), Emma Lomas (ANUWHC), Olivia Martin (UCHC), Beckie Middleton (England), Millie Monfries (St. Patrick’s), Aleisha Price (St. Patrick’s), Molly Rasmussen (United), Grace Ronnfeldt (Albury-Wodonga), Jessica Smith (ANUWHC), Peta Sutherland (ANUWHC), Tina Taseska (Central), Taylor Thomson (St. Patrick’s), Ellie Toole (TVHC), Shelley Watson (ANUWHC), Sarah White (TVHC)
NSW Arrows
Alice Arnott (Tamworth), Jocelyn Bartram (Sydney East), Morgan Blamey (North West Sydney), Tamsin Bunt (Bathurst), Lisa Farrell (Metropolitan South West), Anna Flanagan (Northern Sydney and Beaches), Andrea Gillard (Lithgow), Kate Hanna (Northern Sydney and Beaches), Greta Hayes (North West Sydney), Rene Hunter (Lithgow), Kate Jenner (Newcastle), Sarah Johnston (Northern Sydney and Beaches), Georgina Morgan (Tamworth), Kaitlin Nobbs (Sydney East), Jessica Parr (Newcastle), , Mikaela Patterson (North West Sydney), Makaela Potts (Metropolitan South West), Courtney Schonell (Metropolitan South West), Emma Scriven (North West Sydney), Molly Simpson (Northern Sydney and Beaches), Emily Smith (Goulburn), Maddison Smith (Illawarra South Coast), Emma Spinks (Central Coast), Grace Stewart (Illawarra South Coast), Jessica Watterson (Bathurst), Mariah Williams (Parkes), Abby Wilson (Lithgow)
Queensland Scorchers
Hannah Astbury (Townsville), Tiana Barrett (Toowoomba), Emily Burrows (Brisbane), Kirstin Dwyer (Mackay), Layla Eleison (Ipswich), Jade Emblem (Toowoomba), Aleesa Ferguson (Brisbane), Ashlea Fey (Sunshine Coast), Madison Fitzpatrick (Tweed Border), Savannah Fitzpatrick (Tweed Border), Morgan Gallagher (Brisbane), Rebecca Greiner (Bundaberg), Georgia Hillas (Brisbane), Jordyn Holzberger (Ipswich), Madeline James (Gold Coast), Jodie Kenny (Sunshine Coast), Stephanie Kershaw (Townsville), Kelsey Linton (Sunshine Coast), Ambrosia Malone (Gold Coast), Britt Noffke (Bundaberg), Tegan Richards (Gold Coast), Natarlia Smith (Townsville), Jamie Stone (Gold Coast), Renee Taylor (Brisbane), Britt Wilkinson (Brisbane)
SA Suns
Jane Claxton (Hockey Australia), Holly Evans (North East), Celeste Foord (Port Adelaide), Emily Grist (Adelaide), Amy Hammond (Grange Royals), Kate Holland-Smith (Adelaide University), Lucy Holland-Smith (Adelaide University), Amy Hunt (Adelaide University), Mariana Lagos (Chile), Euleena MacLachlan (Burnside), Karri McMahon (Hockey Australia), Ashleigh Morrison (Seacliff), Alison Penington (Adelaide), Hattie Shand (Adelaide), Miki Spano (Adelaide University), Lucy Talbot (Burnside), Leah Welstead (Port Adelaide), Ash Wells (Hockey Australia)
Tassie Van Demons
Ashleigh Arthur (NWG), Phillida Bridley (DiamondBacks), Maddison Curtis (Canterbury), Evelyn Dalton (OHA), Jean Flanagan (OHA), Nicole Geeves (DiamondBacks), Julia Gunn (OHA), Ruby-Rose Haywood (DiamondBacks), Madeleine Hinton (University), Louisa Jacobson (NWG), Jemma Kenworthy (Canterbury), Samantha Lawrence (West Devonport), Sarah McCambridge (OHA), Sofie McLeod (OHA), Blair Patten (Canterbury), Nellie Paynter (OHA), Jessica Tremayne (Derwent), Eliza Westland (Derwent)
Victoria Vipers
Krissy Bates, Lily Brazel, Sarah Breen, Kary Chau, Olivia Colasurdo, Morgan Gould, Hannah Gravenall, Rachel Guy, Nicola Hammond, Emily Hurtz, Carly James, Teisha King, Kelsey Lewis, Rachael Lynch, Hayley Padget, Meg Pearce, Madi Ratcliffe, Dani Schubach, Sam Snow, Sophie Taylor, Ash Utri, Sabine Van Den Assem, Lydia Velzain, Ginny Wilson
WA Diamonds
Sienna Archer (Curtin University), Danielle Bestall (Victoria Park Xavier), Roos Broek (Curtin University), Jemma Buckley (Westside Wolves), Aimee Clark (Melville City), Sara Foster (UWA), Rachel Frusher (Victoria Park Xavier), Annie Gibbs (Curtin University), Erin Judd (Melville City), Line Malan (Old Haleians), Phillipa Morgan (UWA), Caitlin Pascov (UWA), Candyce Peacock (Westside Wolves), Aleisha Power (Curtin University), Jolie Sertorio (Suburban Lions), Emma Reid (Victoria Park Xavier), Renee Rockliff (Victoria Park Xavier), Sage Rogers-Uff (Westside Wolves), Kathryn Slattery (WASPS), Penny Squibb (Curtin University), Shanea Tonkin (North Coast Raiders)
Hockey Australia media release
Star-Studded Officials Line-Up Confirmed For 2018 AHL
Ben Somerford
Hockey Australia (HA) today announces it has appointed five of Australia’s best Hockey Officials for this year’s Australian Hockey League (AHL).
In a first for some time, some of Australia’s top Officials, Josh Burt, Minka Woolley, Gary Marsh, Murray Grime and Angela Holloway, will come together for the AHL to make up a “star-studded officiating line-up”.
The 2018 AHL will be played across four weekends, with three rounds and one finals weekend, throughout October, with a break in the international calendar allowing the Officials appointments.
Burt will take up the role of Tournament Director for the first time, supported by Woolley, Marsh, Grime and Street as Umpire Managers. HA will confirm further appointments for AHL rounds and finals in due course.
Melburnian Burt is currently on the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Technical Officials Pro League Panel and has previously worked as a Technical Delegate at the last ever Men’s Champions Trophy and Technical Official at the 2016 Olympics.
Woolley, who hails from Devonport in Tasmania, is currently on FIH’s Umpire Managers World Cup Panel. She’ll be an Umpire Manager at the Men’s World Cup later this year and worked at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April.
Marsh, while also being an FIH Umpire Manager, is on the FIH’s Technical Officials International Elite Panel, having been a Technical Official at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and the 2017 International Festival of Hockey in Bendigo and Melbourne.
Grime (pictured above) is a recently retired former FIH World Panel Umpire, who has umpired more than 200 senior international matches including at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He’s currently on the FIH Umpire Managers Advancement Panel and has progressed working at the 2017 Azlan Shah Cup and 2017 International Festival of Hockey.
Holloway is also currently on the FIH Umpire Managers Advancement Panel and has vast experience as an umpire working at numerous international events and the 2010 Youth Olympics. Also in the early stages of her Umpire Managing career, her first international appointment was as Assistant Umpires Manager at the 2017 Women’s World League Final.
Hockey Australia Championships & Officiating Pathway Manager Cheyne Hackett said: “HA is rapt to be able to appoint all five Officials for the Australian Hockey League, representing a star-studded officiating line-up.
“Their presence is a major boost for this year’s AHL, which is shaping as an entertaining competition with some exciting rule modifications.
“It also provides a great platform for our world level officials to work with our all of our top and up and coming umpires.”
The 2018 AHL commences on Saturday 6 October with NSW playing Queensland in Sydney and Tasmania hosting ACT in Hobart.
Next year HA will introduce a revamped franchise-based domestic league which is intended to run for two months.
Hockey Australia media release
Under 21 IPT off to a fantastic start
The 2018 SA Hockey Under 21 IPT got underway in Pretoria on Sunday as the defending champions, the Western Province men and the Southern Gauteng ladies, both got opening day victories, while the hosts the Northern Blues were held to a 1-1 draw in the Gauteng derby in the Mens section.
Many of the team feature players that competed in the 2018 CTM Premier Hockey League and these players were looking to be the driving force behind their team’s quest for the 2018 Under 21 title. We start with the Men’s section where the hosts the Northern Blues, led by full national player Tyson Dlungwana, led through a Steven Paulo goal early before the ever-dependable Courtney Halle levelled late for Colin Fielding’s side. These two teams both look like title challengers for this week.
Connor Beauchamp, who had an outstanding senior IPT for Western Province, has been tasked with leading the defending champions who are missing certain players for exam reasons. They started well with a 3-0 win over their “B” side Pens thanks to Beauchamp, Bulelani Ngqukuvana and Tim Alfeld. The KZN Raiders also got a big win on day 1 beating Free State 4-0. The superb Lungani Gabela got a brace while fellow PHL player Keegan Hezlett also got on the scoreboard, with the scoring rounded off by Awande Sikhosana.
In one of the games of the day Chiraz Koetjie gave North West a lead over Eastern Province only for Laython Coombs to score a last quarter equaliser. Instead of holding on for a point North West went back up the other end and took all three when Loanko Pieterse scored a late goal to confirm the win. The Northern Daisies were stretched but ultimately the extra legs they had was the difference in a 2-1 win over Mpumalanga thanks to Guy Terry and James Godfrey. Mpumlangas late goal was nothing more than a consolation through Connor Flowers. Reuben van Tonder scored the only goal in a 1-0 win for the SG Witsies over Border in the other game.
Mens Under 21 IPT Results – Day 1
Pool A
Western Province 3-0 WP Pens
Eastern Province 1-2 North West
Mpumalanga 1-2 Northern Daisies
Pool B
Northern Blues 1-1 Southern Gauteng
Free State 0-4 KZN Raiders
Border 0-1 SG Witsies
The opening game of the women’s tournament produced an outstanding game in a battle of the “B” teams. Southern Gauteng Witsies were looking to establish themselves as the best second team in the land while Pens were looking to repeat their historic run to the final last year.
Gracious Mpe fired first for Witsies but their lead lasted only 30 seconds when Rozanne Compion levelled from a field goal. Compion was at it again 10 minutes later scoring her second and giving last year’s runners up a 2-1 lead. Witsies fought back and Tayla Johnson, who played for the Daisies at the 2018 CTM PHL, brought matters level. Kiara Fitzhenry, who is just 17 years old then popped up to win it for Witsies with the final goal.
Ayenga Baleni is a veteran for the PHL and that experience was telling in the Northern Blues comfortable 2-0 win over Eastern Province. Her goal along with one from Matika Ras in the first quarter were enough to give the hosts 3 points from the opening day. The defending champions, Southern Gauteng, hardly raised a sweat in a good 4-1 win over Mpumalanga. Alex Kavanagh, Gabriella Terblanche and a brace from Nomnikelo Veto set them up for a confidence boosting start to their title defence.
Nikki Shange was the star for the KZN Raiders as her first half hat-trick inspired a 4-2 victory over Free State. Free State fought back valiantly in the third quarter to pull the score back to 3-2 thanks to Casey-Jean Botha and Anke Badenhorst, but the Raiders made sure of the result with a late Courtney Slaney goal.
IN the final game of Day 1, Nicole Koenig gave Western Province a first quarter lead with a fine field goal, but the hosts surged back with one goal in each of the remaining quarters to win their opener 3-1. It was Almay van der Linde in the second, Thati Segaole, a champion of CTM PHL 2018 with the Bunters, in the third and Mmamaogi Kungoane in the fourth.
Ladies Under 21 IPT Results – Day 1
Pool A
Free State 2-4 KZN Raiders
Southern Gauteng 4-1 Mpumalanga
Pool B
Western Province Pens 2-3 Southern Gauteng Witsies
Eastern Province 0-2 Northern Daisies
Northern Blues 3-1 Western Province
SA Hockey Association media release
UNC field hockey sees improvement in dominant, 8-0 win over Pennsylvania
By Keaton Eberly
The North Carolina field hockey team celebrates during its 5-1 win against No. 5 Michigan on Aug. 25 at Carolina Field Hockey Stadium. Abigail Turner
In its second shutout performance of Labor Day Weekend, the No. 2 North Carolina field hockey team thoroughly dismantled Pennsylvania, 8-0, in Philadelphia on Sunday.
“I feel from last weekend to this weekend, we’ve made significant strides,” head coach Karen Shelton said of her undefeated team. “We’re growing every day.”
What happened?
UNC (4-0) had the momentum from almost the very beginning. Senior captain Ashley Hoffman scored the opening two goals in the first 20 minutes of the contest, both coming on penalty corners. Pennsylvania (1-1) struggled to break into the offensive third as UNC’s defensive pressure was overwhelming for the majority of the game.
Just before halftime in the 33rd minute, junior Catherine Hayden cleaned up a missed shot from sophomore Meredith Shoulder, successfully tipping in her first goal of the day.
The Tar Heels’ dominance continued after the break, as senior Marissa Creatore knocked in her first goal of the season in the 37th minute. A minute later, Hayden drove into the Quakers’ defense with ease as she scored her second goal. By the 53-minute mark, Hayden completed her hat trick performance by nailing the ball into the back of the net.
UNC’s depth proved to be too much for Pennsylvania as first-year Hannah Griggs and junior Feline Guenther added a goal each to the final total.
“This is one of the differences between last year’s team and this year’s team — we are deeper,” Shelton said. “So we can throw more fresh legs into the game without hurting the intensity, the pace and the flow of the game. That’s a luxury that we haven’t had these past couple of years."
By threatening with intense defense and quick ball movement all game, Shelton was pleased with her team’s performance. The Tar Heels finished with more penalty corners (10-3) and outshot the Quakers (22-3) in the game.
“We want to be known for defending like crazy and we want to move the ball,” Shelton said. “We want to be a team that is relentless on defense. We feel that the better we are on defense, the more attacks will happen. If you make an interception, it’s instant offense. We respect it, we value it and reinforce it on every occasion.”
Who stood out?
Hayden was the best player on the field in Sunday’s contest against the Quakers. Finishing with a hat trick on four shots on goal, Hayden made a huge difference on the offensive end.
“She’s really good and crafty in front of the goal,” Shelton said. “Her goals were the result of buildup from the entire team, but somebody has got to be on the end of them, and she found a way. It was important for her to get three goals for us in this offensive outpour.”
Why does it matter?
Entering Sunday’s matchup against Penn, UNC had only scored eight goals the whole season. However, the Tar Heels’ offensive outpour was a telling sign to the improvement that the team has made in just a few days. Everyone on the squad is taking notice.
“We’re just going to focus on ourselves and make sure we keep improving on our game,” Catherine Hayden said of last week's start to the season. “We weren’t necessarily very happy with our play and how we were doing with our ability to finish. We had high expectations for ourselves."
When do they play next?
UNC will play its fourth top-25 opponent in five games as the Tar Heels head to Kentucky to face No. 8 Louisville on Friday at 5 p.m.
The Daily Tar Heel
Yale knocks off Big Ten foe in OT
Angela Xiao
The Yale field hockey team has grown accustomed to late-game heartache recently. Last year, the Bulldogs lost six one-goal games, with two of those defeats coming in overtime. But in its season opener against Michigan State, Yale triumphed in overtime to turn over a new leaf this year.
The Elis (1–0, 0–0 Ivy) fought for the early lead against the Spartans (2–3, 0–0 Big Ten), and, despite a dip in second-half intensity, went on to notch an overtime victory against a squad that, last season, trampled Yale, 4–0. Monday’s 2–1 overtime victory, though narrow, defied several of the recurring frustrations last year’s Elis faced.
“What happened today is the exact situation that we train so hard for all through the spring and summer,” forward Olivia Levieux ’21 said. “When it came down to overtime and we were exhausted and half dying from heat stroke, we could all go into our heads and think, ‘I’ve been through this, I’ve been through worse than this, I can do this.’”
The Spartans arrived in New Haven coming off a 2–0 victory against Yale’s crosstown rival, Quinnipiac. Michigan State took the first shot just four minutes into the match and forced goalie Sydney Terroso ’21, who earned first-team All-Ivy honors in her rookie season, to make her first save of the year. But the offensive dominance displayed by last year’s Spartans, who took 12 shots to the Elis’ four in the opening period of last year’s meeting, was stifled early by this year’s squad.
The hot and sunny day on Johnson Field forced both head coach Pam Stuper and her MSU counterpart to rely on frequent substitutions, but the Bulldogs’ effort remained cohesive. Although the Eli offense generated consistent opportunities to score, attempting three shots and a penalty corner before the Spartans managed their second attempt on goal, the scoreboard remained at zero for most of the first half. Terroso, who was often forced to make saves numbering in the high teens last year, delivered a pristine but relatively unchallenging two-for-two record on saves in the first frame, as the experienced Eli defense held Michigan State to just three shots for the period.
“The difference between our last game last year and where we are this year is the entire team is playing defense,” Stuper said. “The forwards are helping … same with the midfield and the backfield. That’s really helping the backs out, that they’re not having to manage a lot of high-number situations or fast breaks. We had to do [that] a lot last year.”
But the Spartans’ goalie, Jade Arundell, kept her team in the game. In the first 30 minutes of the match, Yale managed five on-target shots, and Arundell produced a save for each, keeping the score firmly knotted at 0–0 despite her team’s lackluster offensive performance.
Yale’s breakthrough came with just five minutes remaining in the first half. With the exception of a saved shot from the stick of midfielder Theodora Dillman ’22, the Bulldogs’ attempts to crack Arundell all came from returning players. But ultimately, it was a rookie who put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard, as midfielder Alissa Wong ’22, a native of West Vancouver, British Columbia, knocked one past Arundell unassisted to hand Yale its first goal of the season and put the Bulldogs ahead 1–0 going into halftime.
“We knew the skill that [Dillman and Wong] were coming in with,” Stuper said. “They proved themselves throughout preseason, that they deserved a start and that they are strong enough. I never look at years, it’s all about what’s best.”
The Spartans, who pulled off a 3–0 second-half performance against the Bulldogs last September, came back from the half roaring. They earned the period’s first penalty corner, forcing a Terroso save to briefly preserve Yale’s lead, before a second corner immediately thereafter tied the scoreboard at 1–1 — just five minutes into the period.
The second half saw a reversal in offensive possession — while the Bulldogs outshot Michigan State 9–3 in the first half, the Spartans produced 11 attempts on the net in the second half and limited the Bulldogs to two shots. Terroso remained up for the challenge, fending off two bursts of Spartan shots, with the help of a defensive save from midfielder Holly Jackson ’20 in the 60th minute to preserve the tie and force the match into overtime. Terroso tallied six saves in the second period to emerge from the game with eight saves on nine shots.
For the Bulldogs of last year, overtime play often meant heartbreak. Against then-No.16 Harvard, Terroso put together a 17-save performance that, coupled with a first-period goal, seemed almost enough to pull off an upset victory to open conference play. But the Crimson bounced back. Later in the season, against Columbia, the Bulldogs tied the game at four, before a penalty corner at the end of the overtime period sealed the win to the Lions.
On Monday, at the end of the 70 minutes of regulation play, this year’s Bulldogs stood toe-to-toe with a team that had thrashed them last year. Despite late-game momentum siding with the Spartans, however, Yale shrugged off the setback and recovered from the tough second frame to dominate the overtime period.
Midfielder Bridget Condie ’20, a second-team All-Ivy pick last season, took the period’s first shot, two minutes in, but it went wide. Two minutes later, while the Spartans were still struggling to gain offensive possession, the opportunity came in the form of a penalty corner. Forward Imogen Davies ’21 took the corner for Yale and Condie directed the ball towards the net. The ball hit off a Michigan State player and into the air, but forward Brooke Reese ’19, stationed at the far post, knocked the ball past an off-guard Arundell to hand the Elis their first victory.
Yale’s offensive performance — in which eight players took shots — underscored the team’s collective approach to making up the monumental contributions of Carol Middough ’18, who scored 18 times for the Bulldogs in her senior campaign.
“During the breaks in the game, we kept reminding each other that this was one of those games we’ve been training so rigorously for,” forward Anissa Abboud ’21 said. “And I think you could see it on the field today.”
Yale’s roster this year includes five first years.
Yale Daily News
2018 School Games - Finals
Boys’ Competition
England Red 1-2 England White
England White began the day knowing that victory would ensure them the gold medal and they duly delivered with a narrow win over England Red.
Isaac Farrant scored yet again to give White the lead after just three minutes before Josh Self bagged his side another in the 35th minute.
Red captain Fred Newbold scored with ten minutes to play to make the game interesting but White held on to take home the gold medal.
Scotland 0-2 England Blue
With silver already going the way of Ulster, both of these teams began the match with aspirations of taking home the final medal and it was to be England Blue who secured the bronze.
They laid down an early marker as Josh Rundle scored in the seventh minute and, after repelling plenty of Scotland attacks, sealed the win five minutes from time courtesy of an Edward Ferguson corner effort.
Final standings
England White
Ulster
England Blue
England Red
Scotland
Girls’ Competition
Ulster 1-0 England Blue
Having already secured the gold medal the day before, Ulster ensured they finished their tournament in perfect fashion.
England began the game hoping to pick up a bronze but found themselves behind early on in the game as Nadia Benallal gave Ulster an eighth minute lead.
The rest of the game was tight and well fought but England couldn’t find the equaliser, ensuring Ulster kept up their 100% record at the 2018 School Games and top the group.
Scotland 3-2 England White
With a chance of a medal firmly in their sights, Scotland started the match in perfect fashion as goals from Ellie Stott, Ellie MacKenzie and Lucy Williamson put them in the driving seat at the half-time break.
Captain Lottie Gill converted a 45th minute corner to bring England back into the game before Polly Jones equalised ten minutes later to set up a grandstand finish. But Scotland held on to take home an impressive bronze.
Final Standings
Ulster
England Red
Scotland
England Blue
England White
Full standings and all the statistics from this year’s competition can be found here.
England Hockey Board Media release
Rhona Joss
It is with deep regret that the West District has announced the sad passing of West District Vice President Keith Joss’ wife Rhona, on Saturday morning, 1st September.
Rhona, who played for Hillhead Hockey Club and was a Past President of Hillhead Ladies was like all our members partners, an integral part of the West District hockey family and our thoughts are with Keith, Fraser and their family.
The thoughts of all at Scottish Hockey are with the family at this sad time.
Scottish Hockey Union media release