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News for 24 September 2018

All the news for Monday 24 September 2018


Hockey Series Open - Santiago 2018 - Final Day
Santiago (CHI)

Men's results 23 September

URU v BOL (RR)     5 - 0
PER v VEN (RR)     0 - 3
CHI v BRA (RR)     3 - 2

Final Pool standing

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Chile 5 4 1 0 44 2 42 13
2 Brazil 5 4 0 1 39 5 34 12
3 Venezuela 5 3 0 2 20 10 10 9
4 Uruguay 5 2 1 2 8 5 3 7
5 Peru 5 1 0 4 5 21 -16 3
6 Bolivia 5 0 0 5 0 73 -73 0


Women's results 23 September

PAR v BRA (RR)     4 - 0
PER v BOL (RR)     2 - 0
URU v CHI (RR)     0 - 1

Final Pool standings

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Chile 5 5 0 0 51 0 51 15
2 Uruguay 5 4 0 1 41 2 39 12
3 Paraguay 5 3 0 2 11 20 -9 9
4 Brazil 5 2 0 3 4 18 -14 6
5 Peru 5 1 0 4 2 26 -24 3
6 Bolivia 5 0 0 5 0 43 -43 0

FIH Match Centre



Chile wins Santiago Men's Hockey Open Series

Rebecca Kanter


Peru v Venezuela. Photo Oscar Munoz Badilla

Junior player of the tournament, Franco Becerra, has thrilling came winner against Brazil as Chile earns the top spot in the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018

Awards:

Junior player of the tournament: Franco BECERRA of Chile, presented by Mr. Sebastián Wenz, Director of the Prince of Wales Country Club (PWCC)

Goalkeeper of the tournament: Rodrigo FAUSTINO of Brazil; presented by Mr. Gianni Delucchi, President of the Peruvian Hockey Federation and Member of the Board of Directors of the Pan American Hockey Federation

Top scorer: Lucas PAIXÃO of Brazil, presented by Mr. Gonzalo Andrade, Vice President of the Prince of Wales Country Club (PWCC)

Player of the tournament: Lucas PAIXÃO of Brazil, presented by Mr. Walter Kramer, President of the Chilean Hockey Federation and Member of the Board of Directors of the Pan American Hockey Federation

Final standings:

1. CHILE
2. BRAZIL
3. VENEZUELA
4. URUGUAY
5. PERU
6. BOLIVIA

URU 5-0 BOL (URU 2-0 BOL)

To start the last day of the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018, Uruguay and Bolivia met. Bolivia was looking for their first goal as well as first win of the competition. From the opening whistle, however, Uruguay controlled the possession and kept play in their attacking half of the pitch. Bolivia played good defense to minimize Uruguay’s scoring opportunities, but Uruguay’s Gabriel FERREIRA was able to break through in the 9th minute to make it URU 1-0 BOL. Bolivia continued its good defensive positioning to prevent Uruguay from increasing its lead before the quarter break.

Less than one minute into the second quarter, Uruguay earned a penalty corner, but Bolivia’s keeper Carlos ZAMBRANA was there for the save; and led to Bolivia running into their attacking circle. Uruguay quickly regained possession and continued their attacking intensity; earning another penalty corner, and again ZAMBRANA was there to block the shot and break up the play. Uruguay continued to pressure strongly on attack; and Luis SALMINI gave his team a two goal lead in the 25th minute. With few seconds remaining in the second quarter, Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but failed to execute the play. Thus, the URU 2-0 BOL score remained at halftime

The third quarter started out as a more even battle between Uruguay and Bolivia. Bolivia limited Uruguay’s scoring opportunities until the 38th minute when Uruguay earned a couple penalty corners. On the second corner, Agustin RIVERO sent a beautiful drag flick into goal to make the score URU 3-0 BOL. About five minutes later, Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but Bolivia played good defense to break up the play. Behind the continued strong play of ZAMBRANA, Bolivia successfully defended four Uruguay penalty corners in the final two minutes of the third quarter; keeping the score URU 3-0 BOL going into the fourth quarter.

Less than 10 seconds into the fourth quarter, Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but Bolivia came up with the ball before Uruguay could get a shot off. ZAMBRANO continued to come up with big saves to keep Uruguay from increasing their lead.After about five consecutive penalty corners, Gonzalo MARTINONI finally converted a penalty corner for Uruguay to make the score URU 4-0 BOL in the 52nd minute. A minute later Felipe CASTRO scored off a field goal give his team a five goal lead over Bolivia. With Bolivia playing strong defense against Uruguay for the rest of the match, the match ended URU 5-0 BOL.

PER 0-3 VEN (PER 0-1 VEN)

Peru and Venezuela met on the final day of the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018 in a match that would inevitably determine which Mens team would secure third place in the competition. The match started very fast paced. As the first quarter progressed, Venezuela had more of the possession in their attacking half. Halfway through the first quarter, Venezuela earned the first penalty corner of the match. Peru’s keeper Felix MAFFERETTI came up with the save to keep the match scoreless. Less than a minute later, Venezuela had a good shot on goal go just wide off the goal cage. With Peru able to keep Venezuela outside of their attacking circle, the first quarter ended PER 0-0 VEN.

Exactly like the first quarter, Venezuela dominated possession in their attacking half from the start; and earned their first penalty corner of the quarter halfway through. This time, however, Captain Andy Adrian converted the corner with a fast drag flick to give his team the lead in the 23rd minute. For the rest of the second quarter Venezuela dominated the possession. Peru held good defensive positioning for the rest of the second quarter, preventing Venezuela from any more scoring opportunities. With Peru barely having possession near their attacking circle, the score remained PER 0-1 VEN at halftime.

Possession was more evenly shared in the third quarter. Yet, both teams had trouble getting into their attacking circles until late in the third quarter. Venezuela’s Wilber BRACAMONTE deflected a great cross pass past MAFFERETTI to give his team a two goal lead in the 40th minute. Off the restart Peru rushed with the ball into their attacking end and immediately earned a penalty corner, their first of the match; but after connecting a series of passes could not complete the play keeping the score PER 0-2 VEN. During the final minutes of the third quarter, both teams defended penalty corners well. Thus, keeping the score PER 0-2 VEN to start the fourth quarter.

During the fourth quarter, Peru looked to have a renewed intensity and had the most possession of the ball they have had all match. Peru was able to keep play in the midfield a lot of the time and generally, away from Venezuela’s attacking circle. Despite yellow cards to Venezuela’s Yordano CASTRO in the 44th and Jose OROPEZA in the 53rd minutes, Peru could not capitalize. Venezuela had the best scoring opportunities of either team with just two minutes remaining in the match. MAFFERETTI made multiple big saves, but Venezuela’s last minute pressure ultimately proved too much. Cristian VARGAS hit a hard shot past MAFFERETTI to make the score PER 0-3 VEN in the 60th minute. Venezuela had a hard shot go wide off the restart. As a result, the match ended PER 0-3 VEN; and Venezuela solidified third in the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018.

CHI 1-0 BRA (CHI 1-0 BRA)

The last match of the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018 was a fierce battle between Brazil and host Chile for the top spot in the competition and thus, more world ranking points. Much of the first quarter was spent with Brazil passing around the midfield. With Chile facing the exact direction of setting sun Chile seemed to have a hard time seeing the ball during the first quarter. Nevertheless, the first scoring opportunity for either team came late in the first quarter when Felipe RENZ received the ball in the midfield and ran fast into Chile’s attacking circle. Felipe RENZ crossed the ball perfectly to Sven RICHTER waiting near the opposite goal post who deflected the ball into the cage in the 11th minute, to make the score CHI 1-0 BRA. Brazil was able to force play down near their attacking circle for the rest of the quarter, but were unable to tie the match before the break.

The second quarter continued like the end of the first, with both teams trading possession in the midfield. Midway through the second quarter, Felipe RENZ nearly scored again, but the play was interrupted due to an obstruction call. Finally, in the 24th minute, Brazil earned the first penalty corner of the match, but Chile’s defense prevented Brazil from getting a shot off. Brazil kept up its attacking intensity and four minutes later, earned another penalty corner. Brazil hit a hard shot into goal, but it went high and thus, did not count. With Chile unable to capitalize off a breakaway in the last 30 seconds of the second quarter, the score remained CHI 1-0 BRA at halftime.

The third quarter was a hard fought fast paced battle for possession. Both teams held strong positioning, limiting each other’s possession in their respective attacking circles. In the 42nd minute Brazil earned a penalty corner, but Chile’s defense blocked up the play. Brazil quickly recovered the ball and shot it, but Chile’s keeper Esteban KRAINZ made the save. Chile countered earning their first penalty corner of the match in the 44th minute. Nicolas RENZ put in his signature drag flick to give his team a two goal lead over Brazil going into the fourth quarter.

Brazil started the fourth quarter with a renewed attacking intensity and controlled most of the play in their attacking half. RICHTER was awarded a yellow card in the 47th minute and Brazil looked to capitalize. Brazil’s momentum paid off when the top mens scorer of the competition, Lucas PAIXÃO, put in a hard shot passed KRAINZ. Brazil kept up their intensity and, just two minutes later, came back to tie the match off another goal by PAIXÃO; making the score CHI 2-2 BRA with 9 minutes remaining in the match. Chile then started to control possession and play shifted to their attacking half. Chile’s team effort paid off when Franco BECERRA hit the ball into the goal in the 55th minute. Brazil quickly rushed into their attacking circle; and almost tied the match a minute later, but the shot went wide. Chile’s Martin RODRIGUEZ was then awarded a yellow card in the 56th minute, but then both teams played short when Brazil’s Yuri van der HEIJDEN was awarded a yellow card a minute later; indicative of the intensity of the match. Chile held off an intense attack by Brazil in the final 30 seconds to come away with the CHI 3-2 BRA victory; and secure the top spot in the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Chile wins Santiago Women's Hockey Open Series

Rebecca Kanter


Kim Jacob of Chile celebrates the win. Photo: Oscar Munoz Badilla

Fernanda Villagran’s goal leads Chile to an exciting victory over Uruguay and the top spot in the Women’s Hockey Open Series!

Awards:

Junior player of the tournament: Veronica ROA of Paraguay, presented by Dr. Danae Andrade, President of the Uruguayan Hockey Federation

Goalkeeper of the tournament: Claudia SCHULER of Chile; presented by Mr. Larry Sargent, Director of the Prince of Wales Country Club (PWCC)

Top scorer: María Jesús MALDONADO of Chile, presented by Ms. Alejandra Robles, Director of the Prince of Wales Country Club (PWCC)

Player of the tournament: Manuela VILAR of Uruguay, presented by Mr. Miguel Ángel Mujica, President of the Chilean Olympic Committee

Final standings

 1. CHILE
 2. URUGUAY
 3. PARAGUAY
 4. BRAZIL
 5. PERU
 6. BOLIVIA

PAR 4-0 BRA (PAR 2-0 BRA)

On the last day of the Women’s Hockey Open Series 2018, Paraguay and Brazil, each with two wins, battled in the first match for third place in the standings. Throughout the first quarter, Paraguay had the attacking edge. With about five minutes remaining in the first quarter, Paraguay had multiple shots blocked by Brazil’s keeper Teska TUIJT. In the 15th minute, Paraguay was awarded the first penalty corner of the match. After a scramble in front of the goal, Paraguay took the lead as Andrea CARDOSO was able to finally complete the penalty corner play. CARDOSO’s goal made the score PAR 1-0 BRA going into the second quarter.

Brazil came out fired up to start the second quarter; preventing Paraguay from maintaining possession in their attacking circle, like the end of the first quarter. Paraguay, however, successfully stole the ball in the 21st minute. TUIJT came out to save an anticipated shot by Augustina SANCHEZ, who was with the ball on the far post; but that left an open goal for SANCHEZ to give her team a two goal lead. Paraguay earned the first penalty corner of the second half in the 25th minute, but the shot was blocked by Brazil’s defense. In the final minute of the second quarter, Paraguay earned two more penalty corners. Paraguay tried the same play twice to push the ball into goal from the top left of the circle, but Brazil’s defense blocked up the plays to keep the score PAR 2-0 BRA at halftime.

For much of the third quarter, there was no clear. Brazil earned their first penalty corner of the match in the 41st minute. In an exciting sequence of events, Paraguay successfully prevented the shot from being taken at the top of the circle and immediately rushed into their attacking circle. SANCHEZ pushed the ball past TUIJT for her second goal of the match, making the score PAR 3-0 BRA. Paraguay kept up their attacking intensity and just a minute later, Nicole van JAARSVELD’s penalty corner goal gave Paraguay a four goal lead over Brazil to close out the third quarter.

Throughout the fourth quarter, Brazil kept trying to pressure on attack and maintain possession near their attacking circle. Paraguay played strong defense and was able to prevent Brazil from having many shot opportunities, let alone penalty corners. Brazil’s best scoring opportunity of the fourth quarter came in the 57th minute when Alexsandra RODRIGUES had a near breakaway in front of the goal, but Paraguay came up with the defensive save to keep Brazil off the scoreboard. Able to withstand last minute attacking pressure from Brazil, including a penalty corner, the match ended PAR 4-0 BRA and Paraguay secured third place in the final competition standings.

PER 2-0 BOL (PER 1-0 BOL)

The match between Peru and Bolivia was important for pride; which team would come away with their first Hockey Open Series win. Peru had the attacking edge in the first quarter; earning the first penalty corner of the match in the 5th minute. While the penalty corner play was called off due to the ball hitting a Peru foot, Peru maintained their attacking intensity. Thus, Adelaida OLAECHEA was able to push the ball past Bolivia’s keeper Karen SANTOS.Bolivia did not let up, however; and quickly earned their first penalty corner of the match, but the shot went wide of the goal cage to keep the score PER 1-0 BOL. Peru continued to pressure in their attacking circle for the rest of the first quarter, but Bolivia played extremely strong defense to keep the score PER 1-0 BOL at the end of the first quarter.

Peru wasted no time going back on attack and immediately earned a penalty corner at the start of the second quarter. Mireya CRUZ had a spectacular defensive rush coming out of the corner to regain possession for Bolivia. Peru quickly countered, however, earning another penalty corner, but could not complete the play. Bolivia persisted and earned another penalty corner, but also could not complete the play. Both Peru’s keeper Chiara CONETTA and Bolivia’s SANTOS, respectively came up with big saves towards the end of the second quarter. Despite being down a player due to a green card given to Mercedes GONZALES in the 29th minute, Bolivia successfully held off a penalty corner by Peru to keep the score PER 1-0 BOL at halftime.

Peru continued to dominate possession in the third quarter. Bolivia had a couple minutes of possession down in their attacking circle late in the third quarter, but one of their only shots on goal was unfortunately take from outside the circle. Bolivia continued to play hard and in the final seconds of the third quarter, Daniela CARBALLO had Bolivia’s best shot on goal, but CONETTA was there for the save to keep Peru’s 1-0 lead over Bolivia to start the fourth quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Bolivia continued their attacking intensity and earned a penalty corner, but after carefully executing a series of passes the shot just barely missed the goal. Peru immediately ran back on attack and Captain Claudia ARDILES made it PER 2-0 BOL in the 48th minute. To their credit, Bolivia did not let up and earned another penalty corner a couple minutes later, but could not get a shot off. Peru and Bolivia fought hard for attacking opportunities throughout the second half of the fourth quarter, but were equally successful at preventing goals. Thus, the final score remained PER 2-0 BOL; and Peru came away with their first win of the competition.

URU 0-1 CHI (URU 0-0 CHI)

The last match of the Women’s Hockey Open Series was an exciting match-up between Uruguay and host Chile, respectively. With four wins apiece both teams would inevitably claim the top two spots in the competition, but the winner will earn more FIH World Ranking points. The first ten minutes of the first quarter consisted of Chile dominating possession in their attacking half of the pitch. In the 10th minute, Uruguay’s Manuela VILAR had a breakaway to give her team their first possession in their attacking circle. Uruguay immediately earned a penalty corner, but Chile’s keeper Claudia Schuller made an amazing kick save to keep the match scoreless. Soon after, Chile had a great shot on goal, but this time Uruguay’s keeper Constance SCHMIDT-LIERMANN made an incredible save to keep Chile off the scoreboard. In front of a loud crowd, the first quarter ended URU 0-0 CHI.

The second quarter started with a fast-paced match with both teams constantly battling for possession in the midfield. Uruguay had their first scoring opportunity in the second quarter around the 24th minute, but again SCHULLER came up with the big save to keep the score URU 0-0 CHI. A few minutes later, Uruguay had another shot, but this time it went wide. In the 24th minute, Uruguay made an amazing defensive save; and again VILAR went on a breakaway, but was denied by SCHULLER. SCHMIDT-LIERMANN then made a big save to keep the score URU 0-0 CHI with a few minutes remaining in the second quarter. Both teams managed to keep each other off the scoreboard for the rest of the second quarter; keeping the match scoreless at halftime.

At the start of the third quarter, Chile earned a penalty corner, but the play was called off due to obstruction. With top spot in the competition on the line and the match still scoreless, Chile and Uruguay continued to intensely battle. In the 35th minute, Kim JACOB hit a hard shot right in front of the goal for Chile, but the shot went high. In the 43rd minute, Chile earned another penalty corner, Fernanda VILLAGRAN pushed a fast shot past SCHULLER. SCHMIDT-LIERMANN and the host crowd exploded! With Uruguay able to withstand more attacking pressure by Chile, the third quarter ended URU 0-1 CHI.

The fourth quarter continued to be an intense match. In the 50th minute, Uruguay’s Captain Agustina NIETO was awarded a yellow card. Chile had multiple scoring opportunities right in front of their attacking goal, but each time Uruguay’s defenders were there to make the defensive save. SCHMIDT-LIERMAN then made two big saves to keep Chile from increasing their lead. Chile kept up their attacking pressure and earned the first penalty corner of the fourth quarter in the 55th minute. VILLAGRAN looked to make the same penalty corner play that resulted in Chile’s first goal, but the shot went wide. Uruguay did not let up and earned a penalty corner for themselves in the 57 minute and nearly tied the match, but a foul was called. With just under three minutes remaining in the match, Uruguay substituted SCHMIDT-LIERMAN with a kicking back. Again, both teams were able to hold of each other’s attacking pressure and the match ended URU 0-1 CHI. Both Chile and Uruguay, respectively, qualify for the next round of the Hockey Open Series; but with the win, Chile will earn more FIH World Ranking points.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Double joy for Chile at men's and women's Hockey Series Open in Santiago



Hockey fans in Santiago enjoyed a sizzling six days of hockey during which two men’s and two women’s teams sealed their places at the Hockey Series Finals in 2019.

And it was a double celebration for the host nation as Chile men and women both put in excellent performances throughout the competition to remain unbeaten to become champions in their respective competitions.

In the men's competition Brazil (FIH Hero World Ranking: 26) had sat in top spot until the final game but a strong and composed performance by Chile (WR:34) saw them beat their higher-ranked opponents by a 3-2 scoreline.

In the women’s competition, Chile were dominant throughout, although fans will have thoroughly enjoyed the final match as two old rivals – Uruguay and Chile – did battle for the top spot.

Brazil men have really capitalised on the experience they enjoyed in 2016 when, as host of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, they played against some of the best teams in the world. The experience has led to the Brazilian players playing their own game at a far higher tempo – something with which the other competitors in Santiago struggled to contend with.

Brazil got the men's competition off to a flying start as they hammered 22 goals past unranked Bolivia in the opening game. Their subsequent three games were not so prolific but they still scored another 15 goals and took maximum points into their final game against Chile (WR:34).

The host nation had also gone through the event unbeaten, including a 27-0 win against Bolivia. They went into the final game of the round-robin just behind Brazil on points courtesy of a 0-0 draw with Uruguay (WR:46).

The final was an exciting and tightly fought affair between two teams determined to end the event on a winning note. Sven Richter got Chile off to the perfect start in the 11th minute when he managed to evade the Brazilian defence to put the host nation ahead.

The lead was doubled in the final quarter when Nicolas Renz found the net from a penalty corner and the game looked beyond doubt as Franco Becerra made it 3-0.

However, Brazil fought back in the final five minutes with two goals in quick succession from Lucas Paixo. Unfortunately for Brazil it was too little too late and Chile took the three points and the top spot in the competition.

Unsurprisingly, given their high scoring start to the competition, Brazil’s players dominated the goals table, with Lucas Paixo leading on 14 goals; Matheus Borges scored eight and Joaquin Lopez followed on seven.

The women’s final round of matches saw Paraguay (WR:58) cement their place at third in the table after they beat Brazil (WR:37) by a comprehensive 4-0 scoreline. The Paraguay team will be pleased with their performance over the event. Their third place finish included wins over Peru and Brazil – both higher ranked teams. Peru (WR:39) and unranked Bolivia then played out an intense match to see who would avoid sixth place. On this occasion Peru proved the stronger, emerging as 2-0 winners.

The final match would decide who took top spot and it was a real tussle between two teams who had both cruised through the event unbeaten. Chile (WR:16) went into the match with a goal difference advantage over Uruguay (WR:24) but both teams had been head and shoulders above their rivals – it was simply a question of whose nerve would hold in the final match.

In the event, the result went with the rankings and Head Coach Diego Amoroso will have been pleased with the way his team withstood the Uruguay pressure. Fernanda Villagran scored the only goal of the game to give Chile the win.

The leading goal scorer for the women’s event was Chile’s Maria Maldonado, who finished the competition on 12 goals.

Chile’s men’s and women’s teams, plus Brazil men and Uruguay women will now appear at one of three Hockey Series Finals which will be played in 2019, offering berths into the Olympic Qualification Events.

Each of these Hockey Series Finals will consist of eight teams and will take place throughout the world.

#HockeySeries

FIH site



Air Force shoot out RCF to win title


An RCF player tries to run past an Air Force player. Tribune photo

Faridkot - The lottery of a shootout dealt Rail Coach Factory (RCF) a cruel blow as the Kapurthala-based side lost their second final in two years, going down to Air Force in a thrilling encounter in the 27th All India Baba Farid Hockey Gold Cup here on Sunday.

After making a sensational second-half fightback to make it 2-2 and take the final to the tie-breaker, RCF failed to convert any of their attempts in the shootout, while Air Force converted three of their attempts — through Anand Lakra, Damandeep and Sukhdev Singh — to walk away with the trophy.

RCF, who had lost last year’s final to Electrical Mechanical Engineering, had a slow start and fell behind by two goals within the first 15 minutes. Ravinder Singh (2nd minute) and Birinder Singh (13th) scored field goals to give Air Force a comfortable lead. But RCF made things interesting through Gurpreet Singh’s penalty-corner conversion in 45th minute. Ajmer Singh got the equaliser towards the end of the game to force a shootout, only for the players to falter at crunch time.

The Tribune



Griffiths double helps East Grinstead win

Chris Griffiths scored twice as East Grinstead beat top flight newcomers University of Exeter 4-1 in their opening match of the season in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Sunday.

Griffiths scored his first in the 17th minute before Liam Ansell doubled East Grinstead’s advantage in the 45th minute from open play.

James Ferguson hit back for University of Exeter in the 46th minute, but David Condon restored East Grinstead’s cushion on 50 minutes before Griffiths scored his second eight minutes later.

Elsewhere, reigning champions Surbiton picked up where they left off, winning 3-1 at home against Wimbledon on Saturday.

Scotland and Great Britain international Alan Forsyth scored twice from open play with his first coming in the eighth minute. Tim Atkins then doubled their lead from open play in the 16th minute, before Forsyth bagged his second on 29 minutes to make the score 3-0.

Wimbledon hit back with a Ben Arnold goal from open play in the 38th minute, but it was in vain as Surbiton held out for the remainder of the game to secure the points.

Gareth Griffiths scored two field goals in the second half to help Beeston record a 4-0 win over Sevenoaks on Sunday.

Richard Lawrence and Nick Park had scored field goals on 15 and 18 minutes, before Griffiths found the net in similar style on 47 and 55 minutes.

Holcombe produced a good performance away from home as they defeated Brooklands Manchester University 3-1 on Sunday.

Holcombe took an early lead in the 13th minute when Nicholas Bandurak scored from open play.

Robert Field then scored their second in the 50th minute before Daniel Webster made it 3-0 when he scored from open play around the hour mark.

Brooklands MU did score a consolation when Sam Perrin found the net in the 69th minute but it wasn’t enough to stop the points going the way of the visitors.

Reading suffered a defeat at home to Hampstead and Westminster as they lost 2-1 on Saturday.

Jonny Gooch opened the scoring for the visitors when he scored from free play in the 14th minute.

Matt Richards then hit back for Reading in the 28th minute when he scored his first goal of the season from open play.

Going in to half time the score was level at 1-1 but Hampstead managed to find an early lead in the second half when Anton Pohling scored from open play in the 36th minute.

Results – Men’s Hockey League Premier Division: Beeston 4, Sevenoaks 0; Brooklands MU 1, Holcombe 3; Reading 1, Hampstead & Westminster 2; Surbiton 3, Wimbledon 1; University of Exeter 1, East Grinstead 4.

England Hockey Board Media release



Surbiton off to a winning start over major rivals Wimbledon


©: Frank Uijlenbroek/world Sport Pics

Reigning champions Surbiton picked up where they left off, winning 3-1 at home against Wimbledon on Saturday on the opening night of the English league.

Scotland and Great Britain international Alan Forsyth (pictured) scored twice from open play with his first coming in the eighth minute. Tim Atkins then doubled their lead from open play in the 16th minute, before Forsyth bagged his second on 29 minutes to make the score 3-0.

Wimbledon hit back with a Ben Arnold goal from open play in the 38th minute, but it was in vain as Surbiton held out for the remainder of the game to secure the points.

The Wombles will play in EHL ROUND1 in Barcelona where they will face Mannheimer HC and Dinamo Elektrostal from October 5-7. Surbiton will play in the KO16 at Easter.

Chris Griffiths scored twice as East Grinstead beat top flight newcomers University of Exeter 4-1. Griffiths scored his first in the 17th minute before Liam Ansell doubled East Grinstead’s advantage in the 45th minute from open play.

James Ferguson hit back for University of Exeter in the 46th minute, but David Condon restored East Grinstead’s cushion on 50 minutes before Griffiths scored his second eight minutes later.

Gareth Griffiths scored two field goals in the second half to help Beeston record a 4-0 win over Sevenoaks on Sunday. Richard Lawrence and Nick Park had scored field goals on 15 and 18 minutes, before Griffiths found the net in similar style on 47 and 55 minutes.

Holcombe produced a good performance away from home as they defeated Brooklands Manchester University 3-1 on Sunday. Holcombe took an early lead in the 13th minute when Nicholas Bandurak scored from open play.

Robert Field then scored their second in the 50th minute before Daniel Webster made it 3-0 when he scored from open play around the hour mark.

Brooklands MU did score a consolation when Sam Perrin found the net in the 69th minute but it wasn’t enough to stop the points going the way of the visitors.

Reading suffered a defeat at home to Hampstead and Westminster as they lost 2-1 on Saturday. Jonny Gooch opened the scoring for the visitors when he scored from free play in the 14th minute.

Matt Richards then hit back for Reading in the 28th minute when he scored his first goal of the season from open play.

Going in to half time the score was level at 1-1 but Hampstead managed to find an early lead in the second half when Anton Pohling scored from open play in the 36th minute.

Euro Hockey League media release



Irish Mens EYHL Round Up

The men’s EY Hockey League returned with a bang on Saturday with Banbridge’s last minute winner against reigning EY Champions Trophy holders Three Rock Rovers providing an immaculate spectacle.

The tie was played in front of a big crowd at Havelock Park with Banbridge with the Saturday night lights illuminating their new turf and cracking hockey in the best possible way.

Bann built a 3-0 lead by 30 seconds into the second half with John McKee, Fraser Mills and Josh Moffett all scoring. Mark English – on debut following his move to TRR from Railway Union – got two back within a few minutes, though, to put the game right back in the mix with half an hour to go. John Mullins levelled with five minutes left only for Bann to win a last-minute corner which Olympian Magee whipped home past Shane O’Brien, deputising for Jamie Carr between the posts for a 4-3 win.

YMCA, meanwhile, got a taste of how tough things will be in the top tier as they succumbed to a 7-1 defeat to Cookstown – ninth last year – with Stu Smyth nailing a hat trick. It was 2-0 after the first quarter and 5-0 before Ben Campbell got one on the board for the Y. Tim Sloan (2), Michael Kerr and Jack Haycock got the other goals.

Pembroke came back from a goal down to defeat Lisnagarvey at Comber Road. Andy Williamson had given the Ulster side the lead but efforts from Jack Ryan and Patrick Shanahan turned it around and goalkeeper Simon Thornton made the saves for the Dubliners to earn the points.

Monkstown produced a brilliant final quarter showing to beat Annadale 6-2. The tie was locked at 1-1 after the first half while Andrew Ward’s tap in saw Town eke out a 2-1 lead going into the final quarter but four goals in quick succession saw them soon race clear at the Merrion Fleet Arena.

Philip Brownlow, meanwhile, earned Cork C of I a share of the spoils at Garryduff against last year’s EY Hockey League regular season champions Glenanne. Shannon Boucher put the Glens in front from a corner but Brownlow found the leveller in the closing quarter for a 1-1 result.

Next week sees a couple of Dublin derbies with YMCA hosting their first EYHL game against Three Rock while Pembroke take on Monkstown while an all-Ulster clash sees Cookstown face Lisnagarvey at Steelweld Park. Annadale are home against Glenanne; Cork C of I hit the road to play Banbridge.

Men’s EY Hockey League: Cork C of I 1 (P Brownlow) Glenanne 1 (S Boucher); Monkstown 6 (D Carson 2, J Lynch, A Ward, S Byrne, G Watkins) Annadale 2 (C Ruttle, P Caruth); Lisnagarvey 1 (A Williamson) Pembroke 2 (J Ryan, P Shanahan); Cookstown 7 (S Smyth 3, T Sloan 2, M Kerr, J Haycock) YMCA 1 (B Campbell); Banbridge 4 (J McKee, F Mills, J Moffett, E Magee) Three Rock Rovers 3 (M English 2, J Mullins)

Next Saturday’s fixtures: Annadale v Glenanne, 2.30pm, Strathearn; Cookstown v Lisnagarvey, 2.30pm, Steelweld Park; Pembroke v Monkstown, 2.30pm, Serpentine Avenue; YMCA v Three Rock Rovers, 2.30pm, Wesley College; Banbridge v Cork C of I, 2.45pm, Havelock Park

Day one extended reports

Cork C of I 1 (P Brownlow) Glenanne 1 (S Boucher)

Last season’s draw-masters Cork C of I – with 8 out of 18 last season – were at it again as Philip Brownlow’s final quarter goal saw them share the spoils with last year’s regular season champions Glenanne.

Amid a rain-soaked first half, chances were a premium with most of the play between the 23-metre lines and ended scoreless. The Glens started a much-faster paced second half on the front foot and they went ahead from a corner which Shannon Boucher slung home.

C of I fought back with Jonny Bruton’s first time slap – on his return to the club after a decade away in Australia and Dublin – went just wide. His crash ball then found its way to Philip Brownlow who was free to slot home the equaliser with 15 minutes to go.

They also won a couple of late corners which were well defended, leaving it a draw. The Glens handed debuts to Cedric Jakobi and Jonny McCormack.

Monkstown 6 (D Carson 2, J Lynch, A Ward, S Byrne, G Watkins) Annadale 2 (C Ruttle, P Caruth)

Monkstown produced a blistering fourth quarter performance to start their season in flying fashion, transforming a 1-1 half-time scoreline into a big 6-2 victory.

Dale started the stronger, drawing a couple of big blocks from David Fitzgerald from corners while captain David Cole charged down another shot. Kyle Good – on his return after a year out – almost finished off from Guy Sarratt’s long ball before Town went in front in the 12th minute. Sam Byrne played in Jason Lynch who managed to wriggle between three tackles and finish into the top corner.

The equaliser came within a minute when a long ball found former Monkstown man Peter Caruth and he lashed into the netting for 1-1. The second quarter saw corners awarded at both ends yielding saves off the line to keep the tie level.

The hosts, though, returned to the lead five minutes after the break when Davy Carson turned over the ball and passed to Gareth Watkins who carried through the middle before slipping to Geoff Cole and then on to Andrew Ward for a back post finish.

The tie remained in the balance at this stage but Monkstown soon pulled awat in the final quarter. Again it was a counter that saw them score, player-coach Watkins tackling before setting up Carson to reverse home. Carson then exchanged passes with Ross Quirke to score his second for 4-1 with 10 minutes to go.

Ward controlled an aerial and then found Byrne to finish off for the fifth. Former Three Rock and Wesley man Cameron Ruttle got one back on his debut with four minutes to go but Watkins got a great goal to close things out in the final minute, hitting the top corner with Carson again involved.

For Town, Rory Nichols and Aran Rooney both returned to the club after spells away while Dale welcomed Ryan Burgess, Ryan Getty, Andrew O’Hare and Ruttle.

Lisnagarvey 1 (A Williamson) Pembroke 2 (J Ryan, P Shanahan)

The much changed forces of Lisnagarvey and Pembroke saw the Dubliners raid Comber Road’s new smurf-turf for an opening day victory. Andy Williamson put Garvey in front just before the end of the first quarter when he turned in a dropping ball at the right post after an initial corner shot was charged down.

Matthew and Daniel Nelson had chances to extend the lead but Simon Thornton, particularly from a one on one with the former, saved superbly.

Pembroke equalised in the 27th minute from a ball worked down the right-hand side, leading to a Jack Ryan tap in amid a plethora of bodies. It remained that way to the break despite a close-run thing from Williamson slipping by the post.

The key goal came five minutes into the second half with Patrick Shanahan popping up to make it 2-1. Thornton continued his fine game to tip further chances around the post, including a final minute drag from Timmy Cockram to hold on to the three points.

Cookstown 7 (S Smyth 3, T Sloan 2, M Kerr, J Haycock) YMCA 1 (B Campbell)

YMCA got a taste of the challenge ahead for them as they shipped a heavy loss to the club that finished ninth in last year’s EYHL as Cookstown ran riot at Steelweld Park.

Michael Kerr’s low corner drag got the Co Tyrone side rolling before Matthew Rollins pumped into the circle for Timmy Sloan to get the key touch, 2-0 at the end of the first quarter. Stu Smyth’s drag-flick made it 3-0 at half-time, again thudding the backboard.

Mark Crooks’ sharp stickwork on the right baseline saw him weave the chance for Sloan to sweep in the fourth goal and another Smyth drag further piled on the pain. Ben Campbell got one back from a penalty stroke but final quarter efforts from Jack Haycock and Smyth’s hat-trick goal made for a torrid first game at the top level.

YM handed debuts to Herbie Fowler-Hudson, Ross Henderson, Cillian Hynes and Eoin Buttanshaw while Aaron Bailey lined out for the first game of his second spell at the club.

Banbridge 4 (J McKee, F Mills, J Moffett, E Magee) Three Rock Rovers 3 (M English 2, J Mullins)

Eugene Magee scored a dramatic last minute penalty corner to delight a sizeable crowd under the Saturday night lights at Havelock Park. It was one hell of a tie with Bann building a 3-0 lead only to be pegged back by a rousing Rovers comeback to level it at 3-3 with eight minutes to go.

Both sides had chances to win it in the endgame but it was Bann who snatched the crucial goal for the perfect start to their campaign. Jonny McKee got the home side’s first following sublime skill from Peter Brown in the 14th minute and they doubled the lead in the 24th minute when Magee played in Fraser Mills to fire past Shane O’Brien – deputising for Jamie Carr –  for 2-0.

Three Rock had their chances but could not get their corner routine going with Luke Roleston making a number of super stops between the posts. Half-time saw a charity presentation for Air Ambulance and the home mood raised even further when Josh Moffett scored a superb individual goal.

But any thoughts of an easy ride were quickly put to bed as Mark English – in his first game since moving from Railway Union – scored twice in a minute and it was 3-2 with half an hour still to be played. A couple more corners were repelled by Roleston, keeping the narrow lead in tact until six minutes from the end when John Mullins tied things up at 3-3.

Ross Beattie was shown yellow for the hosts soon after but there was one last twist as Bann won a corner and Magee kept his nerve to score it for a fine win.

Irish Hockey Association media release



Magee’s last second magic sees Bann beat reigning champs Rovers


©: Adrian Boehm

Eugene Magee scored a dramatic last minute penalty corner to delight a sizeable crowd under the Saturday night lights at Havelock Park, earning a 4-3 win over reigning Irish champions Three Rock Rovers on the opening day of the EYHL season.

It was one hell of a tie with Bann building a 3-0 lead only to be pegged back by a rousing Rovers comeback to level it at 3-3 with eight minutes to go.

Both sides had chances to win it in the endgame but it was Bann who snatched the crucial goal for the perfect start to their campaign. Jonny McKee got the home side’s first following sublime skill from Peter Brown in the 14th minute and they doubled the lead in the 24th minute when Magee played in Fraser Mills to fire past Shane O’Brien – deputising for Jamie Carr – for 2-0.

Three Rock had their chances but could not get their corner routine going with Luke Roleston making a number of super stops between the posts. Half-time saw a charity presentation for Air Ambulance and the home mood raised even further when Josh Moffett scored a superb individual goal.

But any thoughts of an easy ride were quickly put to bed as Mark English – in his first game since moving from Railway Union – scored twice in a minute and it was 3-2 with half an hour still to be played. A couple more corners were repelled by Roleston, keeping the narrow lead intact until six minutes from the end when John Mullins tied things up at 3-3.

Ross Beattie was shown yellow for the hosts soon after but there was one last twist as Bann won a corner and Magee kept his nerve to score it for a fine win.

Rovers are two weeks away from the EHL in Barcelona where they will take on Junior FC and Racing Club de France in their ROUND1 group.

Euro Hockey League media release



Police, Scorpions keep pressure on leaders
 
By AYUMBA AYODI

Champions Kenya Police and Strathmore University Scorpions on Sunday waged a thrilling war aimed at catching up the leaders in their respective hockey Premier Leagues.

After crushing Western Jaguars 4-0 on Saturday, Police would then edge out a stubborn United States International University 1-0 in the men’s Premier League on Sunday at City Park Stadium, Nairobi.

The victories by the men in blue saw them consolidate their second place to 36 points and close in on in on leaders Butali Sugar Warriors at the top with 42 points.

International Gilly Okumu smashed in five goals as Scorpions tore Vikings apart 7-0 to consolidate their second place in women’s league to 21 points, six adrift of leaders Telkom.

Its Samuel Wokila’s field goal on the stroke of half time that made the difference as Police silenced the varsity students to keep their dream of defending the title alive.

Police, who have two matches in hand to catch up on Dennis Owoka’s Butali Sugar, have 12 wins with one loss from their 13 outings, while Butali, the 2015 champions, have 14 wins and one loss.

Parkroad Badgers moved away from the relegation zone just by a point after they forced a 2-2 draw against former champions Nairobi Simba.

Badgers moved one place to ninth with 14 points, swapping places with Parklands, while Nairobi Simba stayed sixth, improving their tally with one point to 20.

After a goalless first half, Edward Otieno put Badgers ahead with a field goal two minutes into the second half before Shabaz Shah levelled for Simba in the 39th minute.

Andrew Kamau put Badgers ahead again in the 42nd minute only for Simon Olugo to save Simba some blushes with the equaliser in the 50th minute.

On Saturday, Wazalendo’s charge to zero in on Police in the second place was jolted when they battle to a 2-2 draw with Kenya College of Accountancy-University.

Wazalendo squandered their 2-0 lead into the last eight minutes, when Arnold Marango and Rodgers Simiyu equalised for the varsity students in the 52nd and 58th minutes.

Stanley Chege and Eric Ochieng had put Wazalendo ahead from penalty corner and field goals in the 30th and 37th minutes.

Wazalendo stayed third with 26 points while KCA-U climbed place to seventh with 19 points as USIU dropped place to eighth with 18 points.

Besides Okumu, Diana Awino and Denise Bila netted a goal each to spar Strathmore to their seventh victory after eight outings.

Telkom had on Saturday stretched their unbeaten run to nine matches and 27 points, when they crushed Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology 11-0.

Daily Nation



Scorpions sting Vikings: KCAU hold Wazalendo to a 2-2 draw

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Strathmore Gilly Okumu(l) and Amira Sailors Lorraine Nondi when they played Premier Ladies at City park yesterday. PHOTO; JENIPHER WACHIE

On fire Okumu fires five goals as Strathmore register seventh win

Strathmore University Scorpions yesterday pushed struggling Vikings a step closer to relegation with a 7-0 thrashing in a women's Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Premier League match played at City Park.

The loss extended Vikings' losing streak to nine matches dashing their hopes of retaining their spot in the women’s top tier.

Kenya international Gilly Okumu was on fire netting five goals, while Diana Awino and Denise Bila scored one goal each for the Scorpions, who are currently second on the log with 21 points.

Telkom, who are unbeaten this season, top the standings with 27 points while last season’s second place finishers United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) are third with 10.

Telkom and Strathmore are on course to qualifying for the annual Africa Cup for Club championships.

Get the latest World Cup news updates. Subscribe to our SMS sports service by texting 'SPORTS' to 22840.

Telkom and USIU-A will represent Kenya later in the year in Nigeria after finishing first and second last season.

A contented Strathmore coach Meshack Senge said they needed to win to reduce the point-gap between them and leaders Telkom.

"I told the girls the importance of bagging maximum points and they promised to give their all. After our last match, we discussed the areas we needed to improve, worked on them in training and I’m glad our efforts bore fruit."

"The victory revived our hopes of better performance this season and we remain on course to winning the title."

Vikings, who remain winless this season, are currently at the bottom of the log with a point from nine rounds of matches. With just three matches in hand, they need a miracle to survive demotion.

Vikings and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), who suffered a 11-0 defeat to champions Telkom on Saturday, risk relegation to the women’s Super League.

Vikings struggled from the onset as they tried to contain goal-hungry Starthnore led by lanky striker Okumu.

Scorpions ruled the game as they enjoyed unrivalled ball possession pinning Vikings in their area. 

Two minutes is all Okumu, a former Sinyolo Girls player, needed to find the back of the net and give Strathmore a 1-0 lead.

Three minutes later, Diana Awino doubled the scores from a successful penalty corner conversion before Okumu completed her brace in the 24th minute.

Okumu was unstoppable as she fired three goals in the 34th and 40th and 59th minutes whereas Denise Bila was on target in the 54th minute.

In men’s Premier League, KCA held Wazalendo to a 2-2 draw.

The Standard Online



Odisha promotes sports tourism with Men's Hockey World Cup

Notably, Bhubaneswar has played host to major international sports events in past. It organised FIH Champions Trophy 2014, 22nd Asian Athletics Championships 2017, Hockey World League Finals 2017 and Hero Super Cup 2018

The Odisha government is leaving no stone unturned to project the state as a sports destination ahead of men's hockey World Cup to be held here in November and December. While projecting Bhubaneswar as the country's sports capital, the government also aims to attract tourists from the country and abroad. It has launched several campaigns across India and several countries to showcase Odisha as a tourist destination, taking advantage of the hockey world cup.

The hockey world cup is slated to be held at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium here from November 28 to December 16. "The sports and tourism promotion will go together. We have decided to promote Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup and popularise Odisha tourism in the country and abroad as well," Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera told IANS. He said a promotional road campaign would begin in the country, which would have 17 stops in all corners of the country, including six metropolitan cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

After starting a bus campaign in London to promote the world cup, the government has planned to advertise on some buses with a message, "Odisha by Morning, Hockey by Evening" in some other countries. "We have planned to start the bus campaign in Sydney in Australia, Munich in Germany and Malaysia. It will showcase the state as an exciting tourist and sporting destination," said Sports and Tourism secretary Vishal Dev.

Notably, Odisha is the title partner for the Hockey Men's World Cup while Odisha Tourism is the host partner of the event. The government is also sponsoring the national men's and women's hockey squads in the senior and junior categories. "We are perhaps the only state who is pushing the agenda of sports tourism in its true essence. We want to make sure we push the hockey world cup campaign in every tourism event we participate," said Vishal.

Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched "My Heart Beats for Hockey" campaign here at Kalinga Stadium. This campaign aims at spreading the passion and love for the game of hockey. The tourism department is expecting a footfall of around 40,000 foreign tourists during the Hockey World Cup. For accommodating the foreign guests, the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with OYO Rooms.

As part of the agreement, OYO will increase the inventory of rooms on the OYO platform and will try to take on board the hotels and homestays in Odisha to accommodate the enhanced demand during the world cup. Meanwhile, preparations in the capital city are in full swing to make the event a grand success. "We have successfully organised the Asian Athletics Championships 2017 within a limited period. We will use our experience to make the hockey event a spectacular one that will enhance the image of the state as a sports destination," said the Sports Minister.

The renovation work of the Kalinga Hockey Stadium has entered its final leg. The capacity of the stadium has been increased to 15,000. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) have started the beautification work of the city. The civic body has commissioned artists for wall painting themed after hockey and its players.

As many as 300 new buses in two phases will be deployed in the city. Hockey enthusiasts will also be able to witness the action in all major parts of the city. The civic body has identified several public congregation places where large LED screens will be installed during the tournament.

Notably, Bhubaneswar has played host to major international sports events in past. It organised FIH Champions Trophy 2014, 22nd Asian Athletics Championships 2017, Hockey World League Finals 2017 and Hero Super Cup 2018.

Mid-Day



Linnea Gonzales powers No. 3 Maryland field hockey over No. 8 Michigan, 2-1

By Lila Bromberg


Forward Linnea Gonzales looks to defend during Maryland field hockey's 1-0 win over Ohio State at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex on Sept. 21, 2018. (Andi Wenck/The Diamondback)

Maryland field hockey entered halftime tied with Michigan on the scoreboard, but the Wolverines had all the momentum.

Michigan took six shots — including a four-shot flurry that required three saves from goalkeeper Sarah Holliday — and scored the equalizer in the final 12 minutes of the first half, sending the game to halftime even at 1-1.

The Terps reversed that in the second half, however, preventing the Wolverines from creating opportunities and converting a chance of their own to get an advantage back shortly after intermission.

The No. 3 Terps maintained control of the game after forward Linnea Gonzales' second score of the game in the 44th minute, allowing the No. 8 Wolverines just three shots after halftime and winning 2-1 to move to 11-0 on the season.

"Michigan is always so athletic, so well coached," coach Missy Meharg said. "I couldn't be more proud of our team for the outcome. We had segments of our game growing, which is phenomenal."

Neither team put a shot on goal until the 10th minute, when a Maryland (11-0, 3-0 Big Ten) effort was saved. Michigan (6-4, 2-1) didn't have a shot until the 23rd minute.

Maryland had the upper hand for most of the first half, scoring in the 11th minute and holding the advantage in possession. While Michigan took control for the end of the first half, Maryland gained it back for the rest of the game, ending with 17 shots compared to Michigan's 11.

Gonzales had more than half of the Terps' looks at goal, and after sending all three of her shots wide of the net in the team's 1-0 win over No. 23 Ohio State on Friday, the senior connected with two of her efforts Sunday.

Her first score came on a deflection on a penalty corner in the 11th minute, and she spun around and took a hard shot for the game-winner in the 45th.

In the first half, Michigan played a box defense that focused on Gonzales and defender Nike Lorenz, Maryland's two leading scorers. In the second, they put less pressure on Gonzales and more on Lorenz. With Gonzales roaming around the field playing different positions, she scored in both halves.

"It's very different coming from midfield and forward all the time and switching," Gonzales said. "But when I do get the chance to be forward, I like to take my opportunities."

Lorenz, meanwhile, said the team's defense has done an effective job of communicating and helping each other with positioning, preventing teams from getting many looks at goal. And when the Wolverines did challenge Holliday, the senior was up to the task, making four saves and turning away a Wolverines penalty corner in the game's dying moments.

The performance came less than a week after Holliday was benched against Princeton after she gave up three goals on three shots in the first half.

"She's got a lot of experience and she's got a lot of talent," Meharg said. "She has a goalkeeping unit with Noelle Frost [where] anybody can be on the field, and I think that's always very healthy for talented athletes, to know that if they're not on their mark they've got great competition."

The Diamondback



Field Hockey Routs Yale in Ivy League Opener


Senior Olivia Allin pushes a pass across the field Photo: Timothy R. O'Meara

Following two shutouts last weekend against Northeastern and UMass, Harvard field hockey, led by senior back Olivia Allin’s two second half goals, prevailed 6-0 against Yale in its first Ivy League matchup of the season, once again blanking its opponent.

Under the lights at the Berylson Family Field Hockey Field, the Crimson (6-1, 1-0 Ivy) took the field on Friday night, surrounded by flocks of Harvard fans waving long stemmed red cups that the Harvard Shop handed out as fans entered. As one of the featured games of the week, the matchup between Harvard and the rival Bulldogs began with intensity from both sides from the first ball drop.

With Yale (3-3, 0-1) conceding a penalty corner within the first two minutes, junior midfielder Bente van Vlijmen, assisted by fellow junior midfielder Casey Allen, broke through to score the Crimson’s first goal of the game and her eighth on the season.

Harvard carried the momentum on another penalty corner four minutes later to score their second goal of the game. Senior Emily Duarte punched the ball into the goal for her first of the season with van Vlijmen assisting. The Bulldogs never recovered and the Crimson maintained the control for the rest of the first half. The sound of plastic on metal could be heard with each Harvard success from the crowd gathered.

The Crimson continued to rely on offensive bursts in the second half, while Yale struggled to move the ball past the midfield line.

Breaking through a line of Yale defenders, Allin shot on target to score her first goal of the season. Six minutes later, Allin once again drove through the Bulldog defense surrounded by her Harvard teammates to score her second goal of the game. This was Allin’s first two-goal game in her Harvard career.

Allin’s goals opened the floodgates for the Crimson as the team continued to find the backstop with junior forward Maddie Earle and freshman midfielder Olivia Hoover both netting goals. The crowd rumbled with Hoover’s goal as she scored her first in a Harvard uniform.

Throughout the game, Harvard attempted a total of 23 shots with 15 on goal, forcing Yale’s sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Terroso to make nine saves throughout the game. The Crimson dominated the box score as the Bulldogs visibly struggled. The crowd at Berylson Field took notice. With each Yale misstep, cheers could be heard from the Harvard fans gathered in the bleachers.

Defensively, freshman goalkeeper Ellie Shahbo saw little action with Yale only shooting the ball five times with only one shot on goal. Shahbo recorded one save and her second win on the season in net as she allowed no goals for the second game in a row.

With the shutout, Harvard maintains a six year winning streak versus Yale with the last loss to the Bulldogs in 2012.

After the win, the Crimson, with a perfect home record intact, stand at the top of the Ivy League standings, tied with Princeton, Columbia and Penn as conference play looks to pick up in the next few weeks with the next conference game at Penn on Sept. 29.

The Crimson



Penn field hockey notches first Ivy win in weekend split in upstate New York

Quakers also fell to No. 12 Syracuse in penalty strokes

By Grace Hylinski


Credit: Varun Sudunagunta

Penn field hockey came to play this weekend. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The Quakers earned a weekend split in upstate New York, but the results don't tell the whole story. The Quakers were able to hold off Cornell in their Ivy opener on Saturday, winning 1-0, but the Red and Blue lost in a heartbreaking shootout against No. 12 Syracuse the next day, 2-1.

Eager to make impact in the first conference game of the season, the Red and Blue (4-4, 1-0 Ivy) put pressure on the Big Red (1-6, 0-1) in the first half, ripping 10 shots to Cornell’s two. In the eighth minute of the game, junior midfielder Alexa Schneck received a one-time pass from senior midfielder Kelsey Mendell in the circle. Schneck proceeded to bury the ball in the right corner to give the Quakers a goal that would turn out to be the game winner.

Penn kept the offensive pressure on in the second half, but Cornell’s keeper Maddie Henry was strong in goal. Penn tallied 13 shots throughout the game, compared to Cornell’s seven. That being said, Penn junior goalkeeper Ava Rosati had six key saves for the Quakers and provided an important shutout for the team.

Schneck was content with the win, but believes the team still has work to do going forward.

“For our Ivy opener, a win is a win. But, we definitely cannot settle after one goal. We got to experience the intensity of Ivy play which is something we needed to adjust to moving forward,” Schneck said.

Sunday, the Quakers were on the road again to face another tough ACC opponent. Unfortunately, Syracuse (6-3) was able to edge out Penn in penalty strokes after two overtime periods could not produce a winner.

The game began in a stalemate, with battles for possession happening throughout the midfield. But the Quakers were able to strike first in the 24th minute, when freshman forward Julia Russo notched the first goal of her career after gaining possession of it at the top right of the crease.

Syracuse came out hot in the second half, firing off eight shots to Penn’s three. In fact, they started the half with three shots in two minutes. The Orange continued to put the pressure on, and eventually in the 46th minute, a shot by Chiara Gutsche barely slipped by Rosati to tie the game. Neither team was able to break the deadlock despite constant pressure throughout the rest of the second half.

In the first overtime, Russo had one shot go wide for the Quakers. Syracuse kept its offensive force high, taking three shots but still not finding the back of the net. The second overtime looked virtually the same, with Penn recording one shot and Syracuse taking four. Still, no one could seem to squeeze out a goal.

The game went to penalty strokes, where Syracuse made all four of its shots to win the game.

Even though the Quakers lost, Schneck made it clear she is pleased with how the Quakers held their own against a nationally ranked team.

“It was an intense game, and it was unfortunate that we lost in shootouts. I think we played with great intensity and we need to maintain that intensity throughout practice this week as we move towards our Harvard game on Saturday,” Schneck said.

The Red and Blue can keep their heads high after their impressive performance this past weekend, but they know they have work to do before Harvard comes to Ellen Vagelos field next Saturday at noon. 

The Daily Pennsylvanian



Offense unable to capitalize on opportunities as Cal field hockey falls to 3-5

By Tim Sun


Zainab Ali/File

Ball don’t lie, but sometimes numbers do, and the scores from Cal field hockey’s two losses this weekend certainly don’t accurately represent the team’s performances.

No. 25 Cal fell to No. 13 Iowa and No. 14 Northwestern this weekend by scores of 4-1 and 2-0, respectively, but the matches were much closer than they seem. The Bears created ample opportunities in both games, but ultimately, the ball simply did not roll in their favor.

“As soon as you get on the board, you just play a little differently, and there’s a tiny bit of luck in these things,” said Cal head coach Shellie Onstead. “My whole mantra to the team this weekend was ‘make your own luck’, and balls off the post, things like that — they’re unlucky — but if we put them in, it’s a different game.”

Cal had many such chances to change the courses of both games. Down 2-1 to Iowa to start the second half, Cal had two shots on goal within seven minutes, but back-to-back saves by Iowa goalkeeper Leslie Speight, the nation’s leader in save percentage, kept the Hawkeyes in the lead.

The story was the same against Northwestern; after Cal goalkeeper Natalie Dalton kept the game scoreless with two early saves, the Bears generated two penalty corners midway through the first half and had two more quality shots on goal early in the second half. The Bears failed to convert, however, and the Wildcats capitalized to take the momentum and run away with the victory.

“(We) played a fantastic game today — probably one of the most complete games I’ve seen us play in several years,” Onstead said. “We have to learn how to win them, but we’re doing a lot of really great stuff.”

In particular, Cal drastically reduced the number of penalty corners given up. Coming in to these two matchups, 10 of the 15 goals that the Bears allowed came on or immediately after corner opportunities, but Cal allowed only nine corners and one goal from a corner this weekend.

“We spent some time on some solutions as to how to give up fewer corners, because that was something that really concerned me up until this weekend,” Onstead said. “So (I’m) really proud of the fact that we only gave up three corners against Iowa. … It’s a really good sign for our defense.”

As the defense has shown its improved strength from repeated matchups against top teams, the focus for Onstead now shifts to finding ways to score goals on the offensive end.

“(I) probably spent more time on defense than offense up until now, so now I think we can zero in to the offense,” Onstead said. “Our focus this coming week will definitely be on the attack, and finishing and scoring goals.”

Although Cal’s top-25 welcome party did not yield any wins, Onstead was pleased with her team’s performance and knows the best is yet to come.

“I am really proud of their play,” Onstead said. “I think there’s a lot to look forward to, and we’re just going to stay in the present and keep moving forward.”

The Daily Californian



No. 24 Albany knocks off No. 15 Delaware, builds momentum


Albany field hockey

The 24th-ranked University at Albany women’s field hockey team welcomed #15 Delaware to Alumni Turf on Sunday after securing a victory in the team’s conference opener Friday over UMass Lowell. Sunday, the Great Danes knocked off the Blue Hens 2-1.

“Syracuse, Boston College, and Delaware were going to be our three real good tests going into conference play,” said head coach Phil Sykes. “And to, I think, outplay Syracuse and Boston College, but unfortunately not get the win, but to get the win here with games against Maine and New Hampshire and our other tough conference opponents coming up is huge. It’s such a momentum builder. We’re over the moon that we had a good effort today.”

UAlbany got on the board quickly in the fourth minute when Elaina Burchell set up leading scorer Ghislaine Beerkens in front of the net for Beerkens’ fifth goal of the season. After gaining the early advantage, the Great Danes continued to apply pressure on the offensive end for the reaminder of the first half, outshooting Delaware 8-4 by halftime.

Delaware responded early in the second half on a penalty corner in the 48th minute that led to Laruein Vink netting her third goal of the season. Vink took advantage of the setup from Ally Pollak and Pia Freudenberger, who took the corner.

The Great Danes responded quickly, just three minutes of game time later, with the game-clinching goal to go up 2-1. In the aftermath of their own penalty corner attempt, Katie MacCallum collected the ball and set up Dana Bozek, who scored her fourth goal of the season to put UAlbany up for good.

Delaware picked up the pace for the final 10 minutes of the game in a final effort to force overtime, taking three shots and drawing one last penalty corner, but the Blue Hens were unable to find the back of the net. In the second half, Delaware’s high-pressure offense out-shot UAlbany 9-5.

Coach Sykes: “We knew it was going to be a tough game. Delaware won the national title two years ago and they’re loaded. They have such a good team. They’re deep, talented, and have the national player of the year from a couple years ago, and they can do damage at any time. I was curious to see how our composure would be today and I thought that’s what won us the game, just being calm and making good decisions and not being overwhelmed by the situation.”

Key Stats

    UAlbany held an 8-4 shooting advantage in the first half
    Delaware outshot UAlbany 9-5 in the second half
    UAlbany goalkeeper Melissa Nealon made four saves
    Elaina Burchell led UAlbany with four shots, three of which were on target

Next: UAlbany has a quick turnaround ahead of their next game, when they will welcome Holy Cross to Alumni Turf on Tuesday, September 25 at 4:00 p.m.

NCAA



McAuley magic paves way for Blues double delight



Sarah McAuley’s incredible upright reverse-stick shot saw Leinster somehow get on course for interprovincial glory, nicking the title from Ulster at Under-18 level via a shoot-out.

It meant a blue double with the Under-16s storming to four wins from four without conceding throughout, Zoe Watterson’s single goal against Ulster providing the crucial moment.

At the higher age group, the tournament looked set for an Ulster-Leinster showdown on Sunday afternoon from early enough in the tournament following some strong wins.

Ulster got off to a flyer on Friday with a 5-0 win over Connacht and a 3-1 success against Munster. Leinster backed up an opening 2-1 win over South East before winning 5-1 against Connacht and 3-0 against Munster. The northern province kept pace with a 1-0 win over the South East, leaving both sides on nine points after three games, making the last game all or nothing.

The tournament this year has done away with goal difference and so neither side could rest on their laurels, playing for a draw, with a shoot-out required in that eventuality.

And so it came to pass in the most dramatic of fashions. Ellen Reid’s fine reverse-stick goal in the first half gave Ulster the advantage, a 1-0 lead they took into half time and beyond.

Leinster ratcheted up the pressure a notch in front of a large crowd at Grange Road but the northern province looked to be weathering the storm with some solid defence around the circle with dangerous counters.

The home side kept plugging away, though, and won a penalty corner with nine seconds left on the clock. Lisa Mulcahy’s first up shot was charged down but the ball popped up into the swing of McAuley who lashed at it on her backhand, a breathtaking strike that thundered into the bottom corner.

The 1-1 draw meant a shoot-out lifeline for Leinster. There, the first series of five ended 2-2 while the first round of sudden death did not advance the scoring. Martha McCready converted a very composed effort to pile the pressure on and goalkeeper Ellie McLoughlin stood her ground – as she did throughout – to keep out Ulster’s last effort, sparking the celebrations.

At Under-16 levelt, Leinster bossed things from the start with back-to-back 3-0 wins on Friday, seeing off Connacht and Munster. With Ulster and South East drawing 0-0 – the red hands winning the shoot-out – it left Leinster four points clear after day one.

Crucially, they beat Ulster 1-0 on day two thanks to Watterson’s goal, a result which maintained that four-point lead, this time without having played an extra game.

Munster were the only side that could catch the blues but needed to win both of their Sunday games and get a favour from elsewhere. They did the first half of their target with a 3-1 win over Connacht but any late drama was avoided when Leinster ran up a 4-0 win over the South East with Milly Lynch on the double.

Girls Inteprovincials (all at Grange Road, Rathfarnham)
Friday
Under-18: Ulster 5 (M Dougan 2, H Dougan, J Hood, O Mullan) Connacht 0; South East 1 (R Gardiner) Leinster 2 (G Lewis, E Dawson); Munster 1 (A Horan) Ulster 3 (N Benallal, O Mullan, E Reid)
Under-16: Leinster 3 (L Moore, S Dix, O O’Brien) Connacht 0; South East 0 Ulster 0, Ulster win shoot-out; Munster 0 Leinster 3 (S Dix, A Naughton, A Purcell)

Saturday
Under-18: South East 1 (R Kelly) Connacht 0; Leinster 3 (M McCready 2, G Keane) Munster 0; South East 0 Ulster 1; Leinster 5 (N Torrans 2, K-J Marshall 2, E Dawson) Connacht 1 (Kelly)
Under-16: Ulster 2 (Craig, Armstrong) Connacht 0; South East 1 Munster 3 (O’Shea 2, Hally); Leinster 1 (Z Watterson) Ulster 0; South East 1 (A Williams) Connacht 0

Sunday, September 23
Under-18: South East 0 Munster 2 (L Clery 2); Leinster 1 (S McAuley) Ulster 1 (E Reid), Leinster win shoot-out 3-2; Munster 2 Connacht 0
Under-16: Connacht 1 (Kelly) Munster 3 (L Cripps, L O’Shea, A O’Rourke); South East 0 Leinster 4 (Lynch 2, Purcell, Griffin); Ulster 1 (Craig) Munster 0

Standings
Under-16s: 1. Leinster 12pts 2. Ulster 8pts 3. Munster 6pts 4. South East 4pts 5. Connacht 0pts
Under-18: 1. Leinster 11pts 2. Ulster 10pts 3. Munster 6pts 4. South East 3pts 5. Connacht 0pts

The Hook



East and West take Scottish Inter-District Titles



The final day of the U16 and U18 Notts Sport boys Inter-district tournament got off to a rapid start at a sunny Peffermill. East opened the day with both their U16 and U18s storming to victory over Highland. On pitch 1 U18 East player Livio Belotti opened the scoring in the 7th minute and scored two quick succession goals. Robbie Croll was quick to follow his team mate and added two to the tally within the first 16 minutes. Further goals came from Fergal O’Donohoe, Murray Cannon, Oliver Paterson, Kit Mackenzie and Jacob Tweedie. Highland mounted pressure through a well worked short corner, however they failed to convert. The final score ended East 9 Highland 0. With the U16 East boys cruising to a 10-0 win over Highland.

Up next on pitch one was a high intensity and spectacular match between U18 West and Midland. With many talented Scotland youth players between the squads this game was guaranteed to be a battle. West district opened the scoring in the 5th minute through Struan Walker. 10 minutes later and West were 2-0 up after an excellent save by the midland keeper Ross McNicoll was picked up by Fraser Moran who roofed the ball into the net to make it 2-0. Just before half time Fraser Moran bagged his second of the game and scored a delightful drag flick to give West a 3-0 lead at half time. Midland came back after half time and put one on the board with a goal through Keir Robb. Just a few minutes later there was a scramble in the mouth of the goal and Finn Halliday managed to squeeze the ball through the Midland defence to give West a cushion with a 4-1 lead. On the brink of full time Midland added one more goal to the mix with a penalty corner goal from Alex Wilson.

Over on pitch 2 West U16s came up against North where they cruised to a 6-0 victory. Within 5 minutes they were 1 up with the goal coming from Ian King. Cameron Moran then added another 5 minutes later. West had a 3-0 cushion at half time with Finn Herbert also scoring. Two quick succession goals from Gregor Munro and Ruaridh Callaghan in the 36th minute gave West a further lead. Euan Menzies added to the action with a further goal for West, 3 minutes from full time.

The U16 game between Midland and Highland was goal filled. The stalemate was broken in the 16th minute with a goal from Tom Cahalin, giving Midland the lead. A few minutes later and this lead was extended through Alex Clark. A penalty stroke for Midland on the whistle of half time was scored by Fraser Allan, and Midland led 3-0 at half time. Two minutes into the second half and Midland extended their lead with a brace for Tom Cahalin. Highland were goals down but they did not let this dampen their efforts or spirit, and several excellent saves from keeper Calum Douglas kept Midland at bay. Connor Chapman squeezed one past the keeper to give Midland a 5-0 advantage. Highland were more determined than ever to score and following some brilliant play they were rewarded with a well worked goal coming from Iain Lynch. Alistair Douglas then followed his team mate and after show casing some magnificent skill he scored for Highland, taking the score to 5-2. Midland responded to the Highland goals with a final effort from Findlay Donnelly, to end the match 6-2 in favour of the Midland.

North U18 came up against East U18s, in which the home district came out 5-0 winners. Hamish Walker opened the scoring in the 9th minute, and a further goal from Robbie Croll gave East the 2-0 advantage at half time. Robbie Croll made his brace just after half time, scoring a goal from open play. Ralph Weissen scored a well worked penalty corner and finished off the game with his brace of the day in the dying minutes of the game.

Midland U18 taking faced off with Highland, The game was back and forth, with Midland having several shots on goal but were kept out by keeper Murray Caughney. Jamie Golden broke the dead lock in the 17th minute, giving his team the 1-0 advantage going into half time. 5 minutes after the restart it was Golden again scoring through a magnificent top D strike. Golden finished the match with a hat trick, after scoring a spellbinding drag flick. The game ended 3-0 to Midland.

On pitch 2 East hit 10 against North. Goals from East came from Callum MacLennan, Charlie Jack scored 4, Cameron Ede and captain Jamie Croll added his name to the sheet to inspire his team mates to push on. Also scoring for East was Joel Davenport, Jack Tweddle and Ethan McQuade. North managed to find the net through Rohaanth Thangaraj.

The game of the tournament was the last match on pitch 2 between Midland U16 and West U16. A win for either side would see their district placed as runners up. Midland were first to score in the opening 3 minutes with a goal from Fraser Allan, 5 minutes later he was awarded a penalty stroke and took the score to 2-0 in the favour of Midland. West responded minutes later and Cameron Moran pulled one back for West. It took Midland only a minute to react to this, Findlay Donnelly gave Midland the lead.  Midland scored a minute later extending their lead to 4-1 with a goal from Alex Clark. On the brink of half time West took the score to 4-2 with Cameron Moran scoring again. Euan Menzies was quick off the mark at the start of the second half scoring for West, to bring the game back within reach. West pushed forward once again and were rewarded with a penalty corner in the 36th minute. Jude Boslem showed his skill and brought West back to level at 4-4. It was Boslem again for his brace, scoring a penalty stroke for West. The final 10 minutes were played with guts and determination but neither team could find the net. The final whistle went and West District had come from behind to secure a 5-4 win.

The final game on pitch 1 saw West U18s cruise to victory over North, with a 5-0 win. This final result put West as the 2018 NottsSport Inter District champions, having won every game over the weekend.

A huge congratulations to U16 Winners East District, and runners up West. The U18 champions were West District and Midland the runners up. A fantastic event showing Scotlands youth talent.

Scottish Hockey Union media release

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