News for 11 October 2019
All the news for Friday 11 October 2019
Milestones for Draper, Sloan & Roper as GB's men earn narrow victory over Spain
Ian Sloan
Jacob Draper made a winning start to his Great Britain career as Danny Kerry’s side beat Spain to take the lead in their Test series in Valencia.
The match was also a special occasion for Ian Sloan as it marked his 100th combined international appearance for England and Great Britain, while it was also a 50th GB game for Phil Roper.
Liam Ansell scored the game’s only goal in the 40th minute as he played his first game for GB since injuring an ankle in May, while Liam Sanford made a long awaited comeback from a knee injury that has kept him out of the international game since February.
The series in Spain is acting as a warm-up for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers, with Great Britain’s men taking on Malaysia on 2-3 November at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre as they seek to book their place at Tokyo 2020.
Having starred for Wales during their recent EuroHockey campaign and been part of the GB U21 side that won the Sultan of Johor Cup last year, Draper made his GB bow as he came off the bench in the sixth minute.
It was a much different affair compared to the last time the teams met in Spain, when GB came from 4-1 down to earn a thrilling 6-5 victory in their opening FIH Pro League game.
But Ansell’s field goal secured a well-earned victory for his team as preparations continue to ramp up ahead of the FIH Olympic Qualifier.
The two teams meet again in the second and final Test at 2pm BST tomorrow.
Spain 0 (0)
Great Britain 1 (0)
Ansell (FG, 40’)
Starting XI: Pinner, Willars, Ames, Forsyth, Martin, Roper, Dixon (C), Ansell, Condon, Sanford, Sorsby
Subs (used): Griffiths, Sloan, Ward, Waller, Gall, Draper
Subs (unused): Gibson, Weir, Calnan
Great Britain Hockey media release
Liam Ansell goal secures first Test win for Great Britain in Spain
Great Britain men's hockey captain Adam Dixon prepares to pass the ball
Adam Dixon's side are hoping to secure Tokyo 2020 qualification next month
Great Britain's men won the first of two Tests against Spain 1-0 after Liam Ansell's winner in Valencia.
Forward Ansell, making his first GB appearance since injuring his ankle in May, put his side in front in the 40th minute and Spain could not hit back.
The two sides meet again on Friday.
The series is part of Britain's preparations for the FIH Olympic Qualifers, when they face Malaysia on 2-3 November at the Lee Valley, trying to secure a place at Tokyo 2020.
Welshman Jacob Draper made a successful GB debut, while fellow defender Liam Sanford played his first international after recovering from a knee injury that had kept him out since February.
Ian Sloan made his 100th combined appearance for England and GB, while fellow midfielder Phil Roper recorded his 50th GB cap.
BBC Sport
India one of the world’s best, says Russia’s Pavel Golubev
In the latest of a series of videos featuring athletes that will participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers, Russia (FIH World Ranking: 22) men’s player Pavel Golubev looks ahead to his team’s trip to Bhubaneswar where they face eight times Olympic gold medallists India (WR:5). The all-important matches will take place at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium on 1/2 November 2019, with the winner booking their ticket to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. A transcript of Pavel’s thoughts on the matches can be found below.
The FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will be taking place very soon. How is your team preparing for these hugely important matches?
Pavel Golubev: “We have a nine-day camp in Holland with some test games. Then we are going to India four or five days before our games to get used to the weather and the pitch.”
What can we expect to see from your team in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?
Pavel Golubev: “[They are] really important games for us. We will do our best to succeed and show interesting and good hockey.”
What are your thoughts about India, your opponent in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?
Pavel Golubev: “India is one of the best teams in the world, and it’s really interesting and exciting to play against such teams. We are looking forward to playing against them.”
Each qualifier consists of two back-to-back matches which will be played in the same venue. The winners of these FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will qualify for the 2020 Olympic hockey tournaments which will be staged in Japan’s capital city from 25 July to 7 August next year and involve 12 Men’s and 12 Women’s teams.
#Tokyo2020
#RoadToTokyo
#GiftOfHockey
FIH site
Focus on the two Cs
By Jugjet Singh
National hockey coach Roelant Oltmans says the team have been playing well in patches.
THE Malaysian hockey team have been told to work on the two “Cs” — consistency and concentration — as they gear up for the final Olympic Qualifier against Britain at the Lee Valley Stadium on Nov 2 and 3.
The national team have not featured in the Olympics since Sydney in 2000.
And, as such, Malaysia are leaving no stone unturned as they bid to overcome Britain in the two-leg Qualifier and seal their 10th Olympic appearance.
With just three weeks to go, the national hockey team’s training programme will see them heading to Cameron Highlands, then the Netherlands and, finally, London for their date with destiny.
With a spot in next year’s Tokyo Olympics at stake, national coach Roelant Oltmans is looking for consistency.
One of his four penalty corner flickers, Shahril Saabah, meanwhile, wants all 18 of them to be fully on their toes for both legs of the Qualifier.
“The most critical component right now is consistency. The team have been playing well over the last few months, but only in patches. They lack consistency,” said Oltmans.
“All the players are fit and fine, and checks are conducted regularly to make sure they are ready — physically and mentally.
“On Monday, we will head to Cameron Highlands to train for a few days. Then, we’re off to the Netherlands for a few warm-up matches against club sides. After that, it’s off to London.”
Apart from the warm-up matches in the Netherlands, the Malaysian players will also train under Michael McCann (former Australia forward), Taeke Taekema (former Dutch penalty corner supremo) and Martijn Driver (Dutch goalkeeping coach).
All three are no strangers to the team, having worked with the players earlier this year.
The national players could certainly do with all the help they can get as 1988 Olympic gold medallists Britain will be a tough nut to crack.
And Shahril is fully aware of what needs to be done on the field if they are to end Malaysia’s 20-year wait to qualify for the Olympics.
“We have done everything possible that a team could do. Now, it’s our turn to be on guard every second (when on the pitch) in both the matches. I believe we can do it,” he said.
New Straits Times
Speedy Tigers to train in Genting before heading to Europe
BUKIT JALIL: National hockey coach Roelant Oltmans (pic) is leaving no stone unturned as preparation for the Olympic playoff matches against
Britain in London on Nov 2 and 3 heats up.
The Speedy Tigers will head to the cool climate of Genting Highlands for training from Oct 14-16.
The final 20-player squad will be announced on Oct 17 before they fly off to Holland on Oct 20.
The team will play two warm-up matches in Holland before heading to London for the playoffs.
Oltman revealed that the team will be assisted by former Australian striker Michael McCann and also goalkeeping coach Martijn Drijver and penalty corner specialist Taeke Taekema – both from the Holland.
“We’ll be heading to Genting next week for training. While there we will hold physical training, video sessions and individual meeting with the players. Then we’ll name the squad for the playoffs, ” said Oltmans at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
“Everything has to be perfect... McCann did a good job when he was here before, he knows about English hockey so I have asked him to join us in London.
“We have made a couple of small changes in our game and we will test it in Holland.
“I see that our defending of penalty corners is getting more balanced, we now have the right players at the right position.
“We have also been trying to improve the communication on and off the field.”
Oltmans said the players have been reacting well to training and believes every improvement shown by them augurs well for the playoffs.“We are playing the world No. 7 and World Cup semi-finalists. We will have to fight all the way.
“It’s all about consistency, we are playing two matches and we need to be consistent in all eight quarters of the matches, ” said the 65-year-old Dutchman.
“At times we play good hockey in one quarter but after that the players tend to be dreaming... this cannot be happening in London.”
The Star of Malaysia
GB squad named for 2019 Sultan of Johor Cup
Nine members of the Great Britain U21 side that claimed gold at the 2018 Sultan of Johor Cup will compete in the 2019 edition of the competition as the 18-strong squad travel to Malaysia hoping to repeat history.
Gareth Griffiths, Callum Mackenzie, James Mazarelo, Tim Nurse, James Oates, Nick Park, Matthew Ramshaw, Stuart Rushmere and Daniel West will look to make it consecutive gold medals at the competition when they begin the campaign on Saturday 12 October against New Zealand.
Rohan Bhuhi, Adam Buckle, Jamie Golden, Josh Gravestock, Oliver Payne, Thomas Russell, Toby Stanley, Ioan Wall and Conor Williamson are also named in the squad for the week-long competition.
After opening their campaign against New Zealand, the squad will then face Japan the following day.
Matches against Australia on 15 October, Malaysia the next day, and India on 18 October also loom for Jon Bleby’s side, before the final ranking game on Saturday 19 October with the opposition to be determined based on where teams finish in the pool.
With the squad announced and the opening match rapidly approaching, Head Coach Bleby commented:
“We’re really looking forward to getting the competition started against New Zealand. It’s a really unique tournament with great crowds, a good atmosphere and we get to play against opposition we don’t often get to play against. Quite a few teams bring the Asian style of hockey and we get to play against Australia too, so there are some different challenges for us. Also, the conditions are very different from Europe, it’s very hot which presents another really good challenge.
“We always go into a competition trying to take it one game at a time, but we’re trying to win every game, so our aim as it stands is to try and retain our title and win the tournament. At the same time, we know there are lots of very good teams here and it’s going to be tough, so we go into it with our eyes fully open but we’re confident and are going to go for it.
“The players really enjoy this competition, it’s a very unique experience for them in terms of the crowds, it’s on national TV out here, so it’s a great opportunity for them to play in a high-quality tournament with a pressurised environment.
GB squad for 2019 Sultan of Johor Cup:
Rohan Bhuhi – Loughborough Students
Adam Buckle – Nottingham University
Jamie Golden – Grove Menziehill
Josh Gravestock – Nottingham University
Gareth Griffiths – Beeston/Nottingham Trent University
Callum Mackenzie – Cardiff & Met
James Mazarelo – Loughborough Students
Tim Nurse – Bath Buccaneers
James Oates – Hampstead & Westminster
Nick Park – Beeston/Nottingham Trent University
Oliver Payne – Durham University
Matthew Ramshaw – Loughborough Students
Stuart Rushmere – Loughborough Students
Thomas Russell – Brooklands Manchester University/Liverpool JM University
Toby Stanley – Beeston
Ioan Wall – Cardiff & Met
Daniel West – Loughborough Students
Conor Williamson - Surbiton
GB fixtures for Sultan of Johor Cup:
Sat 12 Oct – GB v New Zealand (11:10am BST)
Sun 13 Oct – Japan v GB (9:10am BST)
Tue 15 Oct – GB v Australia (9:10am BST)
Wed 16 Oct – Malaysia v GB (11:10am BST)
Fri 18 Oct – India v GB (9:10am BST)
Sat 19 Oct – Rankings (5th v 6th – 8:40am BST; 3rd v 4th 11:10am BST; 1st v 2nd 1:40pm BST)
Great Britain Hockey media release
Nick Parkes retires from international hockey
After winning 100 caps for Scotland and representing his country at two Commonwealth Games’, Nick Parkes has announced his retirement from international hockey.
Parkes played in Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018 and was also part of the gold medal winning EuroHockey Championship II squad of 2017. His final appearances for Scotland were at the recent EuroHockey Championships in Antwerp where he won his 100th cap. He said, “It was the right time to go but I miss it already. You really don’t know what it all means until it’s gone. But it’s the right decision, I just got married and I’m not getting any younger and also reaching 100 caps on my last game made it a good time to call it a day.”
It was at World League 2 in St Germain in 2013 that Parkes played his first tournament for Scotland. He said “My debut was against Canada. I’d been in the juniors but hadn’t really played for Scotland while I was at university, after I graduated I focussed a lot more on hockey and raised my standard enough to play for Scotland and got into the squad. It was a great tournament for me, there were lots of familiar faces in the team when I came back and we ended up finishing fourth. We also had the Euros that summer so it was a really good summer for me.”
Parkes opens the scoring for Scotland against Italy
Next up for Parkes and the Scotland squad was a Commonwealth Games on home turf – Glasgow 2014. It would be the first of two Commonwealth Games outings for Parkes as he competed in Gold Coast 2018 as well. In Glasgow Parkes bagged his first goal for Scotland, while Gold Coast saw Scotland men finish in their highest ever position at a Commonwealth Games, an excellent achievement.
Parkes added, “Glasgow 2014 was a brilliant experience. The hockey was brilliant and I scored my first goal for Scotland against India, but my favourite was scoring the winner against Wales. I don’t score often so to get my first and second at the Commonwealth Games was a great feeling. Away from the pitch was amazing too, going into Glasgow made you feel like a celebrity; village life was great too and the ceremony was excellent.
“Gold Coast was better from a hockey side, we were more competitive and felt like we were more in the tournament. The win over South Africa was brilliant, that was when everything just came together – we were on fire that day. It was nice to go to Australia but Glasgow was better, with it being a home town games as well. It was special.”
In 2017 EuroHockey Championship II was held in Glasgow as Scotland made another attempt at promotion to the top level of European hockey, this time with a huge home support behind them. It was an incredible competition and the Blue Sticks won the tournament and promotion for the first time in over a decade. It was one of the memorable moments for Parkes in his Scotland career. He explained,
“Winning the Euros in Glasgow was another special moment, it was a great feeling to finally get promoted. I’d done three Euros by that point so to finally get promoted, especially at home, was just amazing. I think we may have got promoted because we were at home with the crowd behind us, but also the team was just getting better and better all the time. It wasn’t that we had better players because in the past we’ve had guys like Iain Scholefield; Michael Christie; Niall Stott and Graham Moodie – we were just really together. It was the team culture that took us on.
“The goals against Wales in Glasgow and again in Antwerp were right up there. Playing at the Euros in Antwerp will be a good memory even though I was gutted we got relegated, but I had it in the back of my mind that I’d retire at the end so I just took it all in. I didn’t have any worries and loved the experience.”
Parkes is planning to take a break from hockey, probably until Christmas, but will definitely be back playing club hockey in the future. Parkes said, “there’s so many people I’d like to thank, but Derek Forsyth was coach for nearly the whole time I played for Scotland and I really valued his support and coaching, he definitely developed me as a player. Chris Grassick was captain the majority of the time I was there as well, and he’s inspirational. Kenny Bain is another player; I’ve played with him since I was 12 and he was always such a great player – we had some brilliant times.”
Scotland men’s Head Coach Derek Forsyth said, “Nick Parkes has been a stalwart of the team over the past decade between U21s and seniors, he’s always been committed to the programme and playing for Scotland. He’s been a great servant to the team and to Scottish Hockey, and has always been a fantastic asset through his work rate and intelligence. He’ll be missed; he’s a top guy and I wish him well for the future.”
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Surbiton and Great Britain’s Brendan Creed sidelined with ACL injury
By The Hockey Paper
Harry Gibson (GK) and Brendan Creed PIC: WORLDSPORTPICS
Great Britain Hockey have been dealt a major blow ahead of the Olympic qualifiers, as well as Surbiton’s domestic and Euro hopes, after Brendan Creed was ruled out with a long-term injury.
Creed, 26, ruptured his ACL during Surbiton’s successful weekend at the Euro Hockey League in Barcelona.
The defender was forced off the field after aggravating his right knee during Surbiton’s opening win against hosts Real Club de Polo.
The domestic champions qualified for the Final8 at Easter with a convincing win over Dinamo Kazan as they joined Surbiton women at next year’s tournament, which will be dual gender for the first time.
Creed found out the extent of his injury this week, with GB men travelling out to Spain for games ahead of their two-legged qualifier against Malaysia in November.
“I’ve had a dream since day 1 in my career and that dream is still there,” he wrote on social media.
“It may be more difficult to get there but what’s life without a challenge or two. I’ve always been a dreamer and sports is for dreamers.
“I want to be back; I want to be physically better and I want to be more mentally robust. All these things are in my control and so the road to recovery begins… LETS GET IT!”
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The Hockey Paper
Sultana Bran Hockey One League Round 3 preview
The Sultana Bran Hockey One League heads to Adelaide for the first time this weekend, while home matches for NSW Pride and Perth Thundersticks head up the remaining matches in Round 3.
The season may only be two rounds in, but this weekend could see the competition split wide open, with some teams having the opportunity to pull ahead at the top end of the ladder, while others are still searching for their first wins.
With players from the Hockeyroos squad unavailable for their respective Sultana Bran Hockey One teams this weekend due to the upcoming Olympic qualifiers against Russia, coupled with a number of the Men’s teams missing players through the Burras’ participation in the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, it provides a sense of fascination and intrigue to see how the clubs cover their absence.
Opening the round on Saturday, NSW Pride are at home against the Tassie Tigers who are making their first away trip. The Men’s match looms as an early season blockbuster after both teams enjoyed big wins last time out.
NSW Pride Men will be looking to consolidate top spot on the ladder after a decisive 7-0 win against Canberra Chill last week, while the men from Tassie were impressive in disposing of Adelaide Fire 5-1 in Hobart.
Meanwhile, both women’s teams will be out to record their first win. NSW Pride Women went down to Canberra Chill 2-1 in Round 2, with the Tassie Tigers Women beaten 4-0 at home by a red hot Adelaide Fire.
After having the bye in Round 2, Perth Thundersticks are back in action when they host Canberra Chill in the second double header. The Thundersticks Men have had an extra week to mull over their 5-4 loss to HC Melbourne and will be eager to make amends, as will the Chill who will be determined to rebound from their heavy home defeat by NSW Pride.
Canberra Chill Women will be aiming for their third straight win and welcome back experienced duo Anna Flanagan and Meredith Bone for the clash with the Perth Thundersticks Women.
Then on Sunday the City of Churches will see Adelaide Fire entertain the Brisbane Blaze in what are key matches for both clubs’ Men’s and Women’s teams.
Adelaide Fire Women will be looking to remain at the top of the ladder as they attempt to register a third straight win, while the Blaze Women have been close without managing to notch up a victory so far.
Notably, Brisbane Blaze welcome in a number of debutants for the match, including Kendra Fitzpatrick (the younger sister of Hockeyroos duo Madison and Savannah), 16 year old Year 11 student Claire Colwill, and Aleisha Neumann who has officiated at the Australian Hockey League for the past six years.
In contrast, on the men’s side the Adelaide Fire are chasing their first win of the season, while Brisbane Blaze are hoping to maintain their perfect start to their campaign.
For ticketing details click here, while every match of the Sultana Bran Hockey One League will be broadcast LIVE and exclusive on Kayo.
Sultana Bran Hockey One 2019 Season – Round 3 Fixtures
NSW Pride v Tassie Tigers
Saturday 12 October 2019
Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre (NSW)
Match Start: Men’s 1:00pm local (1:00pm AEDT), Women’s 2:30pm local (2:30pm AEDT)
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtags #NSWvTIG #HockeyOne
NSW Pride Men’s team: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 2.Tom Craig, 5.Ash Thomas (GK), 6.Matthew Dawson (c), 8.Nathanael Stewart, 11.Hayden Dillon, 12.Kurt Lovett, 13.Blake Govers, 18.Tristan White, 19.Jack Hayes, 20.Ky Willott, 22.Flynn Ogilvie, 23.Ryan Proctor, 29.Timothy Brand
In: 20.Ky Willott, 22.Flynn Ogilvie
Out: 24.Dylan Martin (international duty), 26.Ehren Hazell (international duty)
Tassie Tigers Men’s team: Kieron Arthur, Hayden Beltz, Joshua Beltz, James Bourke, Joshua Brooks, Kurt Budgeon, Henry Chambers, Tim Deavin, Eddie Ockenden, Gobindraj Gill, Jeremy Hayward, Nicolas Leslie, Joshua Mardell, Sam McCambridge, Linden McCarthy, Sam McCulloch, Benjamin Read, Oliver Smith, Jack Welch, Grant Woodcock
NSW Pride Women’s team: 2.Sarah Johnston, 5.Jess Parr (GK), 12.Mikaela Patterson, 16.Jessica Watterson, 19.Morgan Blamey, 20.Maddison Smith, 21.Alice Arnott, 22.Kate Jenner, 23.Abigail Wilson, 27.Renae Robinson, 28.Casey Sablowski (c), 29.Courtney Schonell, 31.Emma Spinks, Grace Young
In: 5.Jess Parr (GK), Grace Young
Out: 1.Jocelyn Bartram (GK), 14.Kaitlin Nobbs (international duty)
Tassie Tigers Women’s team: Holly Bonde, Phillida Bridley, Esmee Broekhuizen, Lauren Canning, Jessica Chesterman, Emily Donovan, Jean Flanagan, Nicole Geeves, Molly Haas, Ruby Haywood, Madeleine Hinton, Caashia Karringten, Katerina Lacina, Samantha Lawrence, Sarah McCambridge, Hannah Richardson, Sophie Rockefeller, Isabelle Sharman, Laura Spandler, Amelia Spence
Perth Thundersticks v Canberra Chill
Saturday 12 October 2019
Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University (WA)
Match Start: Men’s 2:00pm local (5:00pm AEDT), Women’s 3:30pm local (6:30pm AEDT)
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtags #PTXvCCH #HockeyOne
Perth Thundersticks Men’s team: 1.Brayden King, 3.Tim Geers, 4.Jake Harvie, 5.Frazer Gerrard, 7.Tyler Lovell (GK), 8.Coby Green, 10.Tom Wickham, 14.Liam Flynn, 15.Will Byas, 17.Aran Zalewski, 19.Daniel Robertson, 23.Matthew Fisher, 25.Trent Mitton, 27.Marshall Roberts
In: 19.Daniel Robertson, 23.Matthew Fisher
Out: 6.James Collins (international duty), 9.Dave Gavranich (international duty)
Canberra Chill Men’s team: 2.Ben Staines, 4.James Day, 7.Kazuma Murata, 8.Daniel Conroy, 9.Jamie Hawke, 10.Owen Chivers, 11.Garry Backhus, 12.Jake Staines (c), 13.Manabu Yamashita, 17.Aaron Kershaw, 22.Jay MacDonald, 30.Andrew Charter (GK), Kentaro Fukuda, James Jewell
In: 9.Jamie Hawke, 22.Jay MacDonald
Out: 1.Aaron Knight (international duty), 3.Anand Gupte (international duty)
Perth Thundersticks Women’s team: 1.Phillipa Morgan, 3.Candyce Peacock, 4.Jemma Buckley (c), 6.Jacqui Day, 9.Shanea Tonkin, 11.Rachel Frusher, 14.Roos Broek, 15.Caitlin Pascov, 16.Karri Somerville, 17.Annie Gibbs, 18.Renee Rockliff, 19.Aleisha Power (GK), 29.Agueda Moroni, 30.Chloe Pendlebury
In: 1.Phillipa Morgan
Out: 8.Georgia Wilson (international duty)
Canberra Chill Women’s team: 1.Mikayla Evans, 7.Naomi Evans, 10.Rebecca Lee, 11.Sophie Gaughan, 15.Yui Ishibashi, 16.Shihori Oikawa, 17.Beckie Middleton, 18.Olivia Martin, 19.Anna Flanagan, 25.Tina Taseska, 27.Meredith Bone, 31.Sakiyo Asano (GK), Lucy Balfour, Emily Robson
In: 18.Olivia Martin, 19.Anna Flanagan, 27.Meredith Bone, Lucy Balfour, Emily Robson
Out: 3.Brooke Peris (international duty), 9.Sassie Economos, 12.Aleisha Price, 22.Taylor Thomson, 23.Kalindi Commerford (international duty)
Adelaide Fire v Brisbane Blaze
Sunday 13 October 2019
State Hockey Centre (SA)
Match Start: Women’s 1:00pm local (1:30pm AEDT), Men’s 2:30pm local (3:00pm AEDT)
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #ADLvBBZ #HockeyOne
Adelaide Fire Women’s team: 1.Linzi Appleyard, 3.Brooklyn Buchecker, 7.Emma De Broughe, 8.Holly Evans, 12.Emily Grist, 13.Sarah Harrison, 15.Euleena Maclachlan, 19.Gabi Nance, 20.Hattie Shand, 21.Miki Spano, 22.Leah Welstead, 23.Gemma McCaw, 25.Kate Denning, 28.Amy Hammond (GK)
In: 1.Linzi Appleyard, 3.Brooklyn Buchecker, 12.Emily Grist, 21.Michaela Spano, 28.Amy Hammond (GK)
Out: 6.Jane Claxton (international duty), 14.Amy Hunt, 17.Karri McMahon (international duty), 21.Miki Spano, 30.Ashlee Wells (GK) (international duty)
Brisbane Blaze Women’s team: 3.Layla Eleison, 4.Ashlea Fey, 6.Morgan Gallagher, 8.Jordyn Holzberger, 9.Jesse Reid, 12. Kendra Fitzpatrick, 14.Meg Pearce, 15.Hannah Astbury (GK), 19.Morgan Mathison, 20.Aleisha Neumann, 22.Britt Wilkinson, 23.Ruby Harris, 24.Claire Colwill, 25.Georgia Hillas
In: 12.Kendra Fitzpatrick (promoted), 20.Aleisha Neumann (promoted), 23.Ruby Harris (promoted), 24.Claire Colwill (promoted)
Out: 1.Savannah Fitzpatrick (international duty), 2.Madison Fitzpatrick (international duty), 5.Rosie Malone (international duty), 10.Madeleine James
Adelaide Fire Men’s team: 7.Scott Germein, 9.Fred Gray, 11.Cameron James, 13.Luke Larwood, 15.Andy Leat, 17.Ryan O’Shea, 18.Al Oliver, 19.Glyn Tamlin, 20.Isaac Farmilo, 21.Simon Wells, 22.Chris Wells, 23.Cameron White, 26.Liam Alexander, 29.Eddie Chittleborough (GK)
In: 7.Scott Germein, 11.Cameron James, 17.Ryan O’Shea, 20.Isaac Farmilo, 26.Liam Alexander
Out: Lachlan Busiko (international duty), Angus Fry, Cameron Joyce, Kota Watanabe, Hirotaka Zandana
Brisbane Blaze Men’s team: 2.Shane Kenny, 3.Corey Weyer, 4.Hugh Pembroke, 5.Scott Boyde, 7.Joel Rintala, 9.Jacob Anderson, 10.Robert Bell, 12.Jake Whetton, 13.Ethan White, 16.Tim Howard, 20.Matt Swann, 23.Daniel Beale, 27.Jared Taylor, 32.Mitchell Nicholson (GK)
In: 2.Shane Kenny (returns), 13.Ethan White (promoted), 20.Matt Swann (returns from injury)
Out: 14.Luke Tyne, 15.Justin Douglas, 26.Dylan Wotherspoon
HC Melbourne – BYE
Sultana Bran Hockey One League media release
PREVIEW: Men's Hockey League
After firing an impressive 12 goals past the University of Exeter last weekend, Wimbledon head to Holcombe this Sunday as they bid to maintain their good start to the season in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division.
Currently fourth in the table and one of just three teams unbeaten so far, Wimbledon will leap-frog third-placed Holcombe if they win.
Karl Stagno, Wimbledon’s coach, said: “Whilst pleasing to score 12 and keep a clean sheet, it means nothing in the grand scheme of things.
“We are working on becoming better on and off the pitch and looking to improve all the time. We are more interested in how we play and the manner with which we win or lose.
“We will continue to worry about our principles and how we want to play, but as always we will look at Holcombe and be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and their style too.”
Elsewhere, leaders Old Georgians go to Beeston as they aim to continue their great start to the season. Surbiton – who have scored 26 goals in their first three games and lie second – go to the University of Exeter, buoyed by successfully qualifying for the EuroHockey League KO8 last weekend.
Hampstead & Westminster were also in EuroHockey League action, narrowly missing out on a KO8 place, and they return with a home match against Brooklands MU.
Saturday’s late match sees bottom of the table Reading go to East Grinstead.
In the Men’s Division One North, the University of Durham have scored 12 goals in their first two matches and kept clean sheets on both occasions. They will want to secure another good result as they travel to Loughborough Students on Sunday.
Also with two wins from their first two games, Cardiff & Met go to Sheffield Hallam on Saturday evening, while Bowdon play at Leeds on Sunday.
And in the Men’s Division One South, early leaders Southgate play at Havant as they look to make it three out of three, while similarly Teddington have won their first two matches and will want to keep that run going as they host Oxted.
FIXTURES
Men’s Hockey League (Sat, 12 October 2019):
Premier Division
East Grinstead v Reading 18:30
Division 1 North
Sheffield Hallam v Cardiff & Met 18:30
Conference East
Bromley & Beckenham v Bedford 14:30
Conference West
Old Cranleighans v Ashmoor 14:30
Richmond v Isca 18:00
Conference North
Wakefield v Barford Tigers 16:30
Men’s Hockey League (Sun, 13 October 2019):
Premier Division
Univ of Exeter v Surbiton 12:00
Beeston v Old Georgians 14:00
Holcombe v Wimbledon 14:00
Hampstead & Westminster v Brooklands MU 14:30
Division 1 North
Olton & West Warwicks v Univ of Birmingham 13:30
City of Peterborough v Univ of Nottingham 14:00
Loughborough Students v Univ of Durham 14:00
Leeds v Bowdon 14:30
Division 1 South
Havant v Southgate 12:30
Teddington v Oxted 13:30
Fareham v Brighton & Hove 14:00
Oxford Hawks v Team Bath Buccaneers 14:00
Sevenoaks v Canterbury 14:00
Conference East
Cambridge City v London Edwardians 13:30
Chichester v St Albans 14:00
Old Loughtonians v Wapping 14:00
Harleston Magpies v Spencer 14:30
Conference West
Richmond v Ashmoor 13:30
Harborne v Cardiff University 14:00
Univ of Bristol v Cheltenham 14:00
Univ of Exeter v Khalsa Leamington 14:00
Old Cranleighans v Isca 14:30
Conference North
Deeside Ramblers v Didsbury Northern 13:30
Lichfield v Alderley Edge 13:30
Belper v Doncaster 14:00
Preston v Timperley 14:00
England Hockey Board Media release
PREVIEW: Investec Women's Hockey League
Fourth-placed Holcombe head to the University of Birmingham on Saturday as they bid to keep pace with the frontrunners in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division.
A draw with Loughborough Students last weekend saw Holcombe slip down the table, but they will be aiming to get back to winning ways in the Midlands.
“It has been a good start for us,” said Julie Garbett, Holcombe’s first team manager. “We've been building and improving with each game. It feels like a really cohesive, supportive team who are working hard to support each other and constantly improve.
“We’re focusing on improving from last weekend’s game, learning and building on it. The University of Birmingham picked up their first win of the season last week so I'm sure they will be looking to build on that performance to.”
Elsewhere, leaders Hampstead & Westminster will be looking to make it five out of five so far this season. They entertain an East Grinstead side still looking for their first win but they did play well last weekend when holding unbeaten Buckingham to a draw.
Another team with a 100% record, Surbiton are at home against Bowdon Hightown while Clifton Robinsons – who they had to fight hard to beat last weekend – will want to put in a similar display as they host Beeston.
In the top flight’s other match this Saturday, Loughborough Students head to Buckingham.
Reading have made a good start to life in Division One South with two wins from their opening two games and no goals conceded. They go to St Albans hoping to continue that form.
And Wimbledon are also looking to make it three out of three as they play host to Slough.
No team has a perfect record in the Investec Division One North, with four teams having a win and a draw from their opening games.
Two of those teams play each other this Saturday, with Leeds at home against Olton & West Warwicks, while the University of Durham go to Belper and Stourport host Leicester City.
FIXTURES
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Sat, 12 October 2019):
Investec Premier Division
Buckingham v Loughborough Students 12:00
Surbiton v Bowdon Hightown 12:00
Clifton Robinsons v Beeston 13:00
Hampstead & Westminster v East Grinstead 13:30
Univ of Birmingham v Holcombe 14:30
Investec Division 1 North
Brooklands-Poynton v Gloucester City 11:45
Belper v Univ of Durham 13:30
Ben Rhydding v Swansea 13:30
Leeds v Olton & West Warwicks 14:00
Stourport v Leicester City 18:00
Investec Division 1 South
St Albans v Reading 13:00
Harleston Magpies v Isca 13:30
Cambridge City v Trojans 14:30
Wimbledon v Slough 15:45
Sevenoaks v Canterbury 17:00
Investec Conference East
Barnes v Wimbledon 12:00
Canterbury v Horsham 12:00
Bromley & Beckenham v Bedford 12:30
Southgate v Broxbourne 14:00
Chelmsford v Ipswich 14:45
Investec Conference North
Pendle Forest v Fylde 11:30
Doncaster v Sutton Coldfield 12:00
Beeston v Timperley 14:00
Wakefield v Alderley Edge 14:00
Cannock v Univ of Nottingham 15:30
Investec Conference West
Oxford University v Univ of Bristol 12:30
Team Bath Buccaneers v Clifton Robinsons 12:30
Univ of Birmingham v Oxford Hawks 12:45
Basingstoke v Cheltenham 14:00
Surbiton v Exe 14:00
England Hockey Board Media release
Broke Kenya Police withdraw from Africa championships
By AGNES MAKHANDIA
Kenya Police's Brian Saina (right) dribbles past Western Jaguars' Conrad Wafula during their Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League match at City Park Stadium on October 6, 2019. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
For the second straight year, Kenya Police men’s hockey team have withdrawn from the Africa Cup of Club Championship set for December 1-10 in Ismailia, Egypt due to lack of finances.
At the same time, their local rivals and league champions Butali Sugar Warriors' participation in the annual event hangs in the balance as they await feedback from their sponsors.
Kenya Hockey Union secretary Wycliffe Ongori said only Telkom had confirmed participation in the event while Police had formally withdrawn from the annual competition.
“Strathmore University ladies team and Butali have not communicated. We just have to wait and see,” said Ongori.
This is not the first time the two teams - Police and Butali - have withdrawn their participation in the event, in 2018, both clubs gave the event that was held in Nigeria a wide berth citing financial constraints.
ON FORM
Butali coach Dennis Owaka said their sponsor is not in the country and that explains why they can’t confirm whether they will compete in the event or not.
“We are hoping to have the feedback by weekend. Our sponsor is out of the country but we remain optimistic that the feedback will be positive. The team is at a better place if the current formbook in the league is anything to go by and I believe if we are given the chance we will excel at the continental stage,” Owaka said.
Butali, who remain unbeaten after 13 matches, top the league standings with 33 points.
The last time Police and Butali featured in event was in 2017 at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi where they second and third respectively.
Butali overwhelmed Ghana Police 3-0 to take bronze, while the law enforcers succumbed to Eastern Company of Egypt 3-2 in penalty shootouts after the teams played to a barren draw in regulation time in the final.
Telkom, the 10-time continental champions, will be seeking to retain the title they won in Nigeria last year where they saw off Ghana Revenue Authority 2-0 in the final.
Daily Nation
Weekly College Games
USA Field Hockey's weekly feature of highlighting some of the top college games in Division I, II and III is back for the 2019 season.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
DI: No. 13 Harvard at No. 17 Boston College | 6:00 p.m. ET
No. 13 Harvard will cross the Charles River and head southwest to play their neighbor, No. 17 Boston College, on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET. As the teams met in 2018, Harvard held off Boston College for the entire second half and limited them to a single shot after scoring in the final minute of the first half. With Harvard holding the better record to this point in 2019, they may have the upper hand again. The Crimson just defeated now No. 15 Liberty in overtime and took their former spot at No. 13. The Eagles come off at 4-0 win over Quinnipiac on Sunday where four different players added to the goal total. They have held their position in the top-20 for several weeks now and will look to move up by upsetting the higher-ranked team.
DIII: Endicott at Mount Holyoke | 7:00 p.m. ET
Endicott will travel to South Hadley, Mass. to meet Mount Holyoke on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET. Endicott and Mount Holyoke have yet to play one another in the history of the two programs, making this game a showdown to see who will start off the series of meetings with the win. Most recently, Endicott defeated Gordon in a strong performance to add another win to their 9-4 record. Two of the goals were tallied by senior Kristen McCarthy who leads the team in goals and assists. Mount Holyoke’s last game also resulted in a victory over Simmons, who they beat 3-0. Their goalkeeper, Morgan Turner, has accumulated 84 saves so far this season. This game will be a battle of strong offense against strong defense on Thursday.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
DI: No. 6 Iowa at No. 2 Maryland | 4:00 p.m. ET
Big Ten opponents No. 6 Iowa and No. 2 Maryland will battle to keep their conference records spotless as they meet in College Park, Md. on Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET. Maryland has dominated the meetings between the teams in the past, but as the two met in the Big Ten Final last year, Iowa gave Maryland a run for their money with a late rally that fell just short. Both teams are coming off strong wins, with the Hawkeyes overpowering UC Davis and Maryland blanking No. 3 Connecticut. Senior Madison Maguire had a goal and an assist for the Terrapins against the Huskies, while goalkeeper Noelle Frost came up with big saves to earn Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Play Safe Turf & Track/NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the Week.
DI: No. 9 Virginia at No. 5 Louisville | 6:00 p.m. ET
In another big conference match-up, this time in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), No. 9 Virginia and No. 5 Louisville will meet in Louisville, Ky. on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET. Heading into this meeting, Virginia has only lost to top-ranked teams, including two in the top five. Their last game went to overtime as the Cavilers managed to pull out the win over No. 22 Old Dominion. The Cardinals shutout Penn State in their previous match-up where they scored three goals of their own. In their 2018 meeting, Louisville took the win but Virginia still holds the most wins historically.
DII: Seton Hill at Mansfield | 3:00 p.m. ET
In their second meeting of the 2019 season, Seton Hill will take on Mansfield in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play on Friday at 3:00 p.m. ET in Mansfield, Pa. As they played each other in September, Mansfield dominated on the road winning 6-1 behind a hat trick by senior Dana Evans. In their last game, Mansfield defeated IUP highlighted by a three-goal performance performance by fellow senior Larissa Motts. Seton Hill comes in to Friday off a loss to Mercyhurst, a contest where the Griffins were unable to keep the lead or mount a comeback in time to take the win. Mansfield will have the home team advantage this time as Seton Hill will look to get their first PSAC win of the season on Friday. 
DIII: Mary Washington at No. 14 Christopher Newport | 7:00 p.m. ET
Mary Washington will head over to neighbor No. 14 Christopher Newport on Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET for Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) play. Christopher Newport has notched important wins over higher-ranked teams like Johns Hopkins earlier this season. They most recently lost by a single goal to No. 20 Lynchburg who broke into the top-20 this week. Mary Washington just battled Randolph-Macon in a high-scoring 5-3 match. Lauren Hopkins tallied two, while Lexie Dixson added one goal and two assists to the stats. Last year, Christopher Newport took the win over Mary Washington, and they have also dominated the series between the two teams. With conference rankings on the line, both teams will look to start CAC play on the right foot.
DIII: DeSales at Delaware Valley | 7:00 p.m. ET
DeSales will meet Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom rival Delaware Valley on Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET in Doylestown, Pa. Historically, the teams have been evenly matched with each claiming nearly half of the wins in previous meetings. In 2018, DeSales overpowered Delaware Valley by a score of 5-0, with two of the goals coming from returner Hannah Williams. Additionally, Catie McGrath was awarded MAC Offensive Player of the Week for her hat trick against Wilkes last week. Delaware Valley has weapons of their own, including TJ Smith who leads the team with 15 goals so far this season. The Rams fell to Widender in a close 3-2 decision in their last game. Both teams will look to improve their conference record as the postseason approaches.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
DI: Columbia at No. 7 Princeton | 1:00 p.m. ET
The Ivy League will also see competition this weekend as Columbia journeys to Princeton, N.J. to meet No. 7 Princeton. The win in 2018 was taken by the Tigers by a score of 4-0 early in October. Princeton comes off a huge win over then No. 2 Duke, moving them up in the rankings this week from their previous position at No. 12. The Blue Devils scored all of their goals in the second quarter, leaving Princeton to answer as time ticked away to take the game just under six minutes in to overtime. Columbia most recently lost to No. 21 Albany where the Lions could not make up the two-goal difference. 
DI: No. 1 North Carolina at No. 14 Syracuse | 1:00 p.m. ET
Top-ranked, undefeated North Carolina will head to Syracuse, N.Y. to take on the No. 14 Orange on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET in an ACC face off. UNC has only come close to a loss once this season when they trailed against No. 7 Princeton. This is thanks in part to senior goalkeeper Amanda Hendry, who has earned ACC Defensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row for her performance in goal. Syracuse handed out the first losses to a few higher-ranked teams, including No. 4 Duke. They come off a narrow loss to No. 16 Stanford as part of their trip to California last weekend and will not back down to the challenge of taking on the top Division I team. The Orange is known for proving their grit to pull out upsets in the past.
DII: No. 5 Kutztown at No. 6 Shippensburg | 1:00 p.m. ET
It will be a showdown of two closely ranked teams as No. 5 Kutztown meets No. 6 Shippensburg in Shippensburg, Pa. on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET. Shippensburg has dealt with adversity this season, going from the top rank to No. 6, but they are slowly working their way back up. With an overtime win over Millersville, the Raiders toppled the No. 2 team and improved their record to 5-4 as Jazmin Petrantonio notched the overtime goal six minutes into the period. Kutztown is 8-3 this year and holds a higher rank than Shippensburg thanks to that record. They just lost to No. 3 East Stroudsburg and their other recent loss came to Millersville. Shippensburg will hold nothing back on their pursuit back to the top, while Kutztown will hold strong to keep their top spot in the rankings as well. 
DII: No. 8 Assumption at No. 7 Adelphi | 3:00 p.m. ET
Another pair of closely ranked teams will battle in Northeast-10 (NE10) conference play on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET as No. 8 Assumption plays No. 7 Adelphi. Both teams easily handled their last opponents; Assumption defeated Lindenwood 3-0 with two goals from Courtney Sickel, while Adelphi held off Molloy in a 4-2 contest,. When they last met in October last season, Assumption walked away victorious by a single goal scored early in the second half over Adelphi. There are NE10 standings and national rankings on the line with this game, so both teams will bring their best on Saturday.
DIII: No. 7 Tufts at Amherst | 12:00 p.m. ET
Two teams from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) will look to add to their conference record as No. 7 Tufts heads to Amherst, Mass. on Saturday for a 12:00 p.m. ET game start. The 2018 regular season match-up between the teams required overtime to determine a winner, which was Tufts after just two minutes of extra time. They met again for the NESCAC conference tournament, where Tufts again came out victorious with a 2-0 win. The Jumbos just defeated fellow conference team Trinity 1-0 with a goal by Claire Foley. Amherst also added a win by defeating Wesleyan with the go-ahead goal in the final ten minutes of the game. While neither team has spotless conference records, they will look to add a win and be in a good place for playoffs at the end of the month.
DIII: No. 16 Kean at No. 4 Rowan | 7:00 p.m. ET
The New Jersey Athletic Conference will see action this weekend as No. 16 Kean takes on No. 4 Rowan in conference play on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET. Kean is 13-1 with their only loss coming to No. 3 Salisbury in the opening contest of the season. Most recently, Kean shutout Montclair State and tallied three goals, as freshman Peyton Mann contributed to the score with a goal and an assist. Rowan also only has one loss after falling to Lynchburg in a high scoring game at the end of September. They bounced back, dominating William Paterson 5-0 with two goals by sophomore Kristina Castagnola. Rowan ran the show in 2018 when the two teams met, scoring nine goals to Kean’s one. Will Rowan flex their goal scoring ability again, or will Kean upset the higher rank on Saturday?
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
DI: No. 10 Delaware at No. 3 Connecticut | 12:00 p.m. ET
No. 10 Delaware will travel north to meet No. 3 Connecticut on Sunday for out-of-conference top-10 match at 12:00 p.m. ET. Both teams only tallied two losses in their season to this point, with Connecticut’s second defeat coming in their previous match-up against No. 2 Maryland who shut out the Huskies. Delaware’s last contest resulted in a 5-1 win over previously ranked Northeastern. Delaware put two on the board early in the game and sealed the deal in the final quarter of play with two more goals coming from freshman Ashlyn Carr. The Blue Hens and Huskies did not meet in 2018, but the 2017 game was close, going to an extra period where Connecticut found the back of the goal late into the first overtime. Either team could take the win as they meet on Sunday.
DI: No. 16 Stanford at No. 18 Ohio State | 3:00 p.m. ET
Two closely ranked teams between No. 16 Stanford and No. 18 Ohio State will battle in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET. With similar records of 7-5 and 6-4 respectively, both teams are looking for a win to add to their record and keep their spots in the top-20. Additionally, both teams come off of wins last weekend. Stanford held off Syracuse by scoring two goals in the fourth period as the Orange tried to make a comeback in the third quarter. Ohio State beat in-state-rival Ohio 6-1, scoring five of their goals in the final minutes of play. Freshman Mackenzie Allessie contributed to the total with three goals. Since the teams are closely matched, it will definitely be a game to tune into this weekend.
DII: Mercyhurst at No. 1 West Chester | 11:00 a.m. ET
Undefeated and top-ranked West Chester will host Mercyhurst in a PSAC match-up on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. West Chester’s goalkeeper Claire Nielsen was awarded the Play Safe Turf & Track/NFHCA Division II Defensive Player of the Week this week following her seven consecutive shutouts and goal stopping performances. The West Chester defense is strong, but their attack is just as much of a threat as their last three games had at least three goals scored in their favor, including a 3-0 win over Bloomsburg. Mercyhurst just captured their third win of the season when they beat Seton Hill 5-2 on Tuesday. Senior Alexis Skibitsky and freshman Hayley Skidmore both added two goals to the score. The two teams met earlier this season, and Mercyhurst prevented West Chester from earning a shutout by putting one behind Nielsen in the second period. Will Mercyhurst be able to add more goals to their previous battle against West Chester, or will Nielsen shutout yet another team on Sunday?
DII: No. 3 East Stroudsburg at Slippery Rock | 12:00 p.m. ET
No. 3 East Stroudsburg will meet PSAC rival Slippery Rock on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET. In their last game, East Stroudsburg downed No. 5 Kutztown 2-0 and will look to bring that momentum this weekend. On Tuesday, Slippery Rock also added a win to their record as they beat Frostburg 3-0. Back in the beginning of September, East Stroudsburg hosted Slippery Rock and bested them 3-0 with two goals coming from sophomore Celeste Veenstra. The Warriors have only ever lost to Slippery Rock once in the history of the teams meeting, but Slippery Rock will look to change that following Sunday’s contest.
DIII: Allegheny at DePauw | 12:00 p.m. ET
More conference opponents will face one another on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET as Allegheny and DePauw battle for North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) standings. DePauw comes off two hard losses, including one to No. 15 Centre in a 7-1 decision. Allegheny also fell in their last match-up, losing to Concordia 5-0. Both teams have strong goalkeepers rounding out their teams, with DePauw’s Allie Duranceau boasting a .769 save percentage so far this season. This being Allegheny’s first season for the field hockey program, the two teams have never met. It will be up to who has the grit and who can get one past the goalkeepers to pull out the win on Sunday.
DIII: Wittenberg at Kenyon | 1:00 p.m. ET
A second pair of NCAC teams, Wittenberg and Kenyon will face off on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. Sarah Metzmaier of Kenyon was selected as the North Coast Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week following her game-winning goal over Denison and a hat trick over Allegheny in the team’s last two games. Wittenberg most recently beat Wooster in a 2-0 game as two different Tigers tallied goals for the win. In 2018, the two teams played twice, each with a different result. The first was taken by Kenyon who won 2-0, but the second game ended with Wittenberg scoring a lone goal and walking away victorious. It is certainly a toss up as to who will win on Sunday, but both teams will give all they’ve got to ensure that its ends in their favor.
USFHA media release
When Maryland field hockey meets Iowa, the Maguires will be on both sidelines
David Suggs
After Maryland field hockey beat Iowa 2-1 on Oct. 14, 2018, Makenna (left) and Madison Maguire pose with their parents. (Photo courtesy of Michael Maguire)
Madison Maguire knew exactly where the ball was going early in Maryland field hockey’s matchup against No. 3 Connecticut on Sunday.
The forward flashed in front of Connecticut’s net, looking to screen goalkeeper Cheyenne Sprecher when defender Riley Donnelly fired the ball toward the cage. With Sprecher scrambling, Maguire lunged to flick the ball beyond the outstretched Huskies netminder and extend Maryland’s lead to 2-0, one it wouldn’t relinquish.
But as soon as the final buzzer blared across the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex, Maguire shifted her attention, hoping to get back to her dorm and in front of her laptop.
Nine hundred miles away in Iowa City, another Maguire was making her mark for a Big Ten powerhouse. Makenna, a forward for the Hawkeyes, pestered UC Davis’ backline as the first player off the bench, helping No. 6 Iowa outshoot the Aggies 24-1 en route to a 3-1 victory.
And Madison was watching, as she does for all of Makenna’s games.
“I text her every single day,” Madison said. “We FaceTime after every game, every practice.”
The two share a bond — a bond forged in a household where the thwacking sound of sticks striking field hockey balls was encouraged and daily conversations routinely delve into a debate about various field hockey tactics.
So when No. 2 Maryland takes on the No. 6 Hawkeyes on Friday in a battle for the top spot in the Big Ten, there’s more in play than wins or losses.
Rather, the game will represent something more: two sisters adding to their family’s legacy — a legacy that they were destined to be a part of.
“It’s exciting,” coach Missy Meharg said. “Their family comes from a lot of long hockey experiences and certain stories.”
“My role model”
Field hockey was in the Maguires’ blood, but there was no pressure to play the sport their mother had fallen in love with. Instead, growing up, Makenna and Madison played just about any and every team sport.
But there was a certain inevitability to it, even as they played basketball and lacrosse. Field hockey would always win out, following in the family’s rich history.
Their mom, Kathy, was a star at North Carolina, earning All-American honors in 1989 en route to a national championship. Kathy’s younger sisters, Kelly and Lori, played at North Carolina and Northwestern, respectively.
So as Madison and Makenna began choosing which sports to focus on, field hockey rose above the rest.
“When it came down to middle school and high school, my sisters and I just fell in love with field hockey,” Madison said. “That’s what we knew we wanted to do … wanting to be like my mom — my role model.”
Field hockey has changed since Kathy was a free-scoring forward for the Tar Heels, tipping in shots close to the cage and showing off the blistering pace that allowed her to score 26 goals and earn the ACC tournament MVP honor in 1989. Those attributes have translated to her daughters, too.
At Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in Rumson, New Jersey, Madison and Makenna’s father, Michael, first noticed his daughters might be special.
“Both of them just got incredible speed,” Michael Maguire said. “You could see them run away from girls — that’s where I first saw it.”
As they improved, though, setting the Shore Conference alight in their early high school years, the sisters yearned for greater competition than Rumson could offer.
So, the sisters swapped clubs, joining X-Calibur in Pennsylvania — one of the top club teams in the nation. They were fully committed, despite the ponderous commute.
“They used to drive an hour and 35 or 40 minutes to practice twice a week to play club hockey,” Michael said. “It was a little bit of a sacrifice.”
Their sacrifices paid off, with Madison playing alongside future Maryland teammates Kelee LePage and Hannah Menge. The sisters also saw an uptick in their high school forms, with Madison becoming the first 100-goal scorer in Rumson history, and Makenna racking up over 100 goals and assists in her career.
Strong showings for X-Calibur solicited interest from colleges, with Madison projecting as a do-it-all midfielder while Makenna impressed in the defense. Eventually, Madison committed to play for Meharg at Maryland. Makenna, two grades below her, would take an increased role on the club side before following in her sister’s footsteps, joining the Hawkeyes in 2018.
“It worked out,” Michael Maguire said of his daughters’ decision to join X-Calibur.
Back to basics
The 2018 season was a challenging one for the Maguire sisters. Madison, despite earning NFHCA All-Mid Atlantic Region Second Team honors, lost her second straight national championship, with the Terps falling to the Tar Heels, 2-0.
Meanwhile, Makenna struggled to break into the Iowa lineup, coming off the bench and failing to record a goal in any of her 16 appearances.
The sisters returned to New Jersey at the season’s end. Under their mom’s tutelage, the pair hit the film room, examining their mistakes over the course of the season in an effort to improve their games.
“My wife has a much greater depth of knowledge of certain things that she sees,” Michael said. “The game has changed a lot since my wife played — the sticks have changed, the rules have changed. But the basic fundamentals of where to be [have stayed the same] … I think that’s actually helped Madison and Makenna.”
However, the most valuable aspect of the offseason was Madison and Makenna’s work with their youngest sister, Meadow.
A junior in high school, Meadow looks to carry on the family legacy in her own right, verbally committing to Princeton. With high school field hockey often eliciting feelings of frustration due to the lack of quality competition, Madison and Makenna have worked closely with Meadow to help her sharpen her abilities and prepare her for the next level.
“Meadow gets a chance to be coached by her sisters,” Michael said. “They’ve gone through it, and they can explain certain technical things which helps them be better players.”
Teaching their younger sister skills helps Madison and Makenna notice which areas they can improve upon in their own games, too. And both have seen the beginnings of a fruitful season for Maryland and Iowa, respectively. So far in 2019, Madison has netted six goals and added another seven assists. Makenna scored her first goal on Sept. 6 against Central Michigan and has nearly equaled her minutes total from last season.
The Maguire sisters inherited a culture of field hockey that was formed decades before their births — Michael’s mother played, and the pair’s younger cousins are the next in line to pick up the sport. Instead of ignoring that culture and its impact on their family, they have embraced it.
So when the sizeable Maguire contingent arrives at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex on Friday afternoon, the result won’t matter.
Instead, the Maguires will be cheering — for Maryland, for Iowa and for their heritage.
“This is a big one,” Michael said. “Hopefully we’ll have a couple other kids involved in field hockey down the road, but it’s been a great experience so far, and a great tradition.”
The Diamondback