NSW, WA win matches in U-21 Australian National Women Hockey Championship
The women’s hockey teams of New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia edged out Victoria and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) respectively, by 1-0 and 4-2 in the Day-5 Games of the U-21 Australian National Hockey Championship, which is being contested
at the National Hockey Centre in Lyneham.
The opening fixture of the day was one of the most competitive matches in the championship where both the toppers, NSW and Victoria displayed impressive performances and delighted the spectators. Though it was a low-scoring game, where only a single goal
was scored in the seventy-minute of play, it was very enthralling and alluring fixture.
NSW and Victoria, the two teams sitting at the top of the point-chart, began the game in a guarded-way and showed passing game in the early minutes. Both the squads earned plenty of opportunities in the first half of the game, but failed to capitalise them
into successful goals.
Jocelyn Bartram, the goalie of Western Australia, made a number of brilliant saves to block and clear the ball from inside the defensive circle. Her in-time moves and efforts keep them up in the opening part of the game. Though the NSW defenders also exhibited
impressive show in the early minutes, they could not hold it off in the 27th minute of the match.
The NSW earned another short-corner and tested the skipper to avail the opportunity. Emily Smith unleashed a powerful drag flick, which hit the back board without giving opponent's custodian a chance to stop the ball.
It was the only action from the two teams throughout the two halves of play. After an end-to-end play in the remaining 40 minutes, the Victorians failed to get an equaliser and lost the game at 1-0.
In the second game, the women of ACT failed to maintain its status and lost to Western Australia by two goals.
It was a game filled with action and thrill throughout the seventy minutes, where both the line-ups scored six goals. It was a crucial game for ACT to remain among the top four sides in the championship, but they failed to do so against a talented and in-form
Western Australia.
Apart from the final results, it was the squad of ACT that showed dazzling strikes and tight defence in the starting quarter. Rebecca Lee notched the first goal of the day in the 15th minute through a field effort and put ACT ahead on the score-board.
In the second half, the blazing guns of Western part hurled back-to-back fires into ACT's goal. Sophie Turner and Kathryn Slattery scored a couple of goals in the 37th and 39th minutes and took the lead. Steph Kindon of ACT answered
with a goal, but to no avail. Slattery and her team-mate, Penny Squibb, notched one goal each in the 53rd and 68th minutes and sealed the victory at 4-2.
Tags: