Hamilton, May 20: There was no end to the Indian women’s hockey team’s misery as they went down 2-6 to New Zealand here Saturday. The defeat meant that the eves had lost all the games of the five-match Test series.
The Black Sticks were untroubled from the start with Olivia Merry scoring a splendid field goal off a solo effort in the fourth minute of the first quarter. In the 15th minute, she again worked her way past the Indian defence and buried the ball into the net from an acute angle to give her side a two-goal advantage.
The Indian eves, however, started the second quarter in an aggressive note. They earned a penalty corner in the 22nd minute which Deep Grace Ekka converted with a rasping drive to reduce the margin. This was Oriya player Deep’s second goal of the series.
However, the Kiwi eves were not fazed by India’s retaliatory tactics. Pippa Hayward restored their two-goal advantage by scoring in the 27th minute.
India again began the third quarter with positive intent, and their determination paid off when they earned a PC in the 33rd minute. Skipper Rani was inch-perfect to convert it and again reduce the deficit to 2-3. But then strangely, the Indian challenge fizzled out and the side looked lethargic. They earned two back-to-back penalty corners, but on both occasions, Kiwi custodian saved attempts by Rani and Gurjit Kaur.
New Zealand then struck by scoring three goals in four minutes. Natasha Fitzsimons (37th), Samantha Harrison (38th) and Kirsten Pearce (40th) all struck in quick succession to ensure an emphatic margin of victory for the hosts.
In the fourth and final quarter India had two good openings. However, Preeti Dubey and Udita failed to capitalise on those. PTI
