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Hamilton, Saturday, May 20, 2017
The Vantage Black Sticks Women have swept the five test series against India after a 6-2 result in the final match at the Gallagher Hockey Centre in Hamilton today (Saturday).
Aside from a short period of Indian resistance, it was all New Zealand traffic with three goals coming in each half.
Striker Olivia Merry scored a first quarter double while Pippa Hayward, Natasha FitzSimons, Sam Harrison and Kirsten Pearce all added to card for the Black Sticks.
Head coach for the series Sean Dancer said it was good to come away with a series clean sweep.
India gets tough
“As a coach, you are never 100% happy and hence there are certainly areas we need to get better at, but I thought the performance today highlighted some positive things on which we have been working. To their credit, India were tough but a couple of our goals scored were scored through strong striker actions and that is very pleasing,” he said.
Dancer said that India came out and hammered the Black Sticks in the third quarter.
“But we have been working on how to handle those situations and it is pleasing that we came back and scored another three goals,” he said.
Game details
New Zealand made a fast start to the match and were ahead on the scoreboard after just four minutes when Merry sent a strong shot across the face of goal and past the goalkeeper.
Merry scored her second of the game just before quarter time after receiving a great pass on the run from Tessa Jopp and hammering home with a forehand hit.
India struck back from a penalty corner midway through the second quarter before Hayward pushed the lead back out to 3-1 after smashing a shot past the keeper from the top of the circle.
India kept themselves in the game early in the second half, pulling another goal back with a nice finish from captain Rani in the 33rd minute.
Stunning goals
But the Black Sticks exploded in stunning style scoring three goals in five minutes in the third quarter.
FitzSimons scored New Zealand’s fourth goal after flicking in from a penalty corner before the Kiwis scored just a minute later with Harrison roofing in a deflection from Hayward’s strong ball into the circle.
Pearce opened a 6-2 buffer in the 41st minute thanks to an outstanding solo effort, making a steal before running into the circle and beating the goalkeeper one-one-one.
The Vantage Black Sticks now head home in preparation for the FIH World League Semi Final in Brussels next month, with a team set to be named early next week.
The Score Board
Vantage Black Sticks 6: (Olivia Merry 2, Pippa Hayward, Natasha FitzSimons, Sam Harrison, Kirsten Pearce)
India 2: (Deep Ekka, Rani)
Halftime: New Zealand 3-1
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Photo Caption:
Black Sticks playing India in Hamilton today (Saturday, May 20, 2017)
Picture by Photo Sport
