Hockey: Momona inflicts first defeat

Philippa Symes
Philippa Symes
Momona handed University White its first loss of the season, 2-0, and retained the challenge shield at the McMillan Centre on Saturday.

Varsity had been unbeaten for 12 weeks, and when the teams had met previously, Momona kept the challenge shield by virtue of a draw.

Sarah Adam drew first blood for Momona just after halftime, on the back of some great teamwork. Jess Tisdall, Sam Dungey and Kerryn McKeown were all instrumental in the attack, overrunning Varsity's back line and allowing Adam to get in close for the goal.

Tisdall sent the ball to Dungey, who sent it to McKeown, who sent it back to Dungey, while Adam positioned herself perfectly and bumped it into the net.

Varsity had been exerting some early pressure in the second half, but could not keep it up and lost the initiative.

Momona's second goal came just before fulltime, in its third and last penalty corner of the game.

It seemed the ball would be trapped in the traditional way, but instead Momona faked it, and McKeown sent it to Tisdall, standing to goalkeeper Ginny Wilson's right. The ploy worked and Tisdall gave it a resounding whack into the cage.

Charlotte Henley, Rosie Studholme and Jamie Wiles were as dangerous as ever, but Momona's defending was up to the challenge.

Halfway through the first half, Henley, Tori Vao and Ginny Spratt were getting close to a goal, but Cowan and goalkeeper Tessa Hewlett proved themselves able defenders under stress in the circle, thwarting Varsity's most convincing attack.

In the other premier women's game, City Highlanders beat Taieri 1-0.

New Zealand can finish as high as ninth at the Junior World Cup in Germany following a 4-1 win over China yesterday.

The Junior Black Sticks women were playing host nation Germany in the playoff for ninth and 10th this morning.

They produced one of their best performances at the tournament to dominate the Chinese from start to finish.

The Junior Black Sticks opened the scoring in the 25th minute through a Julia King field goal. The score doubled just one minute later, when Sian Fremaux crashed a goal in from a penalty corner.

Southern's Philippa Symes scored the third goal in the second half, before Rose Keddell scored from another penalty corner. China had a late consolation, through a deflected penalty corner.

By Nick Bosma. 

 

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