The Black Sticks will play off for bronze at the Rio Olympics after losing their women's hockey semifinal 3-0 to Great Britain.
Two fourth-quarter penalty strokes destroyed New Zealand's hopes after Alex Danson's second-quarter strike gave the British a 1-0 halftime lead on Wednesday (local time).
The Kiwis struggled throughout to shake off a tenacious defence, although they looked sharp on the break early on.
They forced the game's first penalty corner 10 minutes into the first quarter, only for Liz Thompson's strike to veer wide.
Great Britain responded with a penalty corner of their own three minutes later, Crista Cullen testing New Zealand goalkeeper Sally Rutherford with a sizzling drag flick.
But the game remained scoreless until six minutes into the second quarter, when Britain forced two penalty corners in quick succession.
The second proved telling, Cullen's initial drag flick rebuffed by Rutherford, only for Danson's strike on the rebound to thread its way home through the Kiwi defence.
The third quarter developed into a torrid battle, Cullen sidelined for much of the spell after running into a brick wall Kiwi defence early on.
Georgie Twigg also took time to return after she was flattened with a ball to the face off a deflection.
Even so, opportunities were few and far between for the New Zealanders, the British working hard to shut down speedy striker Anita McLaren.
Olivia Merry had two chances in the space of two minutes, but opted not to take a touch with the first while desperate British defence pushed the second aside with keeper Maddie Hinch beaten.
New Zealand's hopes of an equaliser were destroyed early in the fourth quarter.
Kayla Whitelock earned five minutes in the bin with a blatant foul in the circle less than three minutes in, with Helen Richardson Walsh bearing down on goal.
Richardson-Walsh converted the penalty stroke and with Danson repeated the dose from the spot four minutes later to put the result beyond doubt.
They meet Germany in Friday's bronze medal match after they lost to the Netherlands 4-3 in a sudden death shoot-out earlier on Wednesday after their match finished 1-1 at fulltime.
- NZN
