The Hockeyroos have produced a gritty efficiency to safe a character-filled come from behind 3-2 victory over a vastly improved India at MATE Stadium in Adelaide tonight.
In an evening of firsts, Tatum Stewart’s first two worldwide targets both aspect of Pippa Morgan’s maiden Hockeyroos strike on her twenty fifth birthday in simply her second sport noticed the Australians stave off a resurgent India.
The consequence provides the Hockeyroos an unassailable two-nil lead within the series forward of tomorrow’s third and ultimate match.
Captaining the Hockeyroos for the primary time, goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram was known as upon to make a pointy save low down within the eighth minute as India began aggressively seeking to reverse a 4-2 defeat on Thursday night time.
India commanded the early exchanges however it was the Hockeyroos who struck first when Stewart rifled a nicely executed drag flick into the backboard within the twelfth minute.
However, the lead lasted barely a minute as Sangita Kumari completed off a sweetly labored group transfer to attain her second objective of the series and draw India stage.
The Indians had their tails up and within the seventeenth minute they went forward when Gurjit Kaur despatched a drag flick into the highest nook that gave Bartram no probability.
The Hockeyroos have been being compelled into uncharacteristic turnovers, nevertheless they defended astutely to enter half time only a objective down.
A thirty eighth minute Hockeyroos penalty nook then had the hosts again on stage phrases when a nicely rehearsed routine had Morgan expertly deflect the ball into the again of the web.
The objective gave the Hockeyroos a spark as they lifted their urgency and depth, and simply earlier than half time they have been rewarded when the umpire signalled a penalty stroke for an infringement within the circle from a penalty nook.
Stewart stepped up and clinically transformed the stroke to make it 3-2 and set up a tense ultimate quarter-hour.
India went to a full press and surged ahead to attempt to keep within the series, forcing the inexperienced Hockeyroos to show all their composure.
A penalty nook with slightly below 4 minutes to go gave India an opportunity, however substitute goalkeeper Zoe Newman made an outstanding save up excessive together with her left mitt to disclaim a objective certain drag flick.
Despite some nervous moments within the dying minutes, the Hockeyroos held on to make it two from two and wrap up the series. The ultimate match is tomorrow at 6pm native time (6.30pm AEST).
“It was really exciting, especially as a defender,” stated Stewart, who was named Player of the Match.
“When you have opportunities to score on the top of the circle you really have to make the most of them, so it was great to score a couple.”
“India really stuck it to us and we had to grind it out. They were ahead of us and if we chose to get rattled the game may have been different, but we stuck to what we knew we could do and came out on top.”
Match Details
Hockeyroos 3 (T.Stewart 12’/45’, Morgan 38’)
India 2 (Kumari 13’, Gurjit 17’)
@ MATE Stadium, Adelaide
Hockeyroos: 10.Maddy Fitzpatrick, 12.Greta Hayes, 13.Hattie Shand, 16.Courtney Schonell, 18.Jane Claxton (c), 19.Jocelyn Bartram (gk), 22.Tatum Stewart, 28.Hannah Cullum-Sanders, 33.Alice Arnott, 35.Maddison Brooks, 37.Morgan Gallagher, 40.Pippa Morgan, 41.Zoe Newman (gk), 42.Maddison Smith, 44.Abby Wilson, 46.Olivia Downes, 49.Alana Kavanagh, 51.Aisling Utri
