Three teams remained undefeated in the first round of the women’s Australian Hockey League (AHL): the Victorian Vipers, NSW Arrows and SmokeFree WA Diamonds won both their opening matches.
NSW Arrows - OAMPS
Goals: NSW – Hurtz 28m FG, Barber 44m FG/ 50m PC
The NSW Arrows have outplayed the OAMPS Queensland Scorchers in round one of the 2009 Australian Hockey League defeating
In today’s match NSW Arrows’ striker Emily Hurtz playing her 2nd year in the AHL scored a field goal in the 28th minute to give NSW a 1-0 lead at half time.
Hurtz was also a stand-out performer for the NSW Arrows yesterday scoring two field goals.
NSW Arrows’ Ebony Barber extended NSW’s lead to 3-0 scoring a field goal in the 44th minute and scoring again off a penalty corner in the 50th.
NSW Arrows’ coach Brenda Baker said she could not have hoped for a better start to the tournament and the whole team is to be congratulated on creating opportunities for their strikers to finish off their hard work.
Baker said NSW will look to improve on winning more possession in their defensive fifty and ensuring more support around the ball in their attacking fifty in round two matches.
OAMPS Queensland Scorchers’ coach Des King said he thought
King said
Both teams will look to build on their performances in round one when the NSW Arrows challenge the Canberra Labor Club Strikers and the OAMPS Queensland Scorchers challenge the SmokeFree WA Diamonds in round two played from the 6-8 March in
The Canberra Labor Club Strikers will aim to remain competitive in this year’s AHL following two round one defeats to the Victorian Vipers.
Defending champions the SmokeFree WA Diamonds will be eager to test their skill against the young talent on debut for the OAMPS Queensland Scorchers who were runners up last year.
The OAMPS Queensland Scorchers squad which includes eight AHL debutants anticipates the return of injured captain and Hockeyroos’ veteran Nikki Hudson.
Tasmanian Van Demons - Southern Hotshots 1-0
Goals: TAS - Lottie White 10m FG
A goal in the 10th minute of the opening half proved to be enough to provide the Tasmanian Van Demons with a 1-0 win against the SA Southern Suns in their Australian Hockey League game at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre in
Van Demon Lottie White scored her second goal of the weekend when she collected a loose ball in the attacking circle after some early attacking moves, particularly down the left hand side of the field, led by Nina Khoury.
After this early goal the Southern Suns settled and began to apply their own pressure, creating a number of scoring opportunities which they failed to capitalize on.
Van Demons rookie defender Emily Lawson and the more experienced Nicole Geeves were good players for their team throughout the first half.
After the half-time break the Van Demons struggled to maintain possession, which allowed Suns’ midfielder Sarah Stuart and midfielder / striker Pike Te Ora Hamahona to gain control of the ball, setting up a series of attacking moves.
The Suns’ best chance to score an equalizer came late in the half when Georgina Parker had a clear shot on goals which was well saved by goalkeeper Emily White.
Despite a hectic final five minutes, neither team could find the net.
Goals: WA - Eglington 49m PC, Collins 55m FG/ 60m PC
After the 2-nil win the night before, the WA Diamonds were expected to come out hard tonight to show their championship status. The first half saw WA camping in the NT Pearls half. NT keeper, Barbara Weinberg, was the stand out player in this period, deflecting and blocking numerous raids on goal by the Diamonds. With defenders Heather Langham and Jessica Maclean also having stand out first halves, the two sides went in to the break at nil all.
After the half time break the Pearls continued to press the Diamonds, but at the 49th minute mark, WA scored off a penalty corner when keeper Weinberg first blocked the shot, but the NT defense could not clear. The scorer, Lisa Eglington, was a constant menance to the NT defense. A quick double to Harriet Collins just 10 minutes later sealed the game for
AHL Results round 1::
OAMPS
Tasmanian Van Demons – Southern Suns 3-4 ; 1-0
Northern Territory Pearls –
Source: Hockey
