Pune, March 20
Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra have won their respective quarter-finals to inch one step closer to the championship in the 14th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium.
M.P edge past Bengal:
The first quarter-final saw defending champion Madhya Pradesh defeating Bengal 1-1 (4-3 SO). After a goal-less first quarter, Maxima Toppo (30') converted a penalty corner to put Bengal in front. Despite not being able to convert any of the ten penalty corners that Madhya Pradesh was awarded, they managed to equalize in the final minute of the third quarter as Aishwarya Chavan (45') found the back of the net with a field goal, taking the game into shootout with the score reading 1-1 at the end of regulation time after no goals were scored in the final quarter.
The shootout had more drama as it ended 3-3 with Aishwarya Chavan, Preeti Dubey and captain Ishika Chaudhary scoring for Madhya Pradesh while Anisha Dungdung, Sanjna Horo and Sushmita Panna scored for Bengal. On reaching Sudden Death, Aishwarya Chavan again scored for the defending champion while Yashika Bhadoriya made a crucial save for the team as they sealed a spot in the semis.
Haryana overpower Odisha:
Haryana comfortably defeated Odisha 4-1 in their quarter. An early penalty corner conversion from Indian women's hockey team forward Deepika (5', 14') put Haryana in the lead. She returned to double the lead with a field goal towards the end of the first quarter. The second quarter didn't produce any goals as Haryana led 2-0 at the end of the first half.
Haryana further extended the lead to 3-0 after a field goal from midfielder Neha Goyal (39'). Neha Lakra (42') scored for Odisha to reduce the goal deficit to two and give them some hope, but midfielder Navneet Kaur (54') scored for Haryana in the final quarter to confirm their place in the semis.
Jharkhand overcomes Mizoram challenge:
Jharkhand qualified for the semis after a well-contested match where they defeated Mizoram 2-1. After a quiet first quarter, Deepika Soreng (27') scored a field goal to put Jharkhand in the lead towards the end of the first half. Indian women's hockey team forward Sangita Kumari (33') scored early in the third quarter to double the lead for Jharkhand but her national teammate Lalremsiami (35'), put Mizoram on the scoreboard with a penalty corner conversion soon after.
Despite Jharkhand having a one-goal lead, the match was hanging well in the balance going into the final quarter. Jharkhand managed to hold onto their slender lead, keeping three penalty corners and one penalty stroke out to win the game 2-1 and confirm a spot in the semis.
Maharashtra prevail over Manipur:
Host Maharashtra defeated Manipur 2-1 in a game that saw strong resilience from both the teams' defenses. The first two quarters went goal-less despite Maharashtra being awarded five penalty corners.
Priyanka Wankhede (32', 45') broke the deadlock early in the third quarter with a field goal for Maharashtra but that wasn't enough for them to be comfortable. She then returned to convert a penalty corner at the end of the third quarter to double the lead. Manipur captain Lily Chanu Mayengbam (60') scored in the dying embers but it wasn't enough to stop Maharashtra from qualifying for the semis as they won the game 2-1.