Key Points
Uttarakhand secures promotion with decisive 9-0 win
Madhya Pradesh edges Uttar Pradesh 2-1 in crucial match
Jharkhand crushes Tamil Nadu 9-2 in Pool C encounter
In the first match of the day, Hockey Uttarakhand defeated Assam Hockey 9-0 in Division 'B' to win three games in a row and ended Pool A on top of the standings to earn promotion to Division 'A' in the next season. Preeti Sharma (16', 18, 52') and Vartika Rawat (23 ', 35', 45')scored impressive hattricks, while captain Mamta Bhatt (4', 57') and Hema Singh (19') also contributed with goals in Hockey Uttarakhand's dominant win.
In the opening Division 'A' match, Hockey Madhya Pradesh edged out a 2-1 win over Uttar Pradesh Hockey in Pool D. Hritika Singh opened the scoring for the winning team in the first quarter courtesy of a field goal from Hritika Singh (7').
After a tightly contested second quarter, the game opened up again after halftime as Uttar Pradesh Hockey Captain Rajni Bala (31') scored the equaliser. In the final quarter, Neelu Dadiya (53') scored the all-important winner as she converted a penalty corner to give her side a crucial three points.
In the other Division 'A' match of the day, Hockey Jharkhand defeated the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 9-2 in Pool C to kickstart their tournament. Elin Dungdung (13', 24') and Captain Albela Rani Toppo (17', 34') scored braces while Promodni Lakra (15'), Horo Sanjna (27') Rajni Keketta (39'), Sushma Kumari (50') and Nikki Kullu (60') also featured on the scoresheet. S. Soniya (31') and Vairavi M (51') scored the two consolation goals for the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu.
In Division 'C' on Tuesday, Hockey Andhra Pradesh defeated Le Puducherry Hockey as Lotia Mary (50') and Patan Mujiya Begum (58') scored two late goals to win the fixture. This was followed by the last match of Tuesday when Hockey Arunachal played out a goalless draw against Hockey Jammu & Kashmir in Division 'C'.
