HOCKEY: Showcasing three debutants in their line-up against Korea Saturday afternoon, the Hockeyroos were unable to convert their attacking opportunities resulting in a 0-0 draw with their opponents in their first match of the Perth series.
Speaking afterwards, Hockeyroos coach Adam Commens said, “It was a promising start, we played with a team that had three debutants and a number of players in new positions. We showed that we were a little bit rusty in our combinations and some of our skill execution I was disappointed with, but the intent and style of hockey that we want to play is heading in the right direction.
“Ahead of tomorrow’s match we need to now lift up our skill execution, provision and passing, and to make the most of our opportunities that we are creating.”
The Hockeyroos started the match off well dominating their attacking circle and controlling a majority of the ball possession, however, it was ultimately their execution in the circle that failed them up against a robust Korean defence.
Under the Australian bar, Victorian’s Rachael Lynch and Ashlee Wells shared shifts. Trialling a new quarter’s format, together the pair held a rock-solid defence denying multiple penalty corner opportunities by the Korean forwards.
Speaking to Rachael Lynch about the new goalkeeping format, she said, “Ash and myself both had a few good saves and today was the first time we have trialled this new quarters format. Ash started off on the field and then we swapped at each quarter. The format was good, it got us both involved in the game.”
The Hockeyroos received two critical penalty corner opportunities to break the ice in the 22nd and 33rd minutes. The Hockeyroos’ firepower Jodie Kenny and newcomer Madison Fitzpatrick sent on target drag flicks to the top right of the net, however, Korea’s goalkeeper Ji Soo Jang quickly denied them access.
Coming into the final 15 minutes of play, the Hockeyroos were trying their luck in the circle, however, they couldn’t get the ball behind the Korean keeper’s pads and into the back of the net, forcing the Hockeyroos to settle for a 0-0 draw with Korea on the final siren.
After announcing on Friday that the Hockeyroos would trial new blood throughout the series, Commens commented on newcomers Laura Barden, Madison Fitzpatrick and Stephanie Kershaw’s performance against international talent on home soil.
“I was really pleased with their performance today, I thought they all contributed and added value towards our line-up. Stephanie was dynamic in the front and Laura has a great work ethic on the field. Madison was also solid in our defence, she had a couple of good flicks on goal and was probably unlucky not to sneak one past the keeper.”
The Hockeyroos' second match against Korea is at 14:15pm AWST on Sunday, 6 September.
Hockeyroos Squad
Athlete (Hometown, State) caps/goals
Started
Teneal Attard (Mackay, QLD) 214/10
Laura Barden (Kew, VIC) 1/0
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA) 68/6
Kirstin Dwyer (Mackay, QLD) 81/2
Kate Jenner (Tamworth, NSW) 116/1
Jodie Kenny (Wamuran, QLD) 145/88
Stephanie Kershaw (Townsville, QLD) 1/0
Karri McMahon (Berri, SA) 71/7
Gabrielle Nance (Kingscliff, NSW*) 10/0
Emily Smith (Crookwell, NSW) 125/50
Ashlee Wells (Morwell, VIC) 53/0
Used Substitute
Edwina Bone (Evatt, ACT) 79/2
Madison Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW^) 1/0
Rachael Lynch (Melbourne, VIC) 125/0
Georgia Nanscawen (Melbourne, VIC) 163/32
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT) 61/9
Kathryn Slattery (South Stirling, WA) 23/6
Renee Taylor (Everton Park, QLD) 4/0
Did Not Play
Mathilda Carmichael (Willoughby, NSW) 24/1
Savannah Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW^) 3/0
Anna Flanagan (Canberra, ACT) 150/34
Kate Hanna (Constitution Hill, NSW) 3/0
Georgina Morgan (Armidale, NSW) 12/0
NOTE: The above athletes have come through the academies and institutes of sport in their home states and territories with the exception of the following:
^Madison and Savannah Fitzpatrick are scholarship holders at the Queensland Academy of Sport
*Gabrielle Nance is a graduate scholar of the South Australia Sports Institute
HOCKEY AUSTRALIA