Hockeyroos Take 2-0 Lead in Best of Five Series

The Hockeyroos have taken a two game lead in their best of five series against Japan after running out 3-1 winners in Saturday night’s Test in Kalgoorlie, WA.

A first half strike from Emily Smith and a penalty corner double from Jodie Schulz gave the Hockeyroos what was ultimately an unassailable lead. Japan’s late consolation goal from Akane Shibata was deserved after a stronger second half showing from the visitors.

Despite the victory, Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens believed his side could have enjoyed greater success had they made more of their chances.

Speaking afterwards, he said, “In the first half we really dominated the play, we had a lot of opportunities but we were not outstanding in the attacking circle and we could have been up by more at half time. [In the] Second half, I thought we needed to be smarter with how we built the ball into the circle, particularly early on in the second half when the Japanese left three forwards out. We had to take advantage of that and score more goals than we did.

“[It was] Pretty disappointing that we allowed them to score late in the game. We need to execute our basic skills a lot better than we did and I think we can definitely perform better than we showed tonight.

“We’re creating a lot of opportunities, we’re dominating possession and we’re dominating territory on the pitch but you need to convert to goals and whilst it converted to goals last night, tonight we found it a bit more difficult. I thought their ‘keeper played well, I thought we just took a bit too long on the ball inside the circle – that’s disappointing.”

Australia’s women threatened early on with a series of three penalty corners, all of which were defended well by the visiting Japanese. In the 15th minute, WAIS athlete Ashleigh Nelson picked out Emily Smith with a quick pass across the face of goal and the Crookwell-born forward swept home emphatically to the give the Hockeyroos the lead. Two minutes later Schulz doubled the Hockeyroos’ advantage with a well-placed penalty corner strike into the bottom right of the goal.

Georgie Parker, playing in her 50th international match for Australia, and Georgia Nanscawen both came close before Schulz, from Wamuran in Queensland, doubled her tally with a powerful flick high into the net for 3-0.

The second half saw a more enterprising Japanese side create a few problems for the Australian defence, most notably midway through the half when goalkeeper Ashlee Wells pulled off a smart glove save to her right. At the other end Yuka Yoshikawa kept Japan in the contest with a string of blocks on the ground. Australia won three penalty corners in the final ten minutes but could not find a way beyond Yoshikawa before a late break upfield saw Akane Shibata slot home a consolation goal.

The teams return to Perth for the final three games of the series, which take place on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings.

Earlier:

Two strikes each from South Australian Georgie Parker and Emily Smith from New South Wales set the Hockeyroos on course to a commanding 6-1 victory over Japan in the first match of their five game series on Friday evening.

Victorian Georgia Nanscawen and Parker’s fellow South Australian Jane Claxton also got in on the act in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, where the team will play the opening two games of the series thanks to the support of the WA Government Department of Sport and Recreation and the team’s major partner, Ausdrill.

Despite a bright start by the Australian women the Hockeyroos were forced to respond after falling 1-0 behind to Yukari Mano’s straight strike in the 12th minute. Parker’s leveller eight minutes later was one to savour for her hometown of Berri as the 24 year old forward combined with Berri-born teammate Karri McMahon to convert from close range.

No sooner was Australia level than Emily Smith had them in front. Remarkably, the home town connections paid off again for the Hockeyroos as the diminutive forward was teed up by her Crookwell compatriot Kellie White before sweeping the ball home. And on the stroke of half time Smith extended the lead to 3-1, nipping in behind to knock the ball over the goal line after Parker’s shot had looped up over the Japanese goalkeeper.

A series of three penalty corners in quick succession paid dividends for the Hockeyroos early in the second half. From the third set piece Georgia Nanscawen deflected McMahon’s powerful low flick into the bottom corner to extend Australia’s lead.

With 15 minutes remaining Jane Claxton scored arguably the goal of the game, unleashing a terrific tomahawk into the far side of the net after breaking into the circle. Moments later, Parker’s second, Australia’s sixth, showed the bravery required of a forward as she put herself in the firing line to deflect Ashleigh Nelson’s pacey pass into the roof of the goal.

Jodie Kenny and Anna Flanagan both came close to extending the margin of victory late on with Kenny denied by the reflexes of the goalkeeper and Flanagan denied by the frame of the goal.

Afterwards, Head Coach Adam Commens was pleased with how his side performed as they look to finesse an exciting brand of hockey. He said, “Japan were probably a little tired coming off their long trip but I thought we were really sharp, we executed our game plan well. There were certain things that we can do better and we can improve on but I was pleased in the team’s attempt to execute the game plan and the way that we finished our opportunities in both the first and second halves.

“The level of team play tonight was impressive and there was a high level of skill as well. It’s an area that the Hockeyroos have really improved on in the last few years and they’re starting to play a really exciting brand of hockey. Tonight we saw some of that play with the goals that we scored.”

Looking ahead to round two on Saturday night, Commens explained, “We’ll look to continue to improve our style of play. Every game you go over some tweaks and adjustments you want to make and I’m sure Japan will have a different style of play or different philosophy when they come out against us. So, it’s a challenge for us to see what they’re doing and adapt and try to find the solution to the way they defend and also the solution to defend their attacking play.”

-HockeyAustralia