Hockey: NZ into top four of Champions Trophy

The New Zealand women's hockey team is heading into the upper heights of the sport after qualifying for the top four at the Champions Trophy tournament in the Netherlands this morning.

A 0-0 draw with the highly-ranked home team in searing heat was enough for the Black Sticks to qualify second from their pool and into the top four of the elite tournament along with the Netherlands, Korea and Argentina.

Having earlier beaten Australia 3-2, the Black Sticks came into today's game knowing they needed to avoid a two-goal defeat to qualify for the top four and they scrapped their way to a goalless draw against a team they have never beaten.

"During my career that's the closest we've ever got to the Netherlands. The previous scores have been 7-0, 6-3," New Zealand co-captain Kayla Sharland told NZPA.

"To beat Australia for the first time in the Champions Trophy and then to draw with the Netherlands is unheard of through my career anyway."

The Dutch dominated most of the match, penetrating into the goal circle 39 times compared to 11 for the Black Sticks.

But with Alana Millington, Stacey Michelsen and keeper Bianca Russell outstanding, the Netherlands had few genuine scoring opportunities.

Sharland said the need to avoid a large defeat was in the back of the players' minds but playing in temperatures much higher than for their previous two games was more of a factor for their lack of attacking opportunities.

"We still wanted to attack but the heat affected both teams. We both kind of came out quite apprehensive - I thought the Dutch didn't really run at us and we didn't really run at them," she said.

"Because we were doing so much defensive running we probably didn't get in behind them as much as we wanted to."

New Zealand had a chance to steal the match with their only penalty corner with 11 minutes to go but after a well-worked move Sharland hit the ball wide.

All teams in the last four will have one competition point. New Zealand's first game in the medal round is against Korea on Friday NZT, and then Argentina two days later.

The top two teams then play off in the final.

- NZPA