Aims Games: Hockey serves up plenty of drama

HIGH DRAMA: Tauranga Intermediate's Leka Smith makes an attacking run in the last second loss to Palmerston North Intermediate at Aims Games hockey yesterday. Photo / John Borren

The emotional highs and lows of sport were clear for all to see in a drama-packed afternoon of hockey at the Aims Games yesterday.

With the boys away completing their pool play games at Bethlehem College, the girls' teams were in the spotlight on the pristine turfs at the Tauranga Hockey Centre.

The undoubted highlights of the day were the quarter-finals featuring local favourites Tauranga Intermediate and Otumoetai Intermediate. The two desperately close matches provided as much drama, tears and cheers as you could ever hope to see.

Otumoetai prevailed in a thriller over St Margaret's College from Christchurch, after sudden-death penalty strokes, while Tauranga lost 1-2 to Palmerston North Intermediate in a highly controversial finish.

Otumoetai struggled to gain any territorial ascendancy against the highly efficient and fast breaking Cantabs and needed a late goal to close the game up 2-2.

Penalty strokes are a test of nerve for seasoned Black Sticks so it was a credit to both teams that the girls showed so much composure. The initial five strokes each produced three shots on target, meaning sudden death strokes. St Margaret's were lucky to be allowed to retake their first attempt on a technicality after they missed, but after Otumoetai's Courtney Lun equalised, the visitors missed again.

Up stepped Toni Manyimo to calmly slot the ball past the keeper and spark a wave of celebrations across the turf.

Otumoetai co-coach Craig Carter was obviously proud of his team after their dramatic win.

"It is deja vu. We got through on strokes last year," he said. "The girls put everything into it and that is all we could have asked of them. We came second last year and we want to take it to the top and go one better than last year. I think we can after today's performance.

"We are pretty confident. If we can play as well as we did today, then we will take on anyone that comes our way. That St Margaret's team was top class."

The mood was much darker next door after Tauranga's loss following a disallowed goal with 28 seconds to play. The umpires ruled there was no touch from Tauranga on the shot from outside the circle.

Tauranga coach Kerry Duggan was disappointed for his team to lose like that. "My girls said they saw it hit a stick, but the umpire didn't see it that way and that's sport."

Aims Games results: www.nzaimsgames.co.nz.