KEY POINTS:
An embattled New Zealand women's team will try to pick up the pieces of their Champions Challenge campaign against the United States.
New Zealand were yesterday humiliated 8-1 by China in their third match of the championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, prompting coach Kevin Towns to describe his side's performance as inept.
The defeat left his team fifth in the six-nation tournament with two matches remaining, with their last against tournament leaders Korea.
Their task has been made all the more difficult after experienced defender Lizzy Igasan exited the tournament with an injury.
Igasan, who broke the little finger of her right hand in the 1-0 win over Azerbaijan, suffered another blow to the injured digit against China, forcing her from the field in the first half.
Towns will remind players about the need to take personal responsibility for the remaining matches.
The statistics told a grim story of New Zealand's inability to trouble China's defence. In the first half, New Zealand had the ball 42 times and managed 28 penetrations into the 25m line compared with China's 25 from 28 times with the ball. China also forced 10 penalty corners to New Zealand's two.
"We just didn't go forward and that's unacceptable," Towns said. "It's hard to put our finger on it other than the girls were happy to be in their comfort zone passing the ball around but were not working hard enough to attack the Chinese."
Towns said the Black Sticks had spoken about the fact China had been "happy to sit back and wait for us".
"The farther forward we came, we left space behind, our wing halves got caught square and were unable to provide cover for the defence," said Towns, who took charge of the team this year, starting with the series against Australia, which they lost 3-1.
"It was a pretty inept display. It wasn't hard to see that they were going to lose their way.
"I don't think they have looked that lost in any other game that I have had them.
"We were comfortable for the first 25-30 minutes of the game and probably dominated possession but didn't move and attack at any stage in that period."
Towns said each player now had to recapture the intensity and desire to play as well as they could. "The players will have to stand up and take responsibility now."
- NZPA
