Hockey: Black Sticks fall in extra time

Sam Harrison was sent off during extra time. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The Black Sticks women's team have lost their Four Nations play-off match to Argentina 3-2 in extra-time.

The defeat in the third/fourth play-off was New Zealand's fourth consecutive loss in the tournament in Cordoba, Argentina, and comes less than a week before their first game in the Champions Trophy in Rosario, which is also against Argentina.

"Our basic skill level let us down today,'' said coach Mark Hager. "We weren't able to hold the ball in midfield and we showed an inability to defend adequately around the top of the circle.''

The Black Sticks opened the scoring in the second spell thanks to an Anita Punt penalty stroke before the Argentines equalised with a few minutes to go.

New Zealand's other scorer was Julia King, who notched up her first goal for her country.

The Black Sticks had a good chance to take the match in the first spell of extra-time, with Punt crossing a superb ball to captain Kayla Sharland who was unable to put the winner away.

The winning Argentine goal was a penalty corner in the last minutes of the second spell of extra-time.

New Zealand players to stand out included King, Sharland, who led the team superbly, and Amelia Gibson in goal.