Hockey: Black Sticks still eye Olympics berth in Athens

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand ended the Champions Challenge tournament in Cataina, Italy as they started - with a 2-1 loss to Japan.

Germany beat Spain 3-1 in the final to confirm their standing as the highest-ranked team at the tournament. In the play-off for fifth, the United States beat hosts Italy 4-1.

In losing yesterday's bronze medal match, the Black Sticks will return home as the 10th-ranked team in women's hockey, comfortably placed to push on towards their major objective - a place in the 10-team Olympic tournament in Athens in a little over a year.

Coach Ian Rutledge has made it clear the search for players will go on.

Though there are unlikely to be many changes before September's tests against Japan and the tri-series involving Korea which will follow, he and his fellow selectors will be more than interested spectators at the Lion Foundation National League starting in late September.

"I haven't seen any league hockey in New Zealand so it will be a good chance to have a look at players I haven't seen," said Rutledge. "Developing players is an ongoing thing."

Though he is happy with the play of Niniwa Roberts-Lang, who scored New Zealand's only goal yesterday to take her tally for the tournament to five, and 17-year-old Kayla Sharland, Rutledge is still on the lookout for another centre-forward to ease the burden.

"We are still searching for players to score goals. The national league will give that opportunity."

Rutledge was disappointed to see his team go 2-0 down inside 10 minutes against Japan, but heartened by the way they fought back.

"For the last 60 minutes we played well and should have won it. But we missed a stroke and had a goal from a penalty corner disallowed. At 0-2 you are pushing the proverbial uphill, but we did try hard."

Roberts-Lang scored just before halftime to complete the scoring.

Paula Enoka had a stroke saved by the Japanese goalkeeper.

"At times throughout the tournament we felt luck did not go our way, but that's what international sport can be about," said Rutledge.

Enoka, Sharland and Karen Syddall were singled out as players who had impressed, along with experienced campaigners like Di Weavers and Suzie Pearce.

Others, including Jan Rowsell, Jo Galletly and Nikki Grimwood, though inexperienced at this level, had also made progress.

Rutledge expects to name the team for Japan next month.