Hockey: Black Sticks swept by Korea

Stacey Michelsen scored for the Black Sticks before they switched off and lost 4-3 to Korea. Photo / Natalie Slade

The same problems plague the New Zealand women's hockey team, losing the third test 4-3 to Korea.

They have been swept 3-0 in the series.

Leading 3-1 with four minutes to play, the Black Sticks capitulated to a fourth straight defeat.

Sam Harrison opened the scoring for New Zealand with a goal in the 25th minute before Korea responded minutes later to even things up at the break.

Stacey Michelsen knocked in a penalty corner rebound just after halftime and Charlotte Harrison extended the lead to 3-1 as she slotted in an excellent cross from Krystal Forgesson.

Field goals in the 66th and 68th minutes and a penalty corner with one minute to go gave the Koreans the victory.

Coach Mark Hager says the side just switched off.

"We're just inconsistent that's our biggest problem. We perform well for periods and then we have really bad patches of inconsistency and we just switch off at times and that's we've got to learn and we've known that for three years.''

Hager says the pressure of the pending Olympic selection seems to have got to some players, while others have thrived.

The squad for London is named next week.