Hockey: Black Sticks women beat India to advance into World Cup quarter-final

Black Sticks celebrate a goal against India. Photo / Getty

The Black Sticks women have survived a seven-goal thriller to top their group and advance to the quarter-finals of hockey's World Cup in the Netherlands.

A double from co-captain Olivia Merry and a big performance from goalkeeper Brooke Roberts saw New Zealand beat India 4-3 to confirm top stop in their pool, adding to their win over England and draw against China earlier in the tournament.

India opened the scoring in the first five minutes before Merry scored from a penalty corner and Tessa Jopp added a second just before halftime.

Frances Davies scored the third from a penalty corner just after the break, before India got their second midway through the second half.

Merry grabbed her second from a penalty corner goal in the last five minutes, while India scored their third just before the final whistle.

Roberts, who was awarded player of the match, said it was a huge result for the team.

"It was a massive game for the girls, I'm just so thrilled with the way they fought through the whole game, they're incredible, the girls in front of me," Roberts said.

"It just means so much to every woman in our team, and every single coach. We fought so hard in every single game, we're in a really tough pool, every single team in this pool had exceptional hockey players, and we took every game really hard right till the end."

New Zealand will now avoid having to play in the crossover playoff (for teams ranked second and third in each pool) and get an extended break straight into the quarter-final.

They will face the winner of Germany and South Africa in the last eight next Thursday.

The Black Sticks are currently ranked No 8 in the world. Their best finish at the World Cup was fourth in 1986.