Hockey: Golden day for Hawke's Bay women

When Hawke's Bay hockey goalkeeper Soleil Fletcher took a blow to her knee during a warm-up session last Wednesday, worry-lines quickly appeared on the face of her coach, Keri Paewai.

With the semifinal and final play-offs on Saturday, Paewai knew a hobbling Fletcher had to deliver the goods, because she had no reserve keeper.

"It was the first game, so when Soleil went down with that shot to the knee, despite having her knee pads, things didn't look too flash. But the physio worked on it throughout the tournament and she was fine," Paewai said yesterday.

Fletcher played right through to the golden-goal moment of the final as the Hawke's Bay women lifted the shield on Saturday, defeating Wanganui 2-1 at Hamilton's Gallagher Hockey Stadium.

"We were pretty upset not retaining the shield last year so it was great to have it back yesterday (Saturday)," an ecstatic Paewai said.

The coach was delighted, especially for her schoolgirls in the team, who savoured their first victory at national level.

"For the young girls it's a huge step up to win their first national title," she said of schoolgirls Alyse Weber, Monica McAuley, Linda Coldicutt, Fletcher, Merania Hibbard and Jo Johnston as they helped lift the Senior National Women's Hockey Tournament shield the team last won in 2004.

In Saturday's final, Wanganui, who upset defending champions Wairarapa 3-2 on Friday, struck first in the 18th minute when they deceived Fletcher with a field goal.

However, Bay right half Jo Johnston equalised right on halftime from a penalty corner.

Neither side gave an inch in a goalless second half as the players fought tooth and nail to the final whistle of the 70-minute affair.

That saw them go into the 14-minute, extra-time golden-goal spell.

The Bay women's relentless pressure yielded two penalty corners 5 1/2 minutes into the spell. From the second, Caryn Paewai, lurking on the left flank in the "ramp" position, rocketed a shot at the net but the Wanganui keeper deflected it back to Paewai. The former Black Stick flicked the ball over the keeper for high fives and hugs.

"People said that's how a final should be played, with two teams equal in strength," said Keri Paewai, whose side had drawn 2-all with Wanganui in pool play on Wednesday night.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY