KEY POINTS:
New Zealand were unable to capitalise on a strong first-half performance and square the women's hockey series against Australia in Christchurch yesterday.
New Zealand, who won the first test 1-0, lost the fourth and final test 4-2 giving Australia a 3-1 series win.
Australia won the second test 3-0 on Tuesday and the third 1-0 on Saturday.
New Zealand gave their strongest first-half performance of the series yesterday and held Australia, who opened the scoring, to 1-1 in the first half.
They took a 2-1 lead early in the second half but their play fell away, letting Australia grab three unanswered goals to seal the match.
The Black Sticks played the first half with pace, precision and accuracy.
Accurate passing from defence through the midfield set up a fast-breaking attack spearheaded by Honor Dillon, Caryn Paewai and Krystal Forgesson who linked well up front to create multiple scoring opportunities.
But Australia got on the scoreboard first with a typically fast-breaking counter-attack midway through the half, Hope Munro guiding home a relatively soft goal.
New Zealand's reply came 10 minutes from halftime as Dillon smacked home a rebound from a Kate Saunders penalty corner strike, their fifth of the match.
Forward Paewai, who was named player of the match, set up New Zealand's second goal, finding Charlotte Harrison who finished off a well-made field goal.
Australia replied minutes later with Emily Halliday scoring from a penalty corner.
As New Zealand faltered, Shelley Liddleow finished off a run along the back line shortly after to give Australia a 3-2 lead.
Munro scored her second goal, a reverse flick from the field, to seal the game 4-2 with about 10 minutes to play.
New Zealand coach Kevin Towns said despite the series loss he was heartened by the promise the team showed, particularly the way they played the first half yesterday.
"We played a very good first half, not so good in the second but we got to take a lot from that and from the series, so I am very happy.
"We fell away really in the second half - we didn't pick up the game that we left at halftime," Towns said.
"Maybe it's a belief thing and nothing to do with [playing] Australia - we just weren't playing as well as we were, picking up that pace wasn't quite there."
- NZPA
