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Black Sticks' Anita Punt - Source: Photosport -
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The Black Sticks will be playing for fifth to eighth place at the FIH Champions Trophy after they went down 3-0 to world number one side, the Netherlands today.
Coach Mark Hager says that it was a disappointing second half that let them down, and that although his side created opportunities, they were unable to convert them into points.
Where they were putting pressure on us, we should have been putting pressure on them.
The Dutch held the majority of ball possession in the first half and it was thanks to some superb saves by Black Sticks goal keeper Sally Rutherford and some strong defensive play in the circle that helped keep the Kiwis in the game early on.
However, after multiple attempts on goal the Dutch finally got what they were searching for in the 25th minute when Kim Lammers took them to a 1-0 lead.
Although the Black Sticks turned over a lot of ball, they struggled to string together the passes to break through the midfield and have any real chances to score in the first spell.
One of their best opportunities came with 40 seconds remaining in the half when Gemma Flynn was awarded a penalty corner, but Clarissa Eshuiss drag flick was pushed just wide by the Dutch goalkeeper.
The Netherlands one goal lead at half time, was extended early on in the second half when captain Maartje Pauman, who was today awarded the FIH 2011 Player of the Year Award, converted a penalty corner.
Black Sticks Charlotte Harrison, Anita Punt and Cathryn Finlayson all took shots at goal in the second half, but the Olympic Champions continued to apply the pressure and with 57 minutes on the clock Lidewij Welten scored and helped secure her team a spot in the semi-finals.
The Black Sticks will now play either Argentina or China at midday tomorrow.
The silver lining for the Black Sticks was that immediately following the game, Stacey Michelsen was awarded the FIH 2011 Young Player of the Year Award by FIH President Leandro Negre.
Both Michelsen and Charlotte Harrison had been nominated in December last year for the award alongside Dutch duo Joyce Sombroek and Willemijn Bos and USA star Katelyn Falgowski.
Black Sticks: 0
Netherlands: 3
(Lammers, Pauman, Welten goals).
Halftime: 1-0 Netherlands lead
