World Hockey League Semifinal: Spirited Indian women lose 2-4 to Australia

Antwerp, Belgium: Indian women produced their best performance of the ongoing World Hockey League Semifinals even though they suffered a 2-4 loss to World Cup silver medallists Australia after a gritty fight in their last preliminary league outing here on Saturday.

Australia were served well by their penalty corner shooter Jodie Kenny, who completed a hat-trick of three penalty corner strikes and then added a goal through a penalty stroke conversion at the KHC Dragons Stadium.

India twice rallied to draw parity through goals from Vandana Katariya and Poonam Rani.

India's loss left them at the fourth spot among five teams in Pool B, which was topped by New Zealand, who today defeated hosts Belgium 2-0 to complete an all-win record in the league outings.

Australia finished second and Belgium took the third place in the group.

Finishing with three points from four matches, India now meet world champions The Netherlands in the quarterfinals. World's top-ranked Netherlands hammered Italy to take their place atop Pool A with an all win-record, while Asian Games winners South Korea got the second spot in the group after prevailing 1-0 over Japan.

The Indian eves, ranked 13th in the world, kept pace with the second-ranked opponents, who benefited from the penalty corner conversion prowess of Kenny.

Australia took the lead in the second minute from their second penalty corner as Jodie sounded the board with a low drag-flick.

India stunned their fancied rivals to draw parity in the fifth minute when Deepika's firm shot for top of the circle was deflected by diving Katariya into the Australian net.

Kenny sent another drag-flick into the boards in the sixth minute to put Australia into the lead again, after which the Indian girls put sustained pressure on the rival circle.

Indian strikers went into the Australia scoring zone three times in the space of four minutes, but could not produce the goal-bearing shot.

Australian goalkeeper Ashlee Wells palmed away two shots and had to move to her left to keep away a reverse drive by Rani Rampal from top of the circle.

India drew level at 2-2 two minutes into the second half on the first of their two penalty corners. In a goalmouth scrimmage after Rani Rampal's penalty corner drive was blocked by the goalkeeper, a shot from Poonam Rani went over the goal-line off a defender's stick.

Australia were ahead against within one minute as Kenny completed her hat-trick of penalty corner goals with a rising drag-flick to the right of goalkeeper Rajani Etimarpu.

India made some valiant efforts to equalize yet again, but conceded a penalty stroke in the 43rd minute when the goalkeeper collided with a striker in making a save. The penalty stroke was duly converted by Kenny for her fourth goal of the match.

Quarter-final Lineup: Netherlands vs India; South Korea vs Belgium; Australia vs Italy; New Zealand vs Japan.