Pune: Deepika slammed five goals, including a hat-trick, while Sharmila Devi, Mahima Choudhary and Udita scored a brace each as Hockey Haryana thrashed Assam Hockey 15-0 in the 14th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2024 at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium at Nehrunager, Pimpri near here on Friday.
It was Deepika’s show altogether in the opening match of the day as she shone brightly for Hockey Haryana. She scored in the 2nd, 40th, 42nd, 49th and 56th minutes, finding the net regularly in the Pool D match.
Known for prowess from set pieces, Deepika, who is considered the next big thing in Indian women’s hockey, converted two penalty corners besides scoring three field goals.
Sharmila (2nd, 35th), Mahima (15th, 47th), Udita (32nd from PC, 36th from PC) too sparkled, scoring a brace each, while Neha Goyal (8th), Navneet Kaur (26th), Ekta Kaushik (44th), Jyoti (50th) were the goal getters in Hockey Haryana’s emphatic win.
Udita too was in her element from penalty corners as she scored both her goals from set pieces. By virtue of their maiden win, Hockey Haryana are now atop Pool D with three points. Le Puducherry Hockey are the other team in the pool.
In a Pool E match, Dipti Lakra (5th, 12th minutes), Dipi Monika Toppo (10th, 51st min) and Aten Topno (12th, 34th) struck twice each to hand Hockey Association of Odisha an emphatic 9-1 win over Goans Hockey.
Besides, Jiwan Kishori Toppo (29th), Nitu Lakra (57th) and Anupa Barla (60th) also registered their names in the scoresheet for the Hockey Association of Odisha. Geeta Rathod scored the consolation goal for Goans Hockey in the 47th minute from a field strike.
The Hockey Association of Odisha registered their first win in the tournament and are at the top of their pool. Hockey Chandigarh is the other side in Pool E.
Later in the day, heavyweights Hockey Punjab slammed Hockey Rajasthan 11-2 in a Pool F match. Sarabdeep Kaur (15th, 39th, 56th) slammed a hat-trick, while Taranpreet Kaur (1st, 42nd), Kirandeep Kaur (18th, 45th), scored a brace each for Punjab in their dominating show over Hockey Rajasthan. IANS
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