HOCKEY
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ORANGE’S Edwina Bone and the Hockeyroos have qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after making it through to the final four of the World League in Antwerp, Belgium.
Making it through to the semi-final stage of the tournament, the Australian women eventually went down 5-1 to reigning World League and Olympic champions the Netherlands and will now play-off for the tournament’s bronze medal against Korea or New Zealand.
Bone came off the bench for the Hockeyroos during the tough semi-final.
Irrespective of their eventual finishing position - third place or fourth - Australia’s women qualify for the Olympic Games as a result of fellow semi-finalists Korea having already qualified for Rio as winners of the 2014 Asian Games.
“I think it’s really pleasing to attain our goal [of Olympic qualification],” head coach Adam Commens said.
“What’s disappointing about this match is we’ve worked hard to close the gap between us and the Netherlands and I think we saw today we still have some work to do. I think we can certainly play better than what we showed.”
The Netherlands took a 3-nil lead in the second quarter but the Aussies were able to give themselves some hope when Kathryn Slattery converted a chance after Dutch goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek saved Georgie Parker’s initial reverse stick shot.
From there the Duch women were able to convert another two chances for the solid win.
Australia will now face the loser of the second semi-final between Korea and New Zealand tonight (AEST) in the fight for the bronze medal.