The Canberra Strikers will battle to make the Australian Hockey League semi-finals after suffering a second-straight loss to open the 2017 event in Perth.
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In a tough opener on Thursday night, the Meredith Bone-led Strikers suffered a 4-2 loss to Western Australia and then went down again in Saturday’s second game, this time a 2-0 loss to New Zealand.
The Canberra outfit, one that was set to include Orange’s Hockeyroo Edwina Bone, only for a knee injury to rule her out of the AHL, took on Queensland late on Monday evening Western Australian time and then faces the Northern Territory in the final pool game on Tuesday.
It’ll be a tough assignment, with the Queensland Scorchers already booking their spot in the AHL semi-finals after defeating WA Diamonds 4-2 on Sunday.
The Scorchers had to come from behind for the win, which takes them to three wins from three games and top spot in Pool A after day four.
The Diamonds went ahead when Penny Squibb converted a sixth-minute penalty corner, but the Scorchers, who blew some early chances, equalized two minutes later.
Queensland skipper Ashlea Fey fired home a well-struck low shot from a penalty corner for the leveler.
The Scorchers added two further goals in the second period to cap the win and top spot in the pool.
Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
