Hockeyroos lose 4-2 to New Zealand, eliminated from Rio Olympics

The Hockeyroos have been eliminated from the medal race at the quarter-final stage of the Rio Olympics, losing 4-2 against New Zealand on Tuesday night.

Three goals in 20 minutes for the Kiwis helped secure their place in the semi-finals, with only a late goal from Kathryn Slattery, her second of the match, giving the Australian women, led by central west products Edwina Bone (Orange) and Mariah Williams (Parkes) a glimmer of hope.

It wasn’t meant to be though.

Australia started brightly, dominating the opening period, but were unable to convert their chances and it was the Kiwis who scored first through Anita McLaren’s pinpoint penalty corner conversion.

Kelsey Smith made it 2-0 before the break and although Australia’s Kathryn Slattery halved the deficit early in the third quarter, New Zealand responded quickly.

Gemma Flynn restored their two goal advantage before Olivia Merry’s low deflection sent them 4-1 up.

With 90 seconds remaining, Slattery doubled her tally with a shot into the roof of the net but it was little more than a consolation goal.

The match marked Adam Commens’ last game in charge of Australia’s iconic women’s hockey team before he relocates to Belgium for family reasons.

It may also have signalled the end for Australian captain Madonna Blyth after 342 international appearances and three Olympics.

“I think that’s it for me. Definitely [my] last Olympics,” Blyth said.

“I put everything I had into the last six months or so in the lead up to Rio, always, I think, in the back of my mind knowing this would be it.

“It’s a little bit of a disappointing way to go out but it’s just the way it goes sometimes. You can’t have the fairy tale finishes when you want them.”

She said she would keep an open mind about the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

“I think my body is getting older by the minute. It’s just getting a little bit harder to do the training. I still very much love hockey, love the sport but I don’t think it’s realistic at this stage,” she added.

Blyth said her team played well in patches but “when you don’t take your chances it’s very difficult to come back from a few goals down”.

“They just outplayed us today,” Blyth said.

“They were a little bit cleaner. When it comes down to these games you’ve got to be at your best or you get punished.”

The Kiwis, coached by Aussie Mike Hager and ranked one behind Australia at fourth in the world, can now claim the upper hand in their trans-Tasman rivalry after losing the past two Oceania Cup titles in shoot-outs.

Australia’s women were seeking a first Olympic semi-final appearance since the 2000 Games in Sydney but again go home empty-handed after three consecutive fifth place finishes in Athens, Beijing and London.