Champions Challenge II: Canada falls to India

June 22, 2009

Despite a much stronger game than yesterday’s loss to Belarus, the Canadian women’s national field hockey team was defeated 8-1 by Team India on the second day of competition at the FIH Champions Challenge II in Kazan, Russia.

“We had a fantastic match against India.  We competed very well against one of the top teams here in the tournament,” said head coach Louis Mendonca.  “However, we gave up 6 goals in the last 16 minutes.  We must make some more physiological gains before our next event.”

Paige Norris of Victoria, British Columbia and Jackie Trautman of North Vancouver, British Columbia each earned their first international caps.  It was the 50th international cap for national team veteran and Argyle Shore, PEI native Katie Baker.

India opened the scoring six minutes into the game.  However Jessalyn Walkey, of Rockwood, Ontario, responded for Team Canada four minutes later on a field goal.

The rest of the half saw chances on both ends.  India converted one of their four penalty corners to take a 2-1 lead into halftime.

The experience of number 14 world-ranked India proved too much as they went on to score six more goals in the second half.  Canada is ranked-19th by the International Hockey Federation.

Canada currently sits in fourth place in Pool A.  Their next match is this Wednesday against Belgium.

The FIH Champions Challenge II is a new world-level event for the top teams not competing in the Champions Trophy or Champions Challenge I.  The winner will be promoted to the Champions Challenge I in 2011.