Black Sticks win gold in women's hockey at Commonwealth Games

No more heartbreak.


That was the result of the New Zealand women's hockey team deservedly grabbing Commonwealth Games gold with a 4-1 win over Australia at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre on Saturday.


Shiloh Gloyn, Rose Keddell and Olivia Merry netted as the visitors dominated the hosts, with plenty of support in the crowd for the Kiwis. Jodie Kenny pulled a goal back for Australia from a penalty corner with 11 minutes to play but New Zealand clinched it late - after Australian had removed their goalkeeper for an outfield player - when Anita McLaren's penalty corner took a deflection on the way in.


The New Zealand women's side had never won a Commonwealth Games hockey gold medal before Saturday. Over the past five Games, the Black Sticks had collected one silver (at Delhi in 2010) and two bronze after making the medal round each time.


"It's been a long time coming and I know I've been on the receiving end of some pretty terrible heartbreaks," Merry said.
Australian-born coach Mark Hager reiterated that feeling.


"To get a reward after a lot of heartache we've had over the last 10 years - two Olympic fourths, Commonwealth Games, World League finals - we haven't quite been able to get over the line.


"It's just pleasing for the girls that we've finally done that."


In a nervy first quarter, the visitors edged it and could have led but Gloyn's shot on turn early didn't find the net.


Gloyn made no mistake just before halftime though when she robbed a defender off the ball and fired her shot low, hard and to the left of Australian goalkeeper Rachael Lynch.


Keddell doubled the lead with a diving effort in the third quarter following a penalty corner and Merry put the Kiwis out of reach when she blasted in from another penalty corner with less than four minutes remaining in the period.
"Incredible ... indescribable," Merry said.


"To not only beat them 1-0 but to beat them 4-1 - they're a quality side. Everything worked from the get-go today.
"I don't know if it's going to sink in for a wee while yet."


Hager said he was surprised by the margin and relative ease of victory after shootout goals from Sam Harrison and captain Stacey Michelsen and goalkeeping heroics from Grace O'Hanlon took NZ into the final courtesy of a dramatic win over England in their semifinal on Thursday.


"I thought we started really well, we moved the ball around really well, we created some opportunities early," Hager said.


"Rachael Lynch I thought kept Aussie in the game early on and had an outstanding game.


"We spoke about relaxing inside the circle - particularly Shiloh - I felt she rushed the first couple of shots - and then she went out there and got us 1-0 up, which was briliant.


"Then I think the girls felt 'yep, we're confident, we can do this'.


"It's the monkey off the back."


New Zealand will also contest a trans-Tasman final tonight when the men face Australia at the same venue, starting at 11.15pm NZ time.