The Indian women`s hockey team lost 3-2 to Australia A after putting up a fighting show in the match here on Thursday.
For India, Salima Tete (40`) and Sangita Kumari (54`) netted a goal each whereas Alice Arnott (18`) and Ruby Harris (20`, 35`) put the hosts in the lead.
Both the teams won penalty corners in the first quarter but were unable to capitalise. India’s defence held strong to prevent the hosts from taking lead and the first quarter ended goalless.
India focused on maintaining ball possession in the second quarter, but Australia A took the lead when Arnott (18`) scored a field goal. Harris (20`) doubled the hosts` lead moments later as she scored a goal.
With the scoreline stacked against them, India made some good attacks, but couldn`t find the back of the net as Australia A went into the half-time break with the 2-0 lead.
Australia A extended their lead early in the third quarter when Harris (35`) scored her second goal of the game to make it 3-0 for the hosts.
A few minutes later, Tete scored India`s first goal of the match with a brilliant shot from just inside the D.
In their bid to bounce back in the game, India came with full force in the fourth quarter and even won two penalty corners but failed to convert them.
The visitors kept testing the home team`s defence and it finally paid off as Sangita Kumari netted a goal in the dying minutes of the match to keep India alive in the game.
But Australia A managed to stop the visitors from scoring another goal as the match ended 3-2 in favour of the hosts.
This was part of their final two games of the tour in the build-up to the Asian Games in September. Savita and Co. will take on Australia A here again on Saturday.
India is yet to win a game on this tour. They had earlier lost a three-match series against Australia 0-2 after going down 2-4 and 2-3 in the first two games. The third game was a 1-1 draw after India came from behind to score an equaliser.
(With PTI inputs)
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