National Women Championship 2024: Hockey Haryana bags third title, emerge champions

Pune (Maharashtra)[India], March 23 (ANI): Hockey Haryana brought an end to Hockey Maharashtra's hopes of winning at home with a 3-0 shoot-out victory to lift the 14th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2024 title at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium Nehrunagar, Pimpri on Saturday, after both the teams were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation time.

The victory was Haryana's third championship having won it in 2013 and 2020.

For Maharashtra, it was the second time that they had to settle with the silver in consecutive years

Hockey Haryana took the lead through India international Deepika (26th) from a penalty corner in the third quarter, before the hosts took a while to work themselves into settling and work into the opponent's defenses. It was Akshata Abaso Dhekale who restored parity, also from a set piece, to take the match into shoot-out.

In the shoot-out, Navneet Kaur, Usha and Sonika scored for Hockey Haryana, while Priyanka Wankhede, Akansha Singh and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal missed for Hockey Maharashtra.

Earlier in the day, Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2-0 to secure the third spot in the tournament.

India international Sangita Kumari scored an early field goal in the third minute before Supriya Mundu (59th) converted a penalty corner a minute from the hooter to seal the win for Hockey Jharkhand.

Results:

3rd-4th place match: Hockey Jharkhand: 2 (Sangita Kumari 3rd, Supriya Mundu 59th) beat Hockey Madhya Pradesh : 0. HT: 1-0

Final: Hockey Haryana: 1 (Deepika 3rd - p.c; Navneet Kaur, Usha, Sonika) beat Hockey Maharashtra 1 (Akshata Abaso Dhekale 54th).(ANI)