Hockey trio claim national title

Three Marlborough women were part of the Tasman hockey side which clinched a “three-peat” of national titles at the Vantage National Masters Champs in North Harbour.

Captain Jo Jones, Loren Hickin and Jules Maltesen featured in every match as the Tasman women’s 45+ team completed an unbeaten week with victory in the final against a tough Tauranga combination.

In pool play they downed Auckland 4-1, Waikato 2-1 and Wellington 3-0 to top their section. Then their semifinal against Canterbury went down to the wire, the match level 1-1 at full time before Tasman came through 3-2 in a shootout situation.

The final was won 2-1, Tasman having a 2-0 edge at halftime and defending stoutly to claim more golden glory.

The victorious 45+ trio were just part of the Marlborough contingent up north.

The Tasman 35+ women’s team had the biggest representation – namely Pip Lunn, Stacey Curry, Sara Stocker, Rosie Dowling, Millie Volckman and Kate Morrow, plus coach Denise Lloyd and manager Rosie Lamain.

They also had a top tournament, topping their pool in unbeaten fashion with a 5-0 win over Waikato, 3-0 over Canterbury, 3-0 against North Harbour and 3-2 over Otago.

In the semifinals Tasman edged past Wellington 4-3, but were tripped up in the final, losing 2-1 to Auckland in the decider and having to settle for silver.

Stacey was top scorer for Tasman with four goals.

Denise Lloyd, Rosie Lamain and Robyn Rowe were part of the Otago 60+ women’s side which finished fifth in their grade.

On the men’s side, the Tasman 40 men’s side included brothers Michael and Andrew Mitchell, Andrew Nation, plus former Marlburian Clay Wilson. After beating Manawatu and Bay of Plenty in pool play, they drew with Tauranga and lost to Canterbury, relegating them to third in their pool on goal difference. A loss to Northland in a shootout saw them do battle again with Manawatu for seventh and eighth, Tasman prevailing 4-0.

Another Marlborough player, Nigel Fraser, played for the Tauranga 60 men’s team which finished third.

The tournament ran from 22-28 February.