PNG women take bronze in hockey

THE Papua New Guinea women’s hockey team offered up a thanks-giving prayer before walking off the field after defeating the Fiji Under-23 side 2-0 in their bronze medal playoff at the Oceania Pacific Cup on Saturday.
“We believe that God is in control and He’s first in everything we do.
“But God first and that’s how we won the game,” a jubilant PNG captain Tiani Tapo said.
The PNG-Fiji U23 match was the first on the final day of competition.
“We’re a Christian nation and we prayed before taking the field.
“This morning we were confident that our girls would get the bronze.
“We pretty much agreed that we’d score goals in the first half, but it didn’t happen that way,” Tapo said.
PNG scored a goal each in each half to douse the spirited fight from the young Fijian outfitted who was a late inclusion into the tournament.
It was evident from the start that the visitors were the better organised and disciplined team.
Tapo said the victory had set a benchmark for PNG as they build up to the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby.
Fiji U23 captain Alumita Cawi was proud of her outfit which came together in less than two weeks for this championship.
“I’m proud for the girls. Most of them are young just coming off school exams,” Cawi said.
PNG’s goals were scored by Monica Wadi in the 31st and Jessica Kevan in the 39th minute.
Meanwhile, the PNG men did not fare well in their final match of the Oceania Pacific hockey tournament going down to Fiji 5-1.
Fiji captain Hector Smith Junior was satisfied with the 5-1 win over PNG in the bronze medal playoff.
“Yesterday was a very emotional time for us because three years in a row we were not able to put them away,” the Fijian captain said.
“When we came this morning (Saturday) we were motivated because we knew that PNG was coming out to beat us.
PNG captain Joseph Potuan said they were expecting a tough game against Fiji.
“We did our best against Fiji and we were disappointed with the scoreline,” Potuan said.
Fiji got an early break in the sixth minute scoring two quick goals from a penalty corner and field goal to brothers Adrian Smith and Hector respectively.
Fiji led 2-0 at halftime.
Terrence Corrie added a brace of field goals to extend Fiji’s lead to 4-0 before Sapau Tapo pulled one back for PNG through a field goal in the 54th minute.
The young Adrian Smith capped off a fine performance with his second goal and Fiji’s fifth ten minutes from the end.