Ranchi, July 14 (IANS) Hockey Jharkhand were crowned as the champions of the 15th Hockey India Sub-Junior Women’s National Championship 2025 – Division ‘A’ after defeating Hockey Association of Odisha 1-0 in the final at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium here on Monday.

Hockey Haryana secured the bronze medal after defeating Hockey Mizoram 3-3 (SO 5-4) in the 3rd/4th position match.

In the final match, Hockey Jharkhand won 1-0 against the Hockey Association of Odisha. Both teams played distinctly and prevented each other from scoring with strong defence skills, but it was Jirn Soy Munda (27’) who paved the way for Hockey Jharkhand to lift the trophy after netting the only goal of the match on their home soil.

Also, in the 3rd/4th Place match between Hockey Haryana and Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Haryana secured the third place and won the Bronze medal after defeating Hockey Mizoram 3-3 (SO 5-4) in a nail-biting thriller.

K. Vanlalpeki (9’) opened the goal count on the scoreboard for Hockey Mizoram, but Captain Bhavya (19’), Durga (27’), and Manjinder (30’) soon took the lead for Hockey Haryana to push Hockey Mizoram on the back foot throughout most of the game.

Hockey Mizoram tried hard but couldn’t but was unable to convert the opportunities against the strong defence of Hockey Haryana until the very last minute, where Laldinpuli (60’, 60’) heroics helped Hockey Mizoram end the match with a draw as the final whistle was blown, as she scored two back-to-back goals.

In the shoot-out, again, it was a neck-to-neck competition between both teams. Captain Bhavya, Manjinder, Neeshu, Radhika, and Harshita scored for Hockey Haryana in all five chances that they got. On the other hand, Laldinpuli, K. Vanlalpeki, C. Lalruatsiami, and Lalnunfeli could only score out of their five chances and fell short in a closely contested game.

Hockey Haryana’s goalkeeper Saina’s match-winning save in the shootout stood out as be difference maker and helped her side end their campaign on the podium.

–IANS

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