Women's HIL: Ranchi Royals rout Bengal Tigers 5-0

Ranchi Royals showed what they are capable of as they handed Shrachi Bengal Tigers a 5-0 demolition in their second match of the Women’s Hockey India League at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Tuesday.



Bengal Tigers came into the game having narrowly beaten Soorma Hockey Club on Monday, but they failed to put up any challenge against the marauding Royals, who were better in every department on the day.




They had five PCs, 25 circle entries, six shots on goal and 64% possession. Compared to that, Bengal Tigers earned one PC, made 11 circle entries, only one shot on goal and 36% possession.


Lucina von der Heyde found the net twice for the hosts while Sangita Kumari, Hannah Cotter and Beauty Dungdung scored one goal each for the Royals. And Sangita, who was distraught after failing to put up a good show with SG Pipers last season, was bubbling with joy following the performance.


“After the last match, we did a lot of video analysis and corrected the mistakes today. The team combination was really good and that made the difference,” said the India striker.


The team combination was indeed spot on, and one could see it as Royals went on the offensive from the first minute and were rewarded for their persistence in the 10th minute.


Rutuja Dadaso started the move just outside the D on the right and played it to Sakshi Rana, who did well to get the ball away from the defender and towards the goal. Albela Rani Toppo then got a touch to it and Cotter took the final shot to put Royals ahead.


The second came four minutes later when Neha won a PC. They failed to convert it at first but grabbed another and Beauty scored through a melee to make it 2-0 for the hosts.


Lucina then scored the third of the night early in the third quarter. The Argentine made a run down the left and played the ball to Rutuja standing near the backline. She in turn played it back to Lucina and she scored.


With a minute left in the third quarter, Sangita also joined the party after she deflected the ball from close range into the goal following a pass along the baseline from the right. While the pass, as well as the final deflection, was spot on, Bengal Tigers players were guilty of not marking Sangita properly and she made the most of it.


With just minutes left on the clock, Lucina scored her second of the night when Royals won their fifth PC of the match. She went right of the goalkeeper and although Jennifer Rizzo got her pads to it, the ball deflected off it and into the net.



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