Women’s Sub-Junior Nationals: Ekta scores 9 goals in Haryana’s 15-0 win over Rajasthan

Haryana bulldozed Rajasthan 15-0 in a Pool A tie in the 4th Sub-Junior Women National ‘A’ Division Hockey Championship being played at Pune. The Haryana girls pressed on the accelerator from the starting hooter and lapped up a four-goal lead in the first eight minutes of play (Jyoti, Sarita, Bharti Saroha and Preeti Simar were the scorers).

The commanding position Haryana was in was a near-perfect setting for Ekta Kaushik to pile on the agony of the Rajasthan eves as she racked up a superb hat-trick in a four-goal blitz in the first half before Jyoti added her second of the day as they led 9-0 at half-time.

Ekta Kaushik was not finished yet as she scored two early second half goals to cap off a double hat-trick. Bharti Saroha scored her second of the day before Ekta Kaushik performed the last rites with three more strikes in the dying moments to pave the way for a resounding 15-0.

In another Pool A game Andhra Pradesh made mincemeat of Kerala 15-0, while in the same group Karnataka routed Tamil Nadu 8-0.

Meanwhile, Odisha swamped Kerala 12-0 in a Pool A tie in the 4th Hockey India Sub-junior Men’s National ‘A’ Division Championship. Chhattisgarh pipped Tamil Nadu 3-1 in the same group. Karnataka humbled Andhra Pradesh 4-1 in Pool B.

The writer can be contacted at: suhridbarua@gmail.com