Women’s Hockey India League 2024-25: Delhi SG Pipers salvages pride with shootout win over Odisha Warriors
Women’s Hockey India League 2024-25: Delhi SG Pipers salvages pride with shootout win over Odisha Warriors
The Delhi SG Pipers capped off an otherwise disappointing campaign in the Women’s Hockey India League 2025 with a 3-2 victory in a shoot-off against Odisha Warriors at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Stadium here.
Ishika, Navneet Kaur and Sunelita Toppo managed to sneak the ball past Jocelyn Bartram at goal. For the Warriors, Kaitlin Nobbs and Baljeet Kaur were the scorers.
Despite the defeat, the Warriors have officially cemented their place in the final on Sunday.
The 4-0 thrashing by the Warriors in the lung opener of the league was clearly a thing of the past as nothing could separate the sides, stuck at 1-1, in regulation time on Thursday.
In the opening minutes, both sides exercised extreme caution as the game largely stayed locked in the midfield.
Bichu Devi Kharibam caught on to the first sign of impending danger in the ninth minute when Sakshi Rana found Michelle Fillet skulking inside the circle. But the alert Pipers goalkeeper was quick to slide and effectively block the Dutch striker’s effort.
The Pipers’ Geeta Yadav impressed the crowd with her stickwork in the second quarter as she dribbled past three defenders homing in on her, but was left high and dry by her teammates.
The Pipers eventually smelled blood as skipper Navneet Kaur converted from a penalty stroke, awarded for an offence on Preeti Dubey inside the circle.
The Warriors got the equaliser through Yibbi Jansen, who sounded the boards for the fifth time this season with a blazing dragflick from yet another penalty corner (PC).
With 30 seconds remaining, the Pipers won a PC to have the Warriors quaking in their boots. But Bartram threw her body on the line to force a shootout.
