Country Challenge Day 6: WA men win thriller to reach gold medal match, NSW and Queensland women progress

WA made it through to the men’s gold medal match at the Hockey Australia Country Challenge after a superb semifinal win over Victoria in Albany on Friday. Victoria opened the scoring in the first minute of the game and and led 2-1 at quarter-time, but WA fought back strongly to record a fourth straight win of the tournament and secure a place in Saturday’s decider. Bunbury’s Brayden Dalton was the star for WA, netting a hat-trick that helped send WA into the gold medal match where they will face Queensland. Evan Douglas opened the scoring in the first minute of the semifinal but WA were able to settle and they levelled scores after a penalty corner shot that hit a defender on the last line, earned a penalty stroke. WA captain Darren Parkes slotted home the flick but the joy was short-lived as Jayden Schram converted a penalty corner in the dying stages of the first term. Dalton got WA back level again with a powerful penalty corner conversion in the second quarter, but his side had lost Jarrod Booth and Chris Souchon to leg injuries before half-time. WA earned two penalty corners in the third quarter and executed both perfectly as Dalton smacked home two goals as the hosts surged two goals ahead. However, Victoria were not done with as Jarrod Lougoon converted a penalty corner in the 44th minute to reduce to margin to one goal going into the final period. WA held firm though in the final quarter, defending well and controlling possession on their way to a 4-3 victory. Dalton was superb up front with a hat-trick while Lower Great Southern star Brodie Sarre was influential and they were well supported by Liam Sweeney and Logan Burgemeister. Queensland will be their opponents in the gold medal game after they finished 3-0 winners over New South Wales in the other men’s semifinal. Joshua McPaul scored twice for the winning side and Jarrod Carseldine also found the back of the net, downing a NSW outfit that has been hit by COVID. The NSW side lost a couple of key players to COVID during the tournament, with Lower Great Southern trio Alex Fergie, Andre Gabriel and Mitch Bradbury called up to fill in. NSW and Queensland will face off for the women’s gold medal after both produced polished performances in Friday’s semifinals. The unbeaten NSW side only conceded a late goal in their 3-1 triumph over the Australian Defence Force. A clinical second quarter that netted goals from Caitlyn Low, Sarah White and Isabelle O’Connor guided NSW to a sixth straight win. Earlier Queensland were far too strong for Victoria, led by a double from Tinesha Carey. Carey has scored 10 goals for the tournament and she got her side off to a terrific start with a field goal in the first term. Eva Kersnovske and Brooke Thompson made it 3-0 by half-time and despite Chelsie Hird pinching a goal back for Victoria, it was Carey that sealed the deal. Her second goal in the 57th minute ensured Queensland would progress, setting up a terrific gold medal match between the two strongest teams.