Odisha crashed out in the quarter-finals of the 14th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship, suffering a 1-4 defeat against Haryana at Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium in Pune, Maharashtra today. This is the second successive year that Odisha failed to win a medal in the Senior Women National Championship after winning the gold medal in 2022.

Odisha made it to the quarterfinals as the toppers in Pool E, winning both of their league matches comfortably. They thrashed Goa 9-1 in their opening match and then trounced Chandigarh 6-1 in the second and last league match.

Hockey Association of Odisha (HAO) fielded an 18-member State team in this National Championship. Olympian Lilima Minz led the star-studded team, which featured as many as 12 senior or junior internationals.

ODISHA SENIOR WOMEN HOCKEY TEAM:
Goalkeepers: Madhuri Kindo, Prativa Ekka
Defenders: Mamita Oram, Jyoti Chhatri, Lilima Minz (Captain), Philica Toppo, Mukta Jojo.
Mid-fielders: Sujata Kujur, Nitu Lakra, Ajmina Kujur, Mariana Kujur, Jiwan Kishori Toppo, Nikita Toppo.
Forwards: Anupa Barla, Dipi Monika Toppo, Dipti Lakra, Neha Lakra, Aten Topno.
Team Staff: Namita Toppo (Manager), Sujit Lakra (Head Coach), Razina Kazi (Physiotherapist), Anurag Ranaware (Physical Trainer).

ODISHA RESULTS:

15 March 2024 (Pool-E League): Hockey Association of Odisha (Dipti Lakra 5-PC, 12-FG, Dipi Monika Toppo 10-FG, 51-PC, Aten Topno 12-PC, 34-FG, Jiwan Kishori Toppo 29-FG, Nitu Lakra 57-FG, Anupa Barla 60-FG) beat Goans Hockey (Geeta Rathod 47-FG) 9-1. PoM: Dipi Monika Toppo.

17 March 2024 (Pool-E League): Hockey Association of Odisha (Dipti Lakra 10-FG, 23-FG, Ajmina Kujur 15-FG, Jiwan Kishori Toppo 30-PC, Mariana Kujur 50-PC, Lilima Minz 51-PC) beat Hockey Chandigarh (Priyanka 26-PC) 6-1. PoM: Dipti Lakra.

20 March 2024 (Quarterfinal): Hockey Association of Odisha (Neha Lakra 42-FG) lost to Hockey Haryana (Deepika 5-PC, 14-FG, Neha Goyal 39-FG, Navneet Kaur 54-FG) 1-4.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Players of Odisha team pose before their opening match against Goa in Pune on 15 March 2024.