Karnataka make dismal start

 Karnataka got off to disastrous start in the Junior Women’s National Hockey Championship (Division A), slumping to crushing 1-8 defeat against Madhya Pradesh here on Tuesday.

Captain Priyanka Wank-hede hammered in a whopping six goals, including a hat-trick spread across either side of the interval, as Madhya Pradesh completely tore apart the listless hosts in the Pool B encounter at the Chamundi Vihar grounds.

The only consolation for Karnataka from the dismal outing was that they managed to score the opening goal of the lop-sided affair, thanks to Niha’s sixth-minute effort. That apart, they couldn’t manage to muster a single strike at Madhya Pradesh’s goal.

Priyanka brought MP back in the 10th minute, put them ahead four minutes later before Preeti Dubey made it 3-1 in the very next minute. After a brief lull, MP were back to scoring ways with Priyanka sounding the board in the 28th and 34th minutes and Lalruatfeli H sandwiching a goal in the 33rd minute.

Priyanka then slammed home in the 41st and 53rd minutes, wrapping a facile victory for her side in the process.

The other big winners of the day were Odisha, who steamrolled Bihar 15-0 in Pool D. Elima Minz scored four goals, Priyanka Ekka netted thrice, Mariana Kujur a brace while Ambika Toppo, Dimincal Kujur, Rashmita Minz, Priyanka Kujur and Manju Kujur collected a goal apiece.

Results: Pool B: Madhya Pradesh: 8 (Priyanka Wankhede 10th, 14th, 28th, 34th, 41st, 53rd, Preeti Dubey 15th, Lalruatfeli H 33rd) bt Karnataka: 1 (Niha 6th); Bhopal: 4 (Chanda Gupta 9th, 47th, 60th, Annu Gurang 49th) bt Delhi: 0.

Pool C: Punjab: 2 (Jaspreet Kaur 1st, Rajbir Kaur 46th) bt Mumbai: 1 (Pranali Patil 40th).
Pool D: Odisha: 15 (Elima Minz 3rd, 15th, 20th, 35th, 45th, Ambika Toppo 7th, Domincal Kujur 25th, Rashmita Minz 32nd, Priyanka Ekka 34th, 51st, 52nd, Mariana Kujur 36th, 54th, Priyanka Kujur 50th, Manju Kujur 59th) bt Bihar: 0.