All posts tagged: Pipers

Hockey India League: Needing to win by 7 goals for a miraculous top-four finish, Soorma Hockey Club fall agonisingly short with 6-1 victory vs SG Pipers | Hockey News

Hockey India League: Needing to win by 7 goals for a miraculous top-four finish, Soorma Hockey Club fall agonisingly short with 6-1 victory vs SG Pipers | Hockey News

Published by Webster

Harmanpreet Singh stood bent double, disappointment writ large on his face. In a season of highs and lows, somehow Soorma Hockey Club gave themselves a chance. A miniscule chance, but chance nonetheless. They needed to win by seven goals to snatch fourth place away from HIL Governing Council. In front of them were SG Pipers who had endured yet another wretched season, so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities. In the end though, Soorma could manage “only” a 6–1 victory against Pipers in the final Men’s Hockey India League (HIL) group stage match. Soorma made a high-intensity start, led by Jeremy Hayward’s (2’, 7’, 34’, 45’) thunderous drag flicks and a counter-attacking strike from Lucas Martinez (11’). Nicolas Keenan (47’) later helped Soorma move into touching distance of qualification in the final quarter but the Pipers held on in the dying minutes to break Soorma’s hopes of advancing to the Qualifiers. Soorma began the game on the front foot, forcing the Pipers back early and earning a penalty corner within the opening minutes. …

Hockey India League: Bansari Solanki steps off the bench and into the limelight as SG Pipers beat Bengal Tigers in shootout to win title | Hockey News

Hockey India League: Bansari Solanki steps off the bench and into the limelight as SG Pipers beat Bengal Tigers in shootout to win title | Hockey News

Published by Webster

Growing up, Bansari Solanki dreamt of being an aeronautics engineer. She started playing hockey just for fun after being coaxed by a teacher at her school. However, it became a passion when she watched Hockey India League matches – the previous iteration of the league that ran till 2017. She didn’t start off as a goalkeeper, either. Even that was a quirk of fate when a coach asked her to pad up to fill in for someone else. Her career truly kick-started after being spotted by one of India’s greatest ever, Dhanraj Pillay, when he scouted across Gujarat for young talent. Olympian Romeo James further refined her goalkeeping skills. She even wanted to be an Aeronautics Engineer growing up. A journey with many twists and turns would meet with one more on Saturday. Having not been named in the starting lineup for SG Pipers in the Women’s HIL Final, Solanki was substituted in for the Penalty Shootout. And the youngster from Vadodara stopped a Penalty Stroke from Argentine superstar Agustina Gorzelany and thwarted a couple …

SG Pipers clinch Women’s HIL 2025–26 title

SG Pipers clinch Women’s HIL 2025–26 title

Published by Webster

SG Pipers were crowned champions of the Women’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26 after defeating Shrachi Bengal Tigers 3-2 in a shootout following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at Ranchi on Friday. The closely fought final saw both teams trade goals before SG Pipers held their nerve in the decisive shootout to lift the title. Shrachi Bengal Tigers struck first in the 16th minute when Lalremsiami finished clinically after being picked out inside the circle by Sushila Chanu. The Tigers carried a slender advantage into halftime, having created further chances through penalty corners without adding to the scoreline. SG Pipers responded with sustained pressure after the break, forcing the Tigers’ defence into repeated interventions. Their persistence paid off in the 53rd minute when Preeti Dubey’s backhand effort deflected off the goalkeeper’s stick and rolled into the net to restore parity. With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time, the championship was decided in a shootout. Solanki shines as SG Pipers seal title In the shootout, SG Pipers captain Navneet Kaur, Juana …

Hockey India League: Tamil Nadu Dragons and SG Pipers play out thrilling 4-4 draw; hosts clinch shootout bonus | Hockey News

Hockey India League: Tamil Nadu Dragons and SG Pipers play out thrilling 4-4 draw; hosts clinch shootout bonus | Hockey News

Published by Webster

Tamil Nadu Dragons finished their home leg unbeaten, with one outright win and two shootout bonus points, after edging past SG Pipers in the tiebreaker following a pulsating 4-4 draw at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Friday. Amit Rohidas (9′), Tom Craig (18′), Paul Philipp Kaufmann (17’), and Selvaraj Kanagaraj (40’) scored a goal each for the Dragons, while Tomas Domene (13′, 18′), Ky Willott (38′), and Aditya Lalage (59′) netted goals for the Pipers in the regulation time in match that swung one way and then the other right through. The result also meant that Pipers are yet to win a match outright since the start of last season. Skipper Rohidas converted with a low hit from a penalty corner to give his side the lead. The Dragons appeared to double their advantage a minute later, but the goal was overturned following a successful review by the Pipers. Domene fired one in shortly after to restore parity, as the opening quarter ended 1-1. The second quarter produced a burst of drama as …

Men’s HIL: Tamil Nadu Dragons beat SG Pipers in shootout; earn bonus point

Men’s HIL: Tamil Nadu Dragons beat SG Pipers in shootout; earn bonus point

Published by Webster

Tamil Nadu Dragons clinched a crucial bonus point after edging past SG Pipers in a shootout, following a pulsating 4-4 draw in the 2025-26 Men’s Hockey India League on Friday. Amit Rohidas (9′), Tom Craig (18′), Paul Philipp Kaufmann (17’), and Selvaraj Kanagaraj (40’) scored a goal each for the Dragons, while Tomas Domene (13′, 18′), Ky Willott (38′), and Aditya Lalage (59′) netted goals for the Pipers in the regulation time. The Pipers made a proactive start to the clash, taking early control of possession and moving the ball quickly through the midfield. Their intent resulted in a circle entry within the opening two minutes and a penalty corner soon after, though they were unable to convert. The Dragons gradually found their rhythm and began mounting attacks of their own, which paid dividends when they earned a penalty corner that skipper Rohidas (9′) converted to give his side the lead. They appeared to double their advantage a minute later, but the goal was overturned following a successful review by the Pipers. Undeterred, SG Pipers …

Hockey India League: Ranchi Royals come alive in a dead rubber to beat final-bound SG Pipers 5-2 | Hockey News

Hockey India League: Ranchi Royals come alive in a dead rubber to beat final-bound SG Pipers 5-2 | Hockey News

Published by Webster

Speaking minutes before the match, Ranchi Royals midfielder Neha Goyal rued the fact that they didn’t have a serious drag flicking threat as a reason for why they missed out on qualifying for the final. The erstwhile Odisha Warriors who won the title last season, riding on the quality of Dutch star Yibbi Jansen – the world’s great from Penalty Corners at the moment – didn’t manage to convert enough of their chances earlier in the season. But in a dead rubber, they came alive in front of their home fans in Ranchi, scoring twice from PCs to defeat SG Pipers 5-2 in the last league match of the women’s Hockey India League in Ranchi. A clinical fourth-quarter display sealed the victory as the hosts finished third in the tournament. Lucina von der Heyde (2’, 47’) scored twice with her flicks, while Sangita Kumari (24’), and Hannah Cotter (55’, 60’) added field goals for the Royals, while Navneet Kaur (10’, 58’) netted a brace for the Pipers, who had already qualified for the final of …

Ranchi Royals overpower SG Pipers 5-2 to finish third in Women’s HIL

Ranchi Royals overpower SG Pipers 5-2 to finish third in Women’s HIL

Published by Webster

Ranchi Royals produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat SG Pipers 5-2 in their last Women’s Hero Hockey India League 2025-26 encounter, with a clinical fourth-quarter display sealing the victory as the hosts finished third in the tournament. Lucina von der Heyde (2’, 47’), Sangita Kumari (24’), and Hannah Cotter (55’, 60’) scored goals for the Royals, while Navneet Kaur (10’, 58’) netted a brace for the Pipers, who have already qualified for the final of the tournament. SG Pipers began the contest with early pressing, but Ranchi Royals quickly gained control and earned a penalty corner within the opening minute. Drag-flick specialist Lucina von der Heyde made no mistake, converting in the 2nd minute to give the Royals an early lead. The goal allowed Ranchi Royals to dictate the tempo for the next few minutes, before SG Pipers struck back through captain Navneet Kaur (10’), who found the back of the net to restore parity. With both sides exchanging goals, the opening quarter ended evenly poised at 1-1. The second quarter unfolded in end-to-end …

Hockey India League: Bengal Tigers qualify for Women’ HIL final after prevailing against SG Pipers in tense sudden death | Hockey News

Hockey India League: Bengal Tigers qualify for Women’ HIL final after prevailing against SG Pipers in tense sudden death | Hockey News

Published by Webster

The two teams that missed the cut for the final in the inaugural edition of Women’s Hockey India League will now clash for the title in the second season. For the second time in the league phase this year, there was nothing to separate Bengal Tigers and SG Pipers after four quarters of regulation time, and sudden death in the penalty shootout was required to determine who takes the bonus point, where Tigers prevailed 7-6 after 10 attempts for each team. With Tigers securing two points, Ranchi Royals were eliminated from the race for top two while Pipers had already qualified for the final that will be played on Saturday. The script was a bit different this time around as the first meeting between them ended in a high-scoring 3-3 draw, while the reverse fixture in Ranchi on Tuesday was a tense goalless affair. The Pipers were under defensive pressure for most of the evening but managed to keep the tournament’s leading goalscorer Agustina Gorzelany quiet from Penalty Corners, thanks largely to some excellent first-rushing …

Shrachi Bengal Tigers Edge SG Pipers in Shootout to Seal Women’s HIL Final Spot

Shrachi Bengal Tigers Edge SG Pipers in Shootout to Seal Women’s HIL Final Spot

Published by Webster

Shrachi Bengal Tigers booked their place in the Women’s Hockey India League 2025–26 final after edging past SG Pipers 0-0 (7-6) in a tense sudden-death shootout in Ranchi on Monday. The result earned the Tigers a crucial bonus point and set up a repeat clash against the Pipers in the summit showdown. In a striking repeat of their earlier league meeting, the contest once again ended goalless in regulation time before being decided in sudden death. While the outcome was decisive for the Tigers, the match carried little consequence for SG Pipers, who had already secured qualification for the final thanks to their commanding position at the top of the standings. Both teams began with intent in an evenly matched first quarter, trading early attacks. Shrachi Bengal Tigers earned an early penalty corner but failed to convert, while the Pipers responded with sustained possession and circle entries without finding a breakthrough. Goalkeepers dominate as shootout decides outcome The second and third quarters saw the Tigers apply consistent pressure, only to be denied repeatedly by SG …