The Black Sticks women were lucky to keep their Oceania Cup hopes alive after weathering a torrid last 20 minutes to draw 3-3 with Australia in Hobart today.
The Black Sticks will need to win by two goals in their final game tomorrow if they are to win the series after they were beaten in the first test on Thursday 2-1.
Clinical finishing from penalty corners ensured the Black Sticks went into half time with a handy 3-1 lead over the Hockeyroos but they needed to scramble on defence late in the second spell to avoid defeat.
The Black Sticks got on the scoreboard in the 10th minute with a clinical conversion by Gemma Flynn from a penalty corner. A second penalty corner one minute later saw Sam Harrison score following a goal-mouth scramble to take a 2-0 lead.
Australia pegged one back after the ball took a deflection on the Hockeyroos' third penalty corner but Anita Punt scored with 10 minutes left in the first half with a slick shot following a great penetrating run by Stacey Michelsen to give the Black Sticks a handy halftime lead.
The second half started in similar fashion to how the first finished with both teams testing the opposition but with limited scoring opportunities. The Australians found some added energy when they scored from a penalty corner 15 minutes into the half as they sniffed a chance to get back into the match.
A soft yellow card to Black Sticks captain Kayla Sharland with 10 minutes remaining resulted in the Kiwis dropping to 10 players and the Hockeyroos made the most of it to level the scores.
Some desperate defence and a little luck enabled the Black Sticks to come away with a hard-fought draw and take the series to a decider in the third and final match tomorrow.
Coach Mark Hager said after the game he was happy with the penalty corner conversion rate today, but basic skill errors and a lack of presence in the midfield allowed Australia to get on top in the second half.
If tomorrow's game is drawn, Australia will win the series on goal difference. If the Black Sticks win by one goal, extra time will be played to determine the winner of the series.
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