Hockey Odisha and Jharkhand Advance to Finals of Sub Junior Women National Championship 2025

Exciting Semi-Finals at the National Championship

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 12: The 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2025 – Division ‘A’ is nearing its conclusion, with Hockey Association of Odisha and Hockey Jharkhand securing their spots in the finals after impressive semi-final victories on Saturday at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi.

In the first semi-final, Hockey Association of Odisha triumphed over Hockey Haryana with a narrow 1-0 scoreline. The standout player, Sudipa Baa, made her mark by scoring the decisive goal in the 45th minute, breaking through Hockey Haryana's robust defense to ensure her team's place in the final.

The second semi-final saw Hockey Jharkhand also win by a score of 1-0 against Hockey Mizoram. Jirn Soy Munda was the hero of the match, netting the crucial goal in the 26th minute, which propelled Hockey Jharkhand into the championship match against Hockey Association of Odisha.

Earlier in the tournament, Hockey Association of Odisha showcased their strength by defeating Hockey Association of Bihar decisively with a 5-0 score. Ashika Samad initiated the scoring with a penalty corner in the 10th minute, followed by field goals from Priyanka Minz and Eleena Burh in the first half. The second half saw Gita Lakra converting another penalty corner, and Sweety Kujur adding a field goal to complete the rout.

Meanwhile, Hockey Jharkhand faced Hockey Madhya Pradesh in a thrilling encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw during regulation time. Nousheen Naz scored for Madhya Pradesh in the 33rd minute, but Sugan Sanga equalized for Jharkhand with a penalty corner conversion in the 44th minute. The match proceeded to a shootout, where Jharkhand narrowly won 5-4, thanks to successful attempts from Ankita Lakra, Shruti Kumari, Sugan Sanga, Pushpa Manjhi, and Sewani Kerketta. Madhya Pradesh managed to convert four attempts, but a missed shot by Tanvi proved to be a turning point.