Bhubaneswar: Odisha girls claimed the bronze medal in the 14th Hockey India Sub-Junior Women’s National championship which concluded at Secunderabad on Friday.
Odisha rode Priyanka Minz’s first-quarter hat-trick to down Mizoram 4-3 in the third-place playoff clash.
After Anjan
a Xaxa gave Odisha the lead four minutes into the match, Priyanka destroyed Mizoram with three goals in the space of four minutes inside the opening 15 minutes.
Up 4-0 in the first quarter itself, Odisha took their foot off the pedal in the second half to give Mizoram a semblance of hope.
Mizoram, who trailed 1-4 at half-time, scored twice through Vanlalrinhlui (36’, 52’). But the equaliser remained elusive for Mizoram as a determined Odisha side ensured victory and earned Rs 1 lakh.
Jharkhand lifted the title beating Madhya Pradesh 1-0 in a well-contested final to pocket a cheque for Rs 3 lakh.
Hemrom Leoni scored the matchwinner in the closing moments of the first quarter.
Jharkhand remained unbeaten in the tournament, conceding just one goal in regular play – against Odisha in the semifinal. Odisha ran Jharkhand close only to lose 2-3 in the shootout after the teams were level 1-1 in regulation time.