Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Northland hockey: Women's team earns fourth NHL silver medal in six years

Adam Pearse
By Adam Pearse
Deputy Political Editor·Northern Advocate·
23 Sep, 2019 10:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

While the medal around their necks wasn't gold, Northland's top women's hockey team impressed with their second-place finish at the National Hockey League competition. Photo / Simon Watts - Hockey NZ

While the medal around their necks wasn't gold, Northland's top women's hockey team impressed with their second-place finish at the National Hockey League competition. Photo / Simon Watts - Hockey NZ

For the fourth time in six years, Northland's top women's hockey team have taken home silver at the National Hockey League (NHL) competition last week in Tauranga.

The Northland team, which featured Black Sticks legends Stacey Michelsen, Ella Gunson and Brooke Neal, couldn't overcome the 2018 champions, North Harbour, in the final on Sunday, losing 2-nil.

Current Black Sticks player Steph Dickins proved to be the difference as she netted North Harbour's two goals in the first quarter from two penalty corners. Despite earning about seven penalty corners themselves, Northland couldn't finish in front of goal and walked away with yet another silver medal.

Northland's Tyla Goodsell-Matthews takes the ball forward in their game against Central on Saturday. Photo / Simon Watts - Hockey NZ
Northland's Tyla Goodsell-Matthews takes the ball forward in their game against Central on Saturday. Photo / Simon Watts - Hockey NZ

"It was really sad, we've had a few stabs at that title and we haven't quite come away with it," Northland captain Gunson said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I was wondering if this would be the year and I was hoping it would be, but it wasn't to be."

Considering the squad's first full gathering was during their first game against Central on September 14, Northland's appearance in the final of New Zealand's premier women's hockey competition was a mammoth achievement.

After beating Central in a shootout finish, Northland then lost to Midlands in another shootout before beating Capital to qualify top in their pool and progress into the top four.

Northland started the final qualifiers poorly with a 3-1 loss to North Harbour before bouncing back against Canterbury, winning 4-2. The ladies in blue slipped past Central once more to make the final against North Harbour on Sunday afternoon.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Northland squad featured nine debutants to the NHL level. Gunson said to make the final with such youth and inexperience was an incredible effort.

"To have [the younger players] throughout the week just getting better and better and they were so keen to learn, it really meant a lot to the whole team and it was part of the reason we got to the final."

Northland defend a penalty corner (from left) Ella Gunson, Nicky Howes (GK), Brooke Neal, Naomi Evans, Tyla Goodsell-Matthews (obscured). Photo / Simon Watts - Hockey NZ
Northland defend a penalty corner (from left) Ella Gunson, Nicky Howes (GK), Brooke Neal, Naomi Evans, Tyla Goodsell-Matthews (obscured). Photo / Simon Watts - Hockey NZ

Gunson, who has played almost 250 games for the Black Sticks and featured in all four of Northland's second-place finishes at the NHL competition, said the chance to play for Northland again was worth the disappointment of another silver medal.

"I always love to play for Northland, I take any chance I can to play for them.

Discover more

Call to support local artists

24 Sep 11:30 PM

"I find that Northland has something other regions don't, that real pride and playing a mongrel kind of style which shows how much we care about Northland."

Northland women's coach Angeline Waetford said she was incredibly proud of how her team played throughout the week, and she hoped it would inspire Northland's young talent to stick with the team.

"Taking nine players who've never played NHL before, it's incredible... it was really pleasing to see those new players play around [the Black Sticks] and learn so quickly," she said.

"When you see us in the final and then teams like Midlands with 10 past and present Black Sticks coming fifth, it's a real testament to our character and to Northland, we are battlers and we get on with it."

Northland's top men's hockey team also competed last week at the national senior men's tournament (a tier below the NHL) in Tauranga. After playing well to qualify in the top four, Northland were unlucky to lose the bronze medal match 2-1 to Waikato.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Sport

Māori All Blacks beaten by Scotland

Northern Advocate

'Incredible': Northland retirees become world champs in new sport

Sport

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Māori All Blacks beaten by Scotland
Sport

Māori All Blacks beaten by Scotland

Visitors bounce back after a flying start from the hosts in Whangārei.

05 Jul 05:39 AM
'Incredible': Northland retirees become world champs in new sport
Northern Advocate

'Incredible': Northland retirees become world champs in new sport

27 Jun 07:00 PM
NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep
Sport

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

25 Jun 10:36 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP