Northlanders take step up to international level

Northland players were influential in the Black Sticks' improved test performances against world No4 side China at Hamilton and Pukekohe this week.
The experience gained from facing second-ranked Argentina at Whangarei and Pukekohe in a three-test series days before encountering China was beneficial and, while the New Zealand team went without a win, their results were respectable against top-class sides.
Northland players Ella Gunson, Anna Thorpe, Sam Harrison and Stacey Michelsen - all Black Sticks' debutantes only four days earlier at Whangarei - lined up for the first test against China at Hamilton on Monday, where the Kiwis were beaten 3-2.
On Tuesday, fellow Northlanders Jasmin McQuinn and Charlotte Harrison were in action, with China scoring a 4-2 victory in Pukekohe.
Charlotte Harrison was impressive, playing her 61st test for New Zealand, when she scored late in the game to take the Black Sticks to within a goal of China for a brief moment.
"China were just as hard as Argentina - they are fourth in the world and were silver medallists at the Olympics and they still have a core group from there," Black Sticks coach Mark Hager said.
"We altered our defence and attack a bit which seemed to work - but what was disappointing was we had opportunities to win on Tuesday but we were not clinical in front of the goal."
 Overall, Hager was pleased with how the youthful side stepped up against both sides.
"We never played the same team and rotated all 24 players who had a minimum of three games each ... so in hindsight, we didn't settle into any one team and, from that respect, our performances were pleasing."
The next challenge for the Black Sticks will be facing Australia  in the Oceania Cup at Invercargill, from August 20-24.
To get a feel of how the Australian girls are shaping up, Hager said he would head across the Tasman this weekend to watch the Champions' Trophy in Sydney, where Argentina and China were headed  after their time in New Zealand.
"After that tournament, we will choose a team of 18 to play Australia next week," he said.
Whangarei's  Thorpe returned home early yesterday  after a hectic week which gave her plenty of food for thought.
She said she could not have asked for a better Black Sticks' debut - scoring a goal in front of her home crowd on her home turf - and the experience of playing such quality teams would definitely help her develop as a player.
"I did the best I could - but when I reflected and watched video footage I would think 'why did I do that'? - but that's hockey," she said.
During the test matches against China, Thorpe said the team responded with improved hockey after being slightly overwhelmed at the "amazing skills" of the Argentinian team.
"We had more attacking opportunities against China and it was good to see the girls get ahead of the ball - it was very promising and the score didn't reflect the game. I thought we could win the first match, we were in control for most of the game," she said.
Thorpe's club side, Maungakaramea, has the bye in the Northland Premier Women's league this weekend so the midfielder will get a short break before regrouping in Auckland for Black Sticks' training and crossing her fingers to see if she  makes the Oceania Cup side.