It was the same old story for the Black Sticks when they were beaten 3-1 by the United States in the second of their two women's hockey internationals at Clareville on Sunday, only this time the result was different.
Their inability to make the most of their scoring opportunities had been the major blot on the Black Sticks performance when they had battled their way to a 1-0 victory the previous day to keep the six-test series alive but this time it cost them dearly, losing them the game and giving the United States a 3-2 (with one draw) series win.
For both the two opening quarters, and the fourth and final quarter as well, the Black Sticks dominated in possession and territory and should have had a lot more to show for their efforts than just the goal scored by Gemma Flynn in the second quarter that gave them a 1-0 advantage. The tightness of the United States defence - and particularly that of goalkeeper Alesha Waddell - was certainly a factor in their lack of finish, but even more so was their tendency to rush passes when a more composed approach could have paid better dividends.
United States, by contrast, were ruthless when it came to turning scoring chances into goals.Whatever was said to them at the halftime break worked wonders for they started the third quarter with a hiss and a roar and scored three goals in a five-minute span. Paige Selenski, Lauren Pfeiffer and Melissa Gonzalez all managed to get their names on the scoresheet as the visitors ensured the Black Sticks would have to come up with something special in the last 15-minute quarter to save the game and the series.
A couple of penalty corner and some spirited attacking play, especially from Canterbury striker Sophie Cocks, who was playing her 50th test for her country, did have the Black Sticks back calling the tune in those closing stanzas but, try as they might, they could not add to their goal tally.
