Manabu Hatakeyama of Japan stretches for the ball during the match against the Black Sticks. File photo / Getty Images
It was a big improvement from the Black Sticks men with a 3-0 second test win against Japan at the National Hockey Stadium in Wellington.
In the first half the Kiwis were sharp, holding the majority of possession and continuously forcing Japan to scramble in defence.
The attacking pressure paid
off when Black Sticks drag flicker Nick Haig capitalised off a penalty corner with a direct flick to the keeper's left.
The second goal came from the captain of the series, Simon Child, who perfectly dribbled it along the baseline finding local Jacob Smith who deflected it in.
It continued going the Kiwis way in the third quarter, Simon Child finding Smith again who tomahawked it to the back of the net, ricocheting off the keeper's glove on the way through.
