The New Zealand women's hockey team finished the business end of the Champions Challenge hockey tournament in Catania, Sicily today with a 0-2 loss to Germany.
The Black Sticks have a record of one win and three losses from the tournament which was described as an important rebuilding opportunity.
After a restday tomorrow the New Zealanders will face tournament minnows Italy. However, their brightest prospect is a play-off for third and fourth on Monday (NZ time).
Spain and Germany are likely to meet for top honours.
The Germans were too strong for the Black Sticks in much of today's encounter notching both goals in the first half.
However, the Black Sticks rallied in the second half and acquitted themselves well, according to team manager Kay Noakes.
"We have to remember that the Germans are building up for their Olympic qualifying period while we are in a rebuilding mode.
"Our girls did much better in the second half and did not allow the Germans to dominate," she said.
"We can take heart from today's effort."
The Black Sticks' one win in the tournament so far was a 2-0 result over the United States.
They opened with a close 2-1 loss to Japan, and were pipped by the highly fancied Spanish team 1-0 yesterday.
New Zealand 0 Germany 2
Japan 7 Italy 0
Standings P W D L F A Pts
1. Germany 4 4 0 0 12 3 12
2. Spain 4 3 1 0 7 2 10
3. Japan 4 2 1 1 12 5 7
4. New Zealand 4 1 0 3 3 5 3
5. United States 4 1 0 3 6 9 3
6. Italy 4 0 0 3 4 19 0
Note: Teams ranked by points, then games won, then goal difference, then goals for
