Women’s EuroHockey Indoor Club Challenge I (Kutaisi, Georgia)

Copenhagen HC lead the way after two impressive wins from two after the first day of the women’s EuroHockey Indoor Club Challenge I in Kutaisi.

They are five points clear overnight ahead of HK Zelina who won their only game while hosts Ukimerioni Kutaisi are also on five points but with two games played.

The Danish side’s corner routines impressed in their opening game as they netted three of them against Trondheim LKH, running out 6-1 winners.

Laura Kristiansen got them up and running with the first of an eventual hat trick and Hanna Schnasse made it 2-0 at half-time. Aiste Kavaliauskiene got one back just after half-time but further goals from Schnasse and Kristiansen and one from Chiara Stichling saw Copenhagen pull away.

Sude Nur Kurt propelled Kutaisi (pictured above) to an opening 3-2 victory against KPH Rača, grabbling the winner six minute from the end. Early one, they had built a 2-0 lead via Lidila Zoidze and Kurt but Lia Leffers and Lenka Horáčková saw the Slovaks fight back to equalise in Q3.

Zelina proved too strong for Trondheim in the third game of the day, opening their campaign with a 9-2 win. Lucija Nizek stole the show with a set of five goals as they built a 4-1 half-time lead and continued to pull away as time wore on.

The day concluded with Copenhagen getting their second win, a composed 5-0 victory over Kutaisi. They led from the fifth minute and were in the clear with Aurelia Czekay, Schnasse and Stichling all weighing in.

Day two sees Rača face Zelina in the morning before Kutaisi take on Trondheim; the afternoon session features Trondheim against Rača and Copenhagen complete the day against Zelina.