Rai girls dominate Day 1 of hockey meet

A spirited atmosphere marked the start of the All-India IPSC Hockey Girls (U-19) Championship at The Punjab Public School (PPS), Nabha, on Tuesday, where four prominent teams — Motilal Nehru School of Sports (MNSS), Rai; Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls’ School (MGD), Jaipur; Welham Girls’ School (WGS), Dehradun; and the hosts PPS — assembled for the much-awaited three-day tournament. Headmaster Dr DC Sharma presided over the opening-day proceedings.

The league stage opened with MNSS, Rai delivering a commanding performance, defeating MGD, Jaipur 5-0. Displaying exceptional coordination, pace and precision, MNSS established themselves early as strong contenders for the championship. The second match saw PPS Nabha take on WGS, Dehradun in a tightly fought contest. PPS maintained steady pressure and created multiple scoring opportunities, but WGS defended resiliently. The game concluded in a 1-1 draw, with both teams showcasing grit and balance in offence and defence.

In their second outing, PPS once again demonstrated consistency, playing a 1-1 draw against MGD, Jaipur. While PPS dominated possession for large stretches, MGD capitalised on counterattacks, resulting in an evenly matched encounter where neither side could secure a decisive edge. The final match of the opening day witnessed MNSS, Rai extending their winning streak with an emphatic 6-0 victory over WGS, Dehradun.