MUMBAI, SEPT 27: Defending champions Haryana and Orissa moved into the semi-finals of the BoB-sponsored 31st Junior Women's National hockey championship at the Mahindra Stadium here.In the semi-finals, to be played after a rest day tomorrow, Chandigarh take on Orissa in the first game and Haryana run into Karnataka.In the other match of the day, Maharashtra beat West Bengal but failed to advance on account of an inferior goal difference to Manipur.The Haryana-Bihar encounter was keenly contested. The pace set up by the two was blistering and goalmouth thrills were few and far between. Haryana, who had a slight edge over their opponents, eventually squeaked home with a stroke conversion through their captain and right-winger Meenakshi in the 56th minute.Play was halted after 11 minutes on account of pouring rain. It resumed after a break of 10 minutes and the soggy condition of the ground did not dither the spirit of the two who fought gallantly to the very end.Haryana came by ninepenalty-corners and Bihar five, but both failed to create an impression while executing them.The first chance of a goal came Haryana's way in the 21st minute. But Bihar goalkeeper Marita Tirkey confidently palmed away a Meenakshi try after a good move on the right flank between Meenakshi, inside-right Balwinder Kaur and centre-forward Simarjeet.Bihar also had a chance in the first-half. Inside-left Anita Ekka neatly beat a couple of defenders near the 25-yard line and then pushed forward to unmarked Pramila Ekka. The latter's weak push failed to get the better of Haryana goalkeeper Reetu Rani.Haryana mostly built up their moves from the right flank in the second session. One such move between right-winger Meenakshi, inside-right Balwinder and centre-forward Simarjeet Kaur resulted in a stroke when Bihar defender Shyama Purty blocked a goalbound ball with her body. Meenakshi scored with a stiff push to the right of goalkeeper Marita.MANIPUR MAULED: Runners-up in the last edition in '97 atJalandhar, Manipur suffered a humiliating 0-9 defeat at the hands of Orissa.Right-winger Ejren Dadel scored four goals, including a hat-trick, for the winners.Orissa were in control from the outset but they had to wait till the 17th minute to convert their superiority into terms of a goal which came through Ejren.Later Anna Karketta (2), Jascina Toppo, Bahamani Tirkey and Anjana Dhruva scored for Orissa.MAHRASHTRA EXIT: It was West Bengal who took the lead in the 35th minute through Koruna Patra against Maharashtra, this morning, after a goalless first-half.The goal made Maharashtra's task of scoring a 7-0 win all the more difficult. They did score thrice after that but bowed out despite the win.The goal scorers for Maharashtra were Sonal Navalakha, Vijaya Mogal and Aninta Shinde.
