Dutch Win in Dramatic Shootout vs. Germany
Ellen Hoog sent the Netherlands to the gold medal match scoring the game-winning goal in a sudden death shootout with Germany.
After ending leveled at 1-1, it came down to a penalty shootout. Both teams started out with makes, but things looked shaky for the Dutch who missed their next two goals in a row.
Germany missed three in a row to follow, which put the shootout into sudden death mode. Both teams put one into the cage, sending it into yet another sudden death round.
After Joyce Sombroek made the stop on a Germany shot, in came Hoog, who had missed her first attempt in the shootout. She drilled it, which sealed her team’s shot at a third consecutive gold medal.
Germany proved to be the biggest test the Netherlands had faced in the tournament thus far.
The Germans went up on the Dutch in the first quarter after a goal from Lisa Schutze, but Dutch captain Maartje Paumen tied it up early in the second with a drag flick shot on a penalty corner attempt.
For the second half of play, the Netherlands pounded at the Germany defense. The Dutch dominated the possession clock, and thought they had a goal when Ellen Hoog sent one soaring into the cage. However, it would be too high and disallowed, keeping the score even at one goal.
Germany’s defense held strong to send the game into a penalty shootout, where Hoog and Sombroek brought in the victory for the Dutch.