Manawatu goalie Georgia Barnett in action for the Black Sticks against the United States at Fitzherbert Park.
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It was a huge step for Manawatu goalkeeper Georgia Barnett to find herself playing the world champion, the Netherlands.
That happened at the Champions Trophy in Mendoza, Argentina, recently.
After doing her time with the development squad and playing against the touring United States side, Barnett was added after Canterbury's Amelia Gibson broke her collarbone. Suddenly Barnett found herself at the age of 20 deputising for the 33-year-old Sally Rutherford.
"I'm still young and taking it as it comes," Barnett said.
Until Argentina she had played only a sprinkling of tests for New Zealand. Originally a cricket wicketkeeper and soccer player, now she has eight caps to her name.
When the Black Sticks played the Dutch in Argentina, they drew 1-all and were happy with that.
"We want to improve because we want to be able to beat them," Barnett said. "It's always exciting to play against a team like that."
She said it was probably the biggest way to test herself and was pleased with her performance. She did let in one goal off a drag flick from a penalty corner.
"That is such a crucial part of the game now for a goalkeeper," Barnett said.
She found Argentina a surreal place and crazy about hockey.
The Black Sticks also beat Japan 2-1, China 2-0 and England 3-2, drew 1-all with Australia only to lose 3-0 on strokes and lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in the bronze-medal match.
The penalty shootouts are becoming painful for New Zealand and it fell to Barnett to get in to goal to face them. She had impressed at saving penalties at training and in past games.
"They are becoming more frequent and we practise them quite a lot. It's always hard coming on when you haven't been involved in the game."
Often to prepare for the shootouts, she would be watching footage during the final quarter of matches and not watching the game.
"My job is to stop as many as I can."
She stopped one against world No 2 Australia, but the Black Sticks still lost. "Again we've come home without a medal."
Fellow Manawatu woman Michaela Curtis played in all of the games and got a lot of game time.
Early next year there are games against Canada in Whangarei, Italy are no longer coming, but there is the 8 Nations in Hawke's Bay.
* In women's hockey, the Black Sticks have beaten the Dutch twice, winning 3-2 in 1953 and in a penalty shootout in 1975. They have drawn five times.
- Manawatu Standard