“Ideal platform to make the cut for Senior Women's National Camp,” say players vying for top honours at the 13th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2023

~ The Semi final promises to be an exciting affair on Saturday, with Hockey Maharashtra taking on Hockey Haryana and Hockey Madhya Pradesh challenging Hockey Jharkhand for the Final berth ~

Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 25th February 2023: When Hockey Madhya Pradesh takes on Hockey Jharkhand in the second Semi final of the 13th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2023, Preeti Dubey will be the cynosure of the team's attack. Currently the top scorer of the tournament, Preeti has a total of 17 goals to her name which include three PCs and one penalty stroke too.

In 2016, Preeti was one of the youngest members of the Indian Women's Hockey team that qualified for their maiden Olympic Games in Rio. Touted to be one of the rising stars in the sport, Preeti could not rise to the occasion and has been in and out of the 33-member core group at the National Camp.

Speaking about the ongoing tournament, she said, "There is no better platform than the National Championships to be recognized and make a comeback into the core group. As a team, Hockey Madhya Pradesh has set our focus on a medal. Last time, we lost in the Quarterfinal but this time we have a mixed team of junior and senior players and stand a good chance to win a medal."

Similarly, her teammate in Hockey Madhya Pradesh Priyanka Wankhede too is looking at this prestigious tournament to catapult her career in the sport.

Priyanka, who has played for the junior India side in a Test Series against New Zealand, has also contributed to the team's success with a total of eight goals. From Seoni village, near Jabalpur in MP, Priyanka took to hockey because of her maternal aunt who was also a hockey player. "Hockey came to me naturally. Now my aim is to make a comeback into the core group, but it's not easy. There are a lot of players in the fringes who are waiting to be selected. The competition is high and one has to be really good to make the cut," she said.

Her opponent in tomorrow's game, Alka Dungdung of Hockey Jharkhand is also of the same opinion. "We saw some very good performances this time in the National Championships. But I am happy Hockey Jharkhand has managed to make the Semi finals. We have worked very hard this year and it feels great to see the Nationals being held the same way as any International match. We also have the video referrals this time which is a big exposure for us," stated the 24-year-old from Karnagora village in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand.

Born in a family of six sisters and two brothers, it was never easy for her parents who are farmers to fund her dreams of becoming a hockey player. It was her school that encouraged her to make a career out of the sport. "My family supported me even though they didn't have the money for it. I took up the sport from the age of 6 in school and today I have a job with the South Eastern Railways because of my achievements in domestic hockey," stated Alka who is currently the fourth top scorer in the tournament with 9 goals to her name.

A penalty corner specialist, Alka believes tomorrow's Semi final against Hockey Madhya Pradesh will be a do-or-die outing for them. "Entering the Final is our goal and MP is a strong side. We need to do well in both attack and defence. For many of us, the dream of making it to the next level in the sport rests on how we do tomorrow," she said, stressing over the fact that their fate could change with a call-up to the National Camp.

In the first Semi final of the day starting at 0900 hrs IST, Hockey Maharashtra will face off against Hockey Haryana. Leading Hockey Maharashtra's attack will be Shivani Sitaram Sahu who has 12 goals to her name and is the second top scorer of the tournament while her teammate Akansha Singh is the third top scorer of the tournament with 10 goals. "It's been a great team effort so far by the team. We are all set for a tough battle against Hockey Haryana. We will be playing to our strengths tomorrow," stated Shivani Sitaram Sahu. Meanwhile, Hockey Haryana Captain Shilpi Dabas said, "The team is excited about reaching the final four of the tournament and now we will give our 100 percent in tomorrow's game.

Please see attached images of players.

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