Diamonds into netball gold medal game with big win over New Zealand
Australia's run of consecutive Commonwealth golds in the women's hockey is over after New Zealand came up the stronger in a 4-1 win against the Hockeyroos.
New Zealand looked up for the fight from the start, at first resisting Australian pressure before making a true contest of it in a tight, tense match.
Shiloh Gloyn hammered home in the second period to stun the Hockeyroos and put New Zealand 1-0 to the good at a rain-soaked Gold Coast Hockey Centre.
Rose Keddell then doubled the lead for New Zealand in the third quarter, before Olivia Merry drilled in a third from a penalty corner to seal gold for the Black Sticks.
The seeds of revival were sown when Jodie Kenny drag-flicked the ball in from a penalty corner to bring the deficit back to 3-1.
Australia rolled the dice by bringing off the 'keeper as outfielder Edwina Bone stepped in, leaving the Hockeyroos exposed on the break, but New Zealand struggled to get a telling shot on target.
However, the Black Sticks iced the win from another penalty corner as Anita McLaren applied the finish.
The result denies the Hockeyroos a fourth-consecutive gold at the Commonwealth Games, with New Zealand claiming its first triumph in women's hockey.
Diamonds to play England for netball gold
Australia has qualified for the gold medal game in netball, with a 65-44 win over New Zealand in the semi-finals to set up a final against England.
The Diamonds went in as hot favourites, given the Black Ferns' stunning 57-53 Pool B loss to Malawi and a 54-45 defeat to England before the knockout stages.
New Zealand hopes of a rebound against their old rivals took an early hit, with Australia jumping to an 18-12 lead after one quarter.
By half-time the Diamonds led 32-21, and as New Zealand continued to struggle in attack, the Black Ferns were trailing by an even 20 goals with a quarter left.
Playing for pride, the New Zealand side held the Australians almost level in the final quarter, but it was an easy victory for Lisa Alexander's team.
Caitlin Thwaites was Australia's top-scorer with 24 goals out of 25 attempts, and there was solid support from Caitlin Bassett with 17 goals and 15 from Susan Pettitt.
Goal attack Maria Folau played a lone hand for the Black Ferns with 32 goals, but it was nowhere near enough.
Earlier, England and Jamaica played out a thrilling semi-final, with the English grabbing a place in the gold medal game with a 56-55 win courtesy of a final-second goal from Jo Harten.
Jamaica had led by six goals at half-time, before the English narrowed the gap to four with a quarter to play.
The scores were level with 20o seconds to play, as England went in search of the winner.
Helen Housby missed a shot to win the match, but the ball came back to Harten, who held her nerve to net the decisive goal as time ran out.
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ABC .net
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