The Black Sticks women have reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Europe after finishing pool play undefeated with a 4-3 victory over India on Friday.
The Kiwi side finished top of "group of death", which also included England and China, despite India jumping out to an early lead on Friday morning.
Olivia Merry tied things up for the Black Sticks late in the first quarter.
The Black Sticks once again had to rely on their solid penalty corner defence in their final pool game as they kept India at bay through the second quarter before Tess Jopp made the most of a loose ball in the final minute of the first half to give her side the lead.
Megan Hull then made the most of her 50th cap by pushing the Kiwi lead to 3-1 in the third quarter off a penalty corner before India clawed a goal back.
Merry restored the two-goal lead with her second goal of the match though - a strike that would prove pivotal as India again bounced back and looked threatening in the final seconds of the match with two last penalty corners.
However, as it has so far this tournament, the Black Sticks' penalty corner defence remained resolute and kept the Kiwi side in front.
New Zealand will play either Germany or South Africa in the quarter-finals on July 13.
SHARE ME