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Field hockey China's last chance for team gold

Friday, 22nd August 2008 ~ Maggie ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

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After losses for China's women's basketball and volleyball teams last night, China has just one shot remaining at a gold medal in a team sport. The women's field hockey team takes on the Netherlands in the final tonight at 8:30, Beijing time. China upset European champions and 2004 gold medalists Germany to reach tonight's final.

Both the women's basketball and volleyball teams lost in semifinal games Thursday night,. The basketball team was handled easily by Australia, 90-56, sending coach Tom Maher's team to play Russia for the bronze on Saturday. Australia had a
balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures. China's high scorer was Bian Lan with 20. Australia held Miao Lijie, averaging 19.5 points going into the game, to just 10 points and two made field goals. The Australians face the USA Saturday in the final.

The volleyball team lost to Olympic favorite Brazil, 3-0, on Thursday. The first set was the hardest fought, with Brazil emerging 27-25. The Chinese team got progressively weaker, losing the next two sets 25-22 and 25-14. China plays Cuba for bronze on Saturday.

China's top team sport performance thus far in these Olympics was in beach volleyball, where its two women's pairs claimed silver and bronze.

Field hockey results page

Basketball results page

Volleyball results page

Field hockey team image: BOCOG

Tags: basketball, Beijing Olympics, field hockey, Miao Lijie, Olympics, Tom Maher, volleyball