The Australian women's hockey team has been knocked out of the Rio Olympics after suffering a 4-2 defeat at the hands of their rivals from across the ditch, the New Zealand Black Sticks.
The world No.3 Aussies were behind after seven minutes into their quarter-final match up when Anita McLaren struck for the Black Sticks before Kelsey Smith deflected in from a penalty corner to give New Zealand a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Australia clawed back in the third quarter with a goal to Kathryn Slattery which was quickly cancelled out by Gemma Flynn before Charlotte Harrison hit the back of the net just before the end of the term.
The Aussies pulled one back in the dying moments through Slattery, who lifted the ball into the roof of the goal from two metres out.
The loss comes on the back of a disappointing tournament for the men's side, who had lost their quarter final to the Netherlands a day earlier.
It was the first Olympics since 1984 that Australia's sides had failed to secure a hockey medal.
