JSW Soorma Hockey Club bounced back to winning form with a commanding 5-1 victory over Delhi SG Pipers in the Women’s Hero Hockey India League 2025 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi today.

Soorma Takes the Lead Early

Soorma started the match with intensity, putting pressure on the Pipers right away. In the 6th minute, Maria Verschoor passed to Charlotte Englebert on the left. Englebert’s low reverse sweep got past goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam, opening the scoring. Shortly after, Englebert and Charlotte Stapenhorst unleashed a series of shots. Although Bichu made some saves, Sonam reacted quickly to a rebound and doubled Soorma’s lead. Then, just a minute later, Englebert dodged past defenders and set up Stapenhorst, who lobbed the ball across goal. Sonam was in position again to score, making it 3-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Pipers Fight Back but Struggle to Connect

In the second quarter, Soorma kept up the pressure. Englebert and Stapenhorst continued to test Bichu with multiple shots, but the Pipers’ goalkeeper and defense stood firm. Meanwhile, the Pipers found some rhythm, with Preeti Dubey making a run into the circle and lifting the ball across the goal. Unfortunately, no teammate could connect with it. Soorma dominated the midfield, with Verschoor and Englebert creating more chances, but the Pipers’ defense held on.

Pipers Narrow the Lead

As the third quarter began, the Pipers tried a new strategy by using aerial passes to bypass Soorma’s press. In the 36th minute, Soorma increased their lead when Englebert passed to Stapenhorst, who scored past Elodie Picard. However, the Pipers responded quickly. In the 38th minute, Navneet Kaur found Sangita Kumari high up the pitch, and Kumari launched a powerful shot past Savita to pull one goal back, making it 4-1. Despite the Pipers’ attempt to gain momentum, Soorma’s defense held strong for the rest of the quarter.

Soorma Closes the Match with a Final Goal

In the final quarter, Soorma slowed the tempo to maintain possession. The Pipers earned their first penalty corner in the 50th minute, but Savita easily blocked Manisha Chauhan’s flick. The Pipers kept pushing forward, and Charlotte Watson surged into the circle, but her shot lacked power. With five minutes remaining, the Pipers earned another penalty corner, but Lily Owsley failed to redirect Deepika’s effort toward goal. In the final minute, Soorma earned a penalty corner, and Penny Squibb calmly placed the ball into the top left corner to seal the 5-1 win.