Hockey5s Women's World Cup: India lose to Netherlands, finish runners-up
Muscat (PTI): India lost 2-7 to the Netherlands in the final to finish runners-up at the FIH Hockey5s Women's World Cup here.
Jyoti Chhatri (20th minute) and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (23rd) scored for India in the summit clash on Saturday.
Janneke van de Venne (2nd, 14th), Bente van der Veldt (4th, 8th) and Lana Kalse (11th, 27th) struck a brace each for the Netherlands, while Sosha Benninga (13th) was the other goal-getter.
For their exemplary performance in the FIH Hockey5s Women's World Cup, Hockey India has announced a cash award of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh each for the support staff.
Both the teams probed for their chances after the start and it wasn't long before the Netherlands found an opening.
Janneke van de Venne took a long-range shot which deflected off the Indian goalkeeper Rajani Etimarpu into the goal to hand Netherlands the lead.
Moments later, Bente van der Veldt found herself open in front of the Indian goal and smashed the ball into the net to double the lead.
A period of Netherlands dominance followed. Bente van der Veldt remained alert in front of the Indian goal as her quick overhead shot sailed past the Indian defence into the goal.
With four minutes to go in the first-half, Lana Kalse pounced on a loose ball and unleashed a powerful shot to make it 4-0 in Netherlands' favour.
Soon after, Sosha Benninga used a deft touch to bypass Rajani in goal and further extended their lead.
As the Netherlands continued to put pressure on the Indian defence, Janneke van de Venne capitalised on an opening and scored to end the first half 6-0 in the Netherlands' favour.
The Dutch dominance continued in the second-half, resulting in a challenge which was saved by Rajani.
India opened their account five minutes into the second-half as Jyoti found some space and struck a shot from distance to beat Netherlands' goalkeeper Kiki Gunneman.
Rutuja then received the ball under pressure, turned on a sixpence and breached Netherlands' goal to make it 6-2.
As India started to pile on the pressure, a quick counter-attack goal from Netherlands' Lana Kalse restored their five-goal cushion.
The Indians continued to test Netherlands' goalkeeper Kiki Gunneman but were unable to beat her.
In the final minute of the game, Netherlands were awarded a penalty stroke, however, Rajani saved the chance but it came too late.
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Indian-origin Catholic priest shot dead in Kansas
Seneca (US), Apr 4 (AP): An Indian-origin Catholic priest was shot and killed by a man who approached him at his parish rectory in the town of Seneca, Kansas, church officials said.
An Oklahoma man is being held on suspicion of the killing.
Officers called to the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca on Thursday afternoon found Arul Carasala with gunshot wounds outside the rectory, the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. The 57-year-old priest was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died.
“I am heartbroken to share the tragic news of the death of Fr. Arul Carasala, who was fatally shot earlier today," Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
"This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend.”
Carasala had been the pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca since 2011, according to his profile on the parish website.
Sheriff's deputies and officers with the Seneca Police Department later arrested Gary Hermesch of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Authorities say Hermesch, 66, is being held in the Nemaha County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder.
The Associated Press left a phone message with county prosecutor Brad Lippert seeking additional information.
Authorities have not released a possible motive for the shooting or said whether the suspect and the priest knew each other.
Kris Anderson, the parish's director of religious education, told the AP on Thursday through tears that she knew few details.
“From what we know, an older man walked up to him (Carasala) and shot him three times,” she said.
The priest's death left people in shock in Seneca, a city of about 2,100 where Carasala had been the pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church since 2011, according to his profile on the parish website. He was ordained as a priest in 1994 in his native India and had served in Kansas since 2004. He became a US citizen in 2011.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas said in a Facebook post that there was no ongoing threat to the community, but that he recognised the “pain and shock” the priest's death had brought to the community.
“Fr. Carasala was a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region,” he wrote.
“His love for Christ and His Church was evident in how he ministered to his people with great generosity and care. His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will deeply miss him.”
Seneca is about 60 miles (97 kilometres) north of Topeka, about 90 miles (145 kilometres) northwest of Kansas City and about 300 miles (480 kilometres) north of Tulsa.
