We approached the match with enthusiasm and confidence in being able to play well in the heat and bring the series back level. We played much better hockey and created some very good scoring opportunities which we still need to get better at putting away. There seemed to be more aggression coming from our team and also more desire to win the match. We put some good goals away and ended up winning 2-1. I scored the first goal which is good for me individually as I feel I have been missing too many opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net. It was an exciting match today as it was Rachel Imisons 200th international match which is an extraordinary achievement for any player especially a goalkeeper. Rach is a very close friend of mine and someone whom I admire an enormous amount due to her dedication, passion for the game, her courage on the field and her friendship over the past 13 years. Well done Rach, I am so proud of you.

We approached the first match knowing Japan would be very hard to play and beat. they had come off some great results against china recently and have been playing some fantastic hockey. Sure enough we struggled during the match and ended up losing 4-2 to the Japanese team. They played some good hockey and unfortunately we were a bit soft at times and let the match slip out of our grasp. They made the most of opportunities and we missed too many opportunities. The easiest thing to remember about playing a game of hockey is simply if you score more goals then the opposition you win the match!!!!!! If only it was that easy to do each time. We analysed the match thoroughly in the evening and we can see the areas we need to improve to beat this team in the next match.

We began our Japanese tour with a 3 day stay in Hong Kong on the way over to get used to some heat and humidity as we will be expecting in Beijing. We had no hockey specific training but rather three days of interval running on the treadmills and some weights sessions. Due to the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong life there was nowhere we could run outside so we pounded the treadmills in the gym. It was also an opportunity for some team bonding over some different restaurant experiences and also some shopping days at the markets. I must say I was disappointed with shopping results as I could not really find anything to buy......that really is very different for me not to spend some money on shopping!

We then flew into Osaka and drove to Tenri University where we would be staying for the next 10 days. There was a hushed silence as we walked into our rooms to find our mattress on the floor and the pillows filled with rice.......mmmmm...where had the creature comforts that usually greet us disappeared to?  Where was my TV with plenty of channels, my fluffy doona and soft pillow and more importantly my room service? Ok time to adjust to a different culture. We slept poorly the first night on the mattress on the floor but then we slowly got used to it.....although every morning I still take a long time to roll onto the floor and stand up and stretch my back out.
 
It has been exceptionally hot and humid which is fantastic for us to get used to as it will be even hotter in china next month. The first couple of training sessions were very tough and we suffered in the heat. We were pushed very hard and everyone felt pretty tired and exhausted but at the same time we know we are getting a lot out of it both physically and mentally.