Women’s HIL: Pipers crack the shootout puzzle against Tigers, emerge champions

Women's HIL

SG Pipers emerged as champions of the Women's Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2025-26, defeating Shrachi Bengal Tigers 3-2 in a tense shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation time during the final at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Stadium in Ranchi on January 10, 2026. This victory marked SG Pipers' maiden title in the league's second edition, overturning their fourth-place finish from the inaugural season, and earned them a prize of ₹1.5 crore, while the runners-up Tigers received ₹1 crore.

The match was a defensive masterclass, with both teams struggling to convert opportunities in a low-scoring affair. Shrachi Bengal Tigers took the lead in the 16th minute through Lalremsiami's clinical finish from a penalty corner variation, capitalizing on a rebound. SG Pipers, coached by Sofie Gierts, mounted sustained pressure in the latter stages and equalized in the 53rd minute when Preeti Dubey's backhander deflected off Tigers' goalkeeper Jennifer Rizzo and into the net. Despite multiple penalty corners (Pipers had 7, Tigers 5), neither side could find a winner in regulation, leading to the shootout.

In the shootout, SG Pipers displayed composure under pressure. Captain Navneet Kaur, Juana Castellaro, and Lola Riera converted their attempts, while goalkeeper Bansari Solanki made two crucial saves to seal the 3-2 win. For Tigers, successful conversions came from Deepika and Momoko Ishibashi, but misses from Lalremsiami and others proved costly. This was the third sudden-death encounter between the teams this season, with Tigers having prevailed in the previous two league meetings, making Pipers' triumph even more dramatic.

Pipers' coach Gierts praised the team's resilience, calling it a "tour de force," while Tigers' efforts were lauded for their defensive solidity despite the loss. The final capped a successful tournament, highlighting the growth of women's hockey in India.

Team	Regulation Score	Goal Scorers	Shootout Result	Key Stats
SG Pipers	1	Preeti Dubey (53')	3 (Navneet Kaur, Juana Castellaro, Lola Riera)	Penalty Corners: 7 Shots on Goal: 8 Possession: 52%
Shrachi Bengal Tigers	1	Lalremsiami (16')	2 (Deepika, Momoko Ishibashi)	Penalty Corners: 5 Shots on Goal: 6 Possession: 48%