Elite Ladies Indoor Hockey Challenge 2023
Competition Format
Pool Round
There are a total of eight teams participating in this year’s competition. These teams will be divided into two pools (Pool A and Pool B) with four teams each. Each team in each pool will play all the other teams in that pool in a round robin competition to determine a pool ranking – i.e. each team will play three matches in the pool stage. (Ranking will be determined as explained in detail below.)
The score at the end of the regulation time of these pool matches will be registered as the result of the match. Points will be allocated as follows:
3 Points for a Win - 1 Point for a Draw - 0 points for a Loss
Cross Pool Round
Once the pool matches are complete, the finishing ranking of each team in each pool will determine which teams paly each other in the Cross-Pool Round or Quarter-Final round. There will be four Quarter-Final matches, assigned as follows:
Match winners go on to play Semi-finals, while the match losers go onto Play-off matches.
Semi-finals & Play-offs
The Cross Pool (quarter-final) results will determine which teams play each other in the Semi-final matches and bottom-four Play-off matches, which will be played as follows:
Winners of the two semi-finals will go onto play in the Gold Medal match. The losers will play for the Bronze Medal.
Winners of the Play-offs play for position 5 and 6, while the losers play for position 7 and 8.
Final Round
Teams will then play a FINAL classification match to determine their ultimate position in the tournament. The teams participating in each classification match is determined by the results of the cross pool and semi-final matches as follows:
Winner of the FINAL will receive the Gold Medal, with the loser receiving the Silver Medal.
Winner of the 3rd/4th match will receive the Bronze Medal.
Pool Rankings
In each pool, teams will be ranked according to the number of points each has accumulated in the competition.
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If at the end of the pool matches two or more teams have the same number of points for any place in a pool, these teams will be ranked according to their respective number of matches won.
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If there remains equality among two or more teams, then these teams will be ranked according to their respective goal difference (which means “goals for” less “goals against”). A positive goal difference always takes precedence over a negative one.
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If there still remains equality among two or more teams, these teams will be ranked according to their respective number of “goals for”’.
Should there still remain equality among two teams, then the result of the match played between those teams will determine the ranking of the tied teams.
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If more than two teams are involved, then a ranking based upon the results of the matches among (only) them shall determine their respective position, based upon the points awarded in accordance with the paragraph, above. If there remains equality, the teams involved shall be ranked according to the paragraphs above,
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If there still remains equality among two or more teams, then these teams will be ranked according to the number of Field Goals scored in the pool matches.
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Should there still remain equality among two teams, the ranking will be determined by a shoot-out competition between those teams (as specified in the shoot-out rules, attached).
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If more than two teams are involved, then each team will play a shoot-out competition against the other teams in the same sequence of play as the order of play in the competition, but with one round of 3 shoot-outs only to be taken compulsorily by each team.
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A ranking will then be established based upon the results of the round of the shoot-out competition only, with the award for each play of 3 points to the team having scored the highest number of goals, 1 point to each team having scored an equal number of goals and 0 points to the team having scored the lowest number of goals.
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If equality remains then teams having an equal number of points shall be ranked according to paragraphs a, b, c and d as applied to goals recorded during the shoot-out competition.
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If an equal position of three (or more) teams still remains thereafter, the same procedure shall be repeated until the teams can be ranked. The Technical Delegate shall make a draw to establish each sequence of play if such further rounds of shoot-outs are required.