Hoc: It feels like a bad dream, Hockeyroos co-captain Hudson

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2008
Hoc: It feels like a bad dream, Hockeyroos co-captain Hudson

SYDNEY, Aug 19 AAP - Hockeyroos co-captain Nikki Hudson wiped away her tears this morning,
saying it feels like last night's Olympic loss to China was a bad dream.

The three-time Olympic champions are out of the Beijing Games with world No.5 China
qualifying ahead of Australia for tomorrow night's semi-finals.

Hudson said the loss was hard to believe.

"I'm sure they're (the rest of the team) feeling as I am and that's almost like we
wish it was a bad dream," she told the Seven Network this morning.

"But unfortunately it's not.

"We couldn't have asked to have done more and unfortunately it didn't go to plan in the end.

"It's just devastation because you spend four years trying to do as much as you possibly
can to win an event and for us it's the end of another era."

It was a must-win match against China for the rebuilding Australian women - never an
easy task against the hosts backed by a rabid home crowd.

Hudson said that while the Aussie contingent of the crowd did their best to over-power
the feisty Chinese fans, the home crowd had the advantage.

"Our Australian crowd tried desperately to match them and I think the Chinese let them
go for a little while and then sort of went, `Hey, it's our turn now'," she said.

"I've never heard Chinese be so vocal, it was amazing."

Hudson said dealing with the loss was made easier when you are a member of team.

"It's definitely easier to deal with it as a team because you've got such a great support
base and last night we all rallied around each other and it was great," she said.

"We only lost one game in the round, to lose one game and to be playing off for fifth
and sixth is quite disappointing ... we have to move on.

"You just have these great expectations and you can't settle for something less than that."

Hudson, who is one of the older members of the Hockeyroos at 32, said she tried to
console some of her younger teammates.

"The disappointment on these guys faces last night, it just broke our hearts," she said.

"Some of the younger ones were so distraught last night, I patted them on the back
and I said: `You guys are going to be around for such along time and if you'll allow me
I'd love to be the old girl that joins you'.

"They're just going to be a great bunch of girls and I think they're going to go a long way."

AAP nap/mo

KEYWORD: OLY08 HOCW HUDSON

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