Merry credits ‘white line fever’ for scoring exploits
As is the case with many who are among the best in the world at what they do, Olivia Merry finds it a bit hard to explain.
She scored four goals as the Black Sticks beat Belgium in the FIH Pro League last weekend, becoming the country’s all-time leading scorer.
With 106 to her name after that match, she had one more than former team-mate Anita McLaren, having already left the likes of Krystal Forgesson (77), Katie Glynn (77) and Gemma McCaw nee Flynn (72 – and counting, again) well behind.
Merry isn’t one who seeks the limelight – and she is grateful for what she’s learnt over the years from those she has now surpassed.
‘‘I’ve always looked up to them as goalscorers . . . to top all of them, it seems surreal, because they were – and still are – my idols.’’
Merry has been a goalscorer since she was a youngster in Christchurch, and while she has an explanation for why she’s so good at it, it doesn’t come easy.
‘‘It’s a hard one to explain,’’ she says. ‘‘But it’s that white line fever. ‘‘I’m a bit bigger than most of the females that play international hockey, so I guess that helps – the presence I have in the attacking circle is one of my strengths.
‘‘My attitude is that if anyone gets in the way between the ball and the goal, they’re probably going in the goal with it.’’
Merry had had a few days to reflect on her achievement before she spoke to Stuff, ahead of this weekend’s Pro League clashes with Great Britain, but said it still felt ‘‘a bit surreal’’.
‘‘With goals, it’s a bit different to most personal milestones. I feel like goals are about the team and I’ve always had that approach.
‘‘I think it’s an awesome milestone to achieve, but they’re definitely the team’s goals. I’m often just the one that’s lucky, at the end of the day, to put the ball in the back of the net.’’
Merry’s climb to the top of the Black Sticks’ goalscoring chart came after she was the top scorer in the Pro League in 2019, netting 15 times, five more than anyone else.
‘‘It’s not really something I strive for and it was a bit of a surprise,’’ she said.
‘‘With the Pro League finals, the girls involved had more opportunity to score goals because they played an extra couple of games.
‘‘It was a bit weird how it happened, but I was pretty stoked. I guess I’ve been involved with the Black Sticks now for eight years, so it was nice to finally have a bit of success.’’
After taking on Great Britain this weekend in Auckland, the Black Sticks will head south, to Merry’s hometown of Christchurch, where they have their last two sets of home matches, against the United States and Argentina.
‘‘It seems like there is often a bit of an exodus up to Auckland for hockey players, so to bring hockey back to Christchurch is pretty cool,’’ Merry said.
‘‘I’m often just the one that’s lucky, at the end of the day, to put the ball in the back of the net.’’ Olivia Merry
‘‘There’s coaches and players that I’ve grown up with over the years that are down there, so for them to be able to see you out there on the world stage is pretty cool.’’ Reflecting on her 106 goals, Merry picked out four that were especially memorable – her late winner in the 2017 World League semifinal against England; the strike that helped the Black Sticks beat Australia in the Commonwealth Games gold medal match in 2018; and a brace in front of a packed crowd in the Netherlands last year.