Hockeyroos exit Rio after NZ loss

Four more years.

The Hockeyroos' long wait to add to their three Olympic gold medals just got longer.

Australia's 4-2 belting at the hands of New Zealand in the quarter-finals of the women's hockey competition ended a campaign that never really got going.

The result also means Australia will head to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics having not won a Games medal since their gold at Sydney in 2000.

Captain Madonna Blyth, Australia's most-capped female player with 342 appearances, announced shortly after the match this would be her final Olympics.

The 30-year-old from Brisbane stopped short of declaring her retirement, but admitted even the Commonwealth Games in 2018 on the Gold Coast would be a stretch.

"I put everything I had over the last six months into the lead-up to Rio, always knowing that this would be it," Blyth said.

"It's a little bit of a disappointing way to go out, but that's just the way it goes sometimes, you can't always have the fairytale finishes when you want them."

The world No.3 Hockeyroos were behind after seven minutes when Anita McLaren struck for the Black Sticks Women before Kelsey Smith deflected in from a penalty corner to give New Zealand a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Australia got one back through Kathryn Slattery in the third quarter which was quickly cancelled out by Gemma Flynn before Charlotte Harrison hit the back of the net for the world No.4 side just before the end of the term.

Slattery scored a late goal to give her a double in hot conditions in Deodoro.

"It's very disappointing for our girls considering we played some really good hockey but when it comes down to these games, you've got to be at your best or you get punished," Blyth said.

Coach Adam Commens, who announced before Rio he was stepping down from the role for family reasons, said the early goal was crucial.

"The scoreboard pressure changes the game. The Kiwis got their first chance ... it was a penalty corner, and they put it away," he said.

The coach believes the future is bright for the Hockeyroos who had 12 debutantes in Brazil.

"I was hopeful they'd be able to do it in Rio but we were probably found a little bit short against a little bit more experienced New Zealand side," he said.