Hockey girls take a shot at the goal
The well-contested game moved from end to end, with neither team able to get the ball into the opposition goal. St Dominic's enjoyed a string of short corners which Dundee defended magnificently but, as the minutes ticked away, St Dom's earned yet another short corner which was pushed out to the top of the D, right to a lurking Nozipho Mag.
Ferrum High School claimed its eighth Northern KwaZulu-Natal Regional title, during the SPAR KZN School Girls Hockey Challenge on May 4.
The competition took place at the St Dominic’s, Newcastle.
Ferrum conquered a well-disciplined and quietly determined team from Sarel Cilliers High School, in a riveting 20-minute conclusion to the regional.
At the final whistle, the score was deadlocked at 0-0.
Although Ferrum dominated the entirety of the match, challenging the Sarel Cilliers defence from the get-go, it was unable to penetrate the solid last line. Thus the match became a pressure test.
Three players from each side lined up in an eight-second penalty shootout, which saw the first round both drawn at one goal apiece, and the second round moving up to two goals apiece.
In the third round of sudden death, Ferrum keeper Joleen Mollentze made a brave save to charge down a heroic shot.
Stepping up to take Ferrum’s seventh penalty, Karli Janse van Rensburg decided on a no-nonsense rocket of a shot, which blasted beyond Sarel Cilliers goalkeeper, Petra Khanyile’s outstretched right pad and smashed into the box.
In the bronze medal game, hosts St Dominic’s Newcastle met Dundee High School.
Dundee advanced into St Dom’s circle in the opening minutes, with some fine hockey getting the ball inching closer and closer to the goal box.
As the striker knocked the ball just beyond the keeper’s reach, rolling goalwards, the on-spot umpire was midway through awarding a short corner for Dundee, denying the goal in a game-changing decision.
The well-contested game moved from end to end, with neither team able to get the ball into the opposition goal.
St Dominic’s enjoyed a string of short corners which Dundee defended magnificently but, as the minutes ticked away, St Dom’s earned yet another short corner which was pushed out to the top of the D, right to a lurking Nozipho Mag.
In one touch, she slapped the ball across to the waiting Natasha Friend, hugging the left post.
Friend added her magic touch, slipping the ball into the goals with only 23 seconds remaining on the clock.
The Umpire of the Day award went to Didi Ngwenya from Vryheid High School, who was lauded for her outstanding efforts with the whistle.
For more information, like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.
Results: first – Ferrum High School, second – Sarel Cilliers, third – St Dominics Newcastle, fourth – Dundee High School, fifth (tied) – Hoërskool Pionier and Vryheid High School, seventh – Newcastle High School, eighth – Pongola Akademie.
Also read: Ten Vryheid hockey players selected for NKZN team
