Saints first hockey team clinches win over St John’s
Saints' first hockey team wrapped up a strong season with a 4-1 win against St John’s, showcasing skill and composure at Superpark Red.
The St Stithians Boys’ first hockey team closed off their season on a high note, beating St John’s College at the Superpark Red on Pink Derby Day. The annual fixture, held in support of the PinkDrive cancer awareness campaign, brought together sporting talent and a good cause in one spirited afternoon.
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Saints dominated the first half with strong attacking play and quick ball movement, heading into half-time with a comfortable 2–0 lead. St John’s, however, were not ready to back down, and came out firing in the second half, pulling one goal back and putting the home team under pressure.
Despite the shift in momentum, Saints regrouped and responded with two more goals, sealing a well-earned 4–1 victory.
Coaches Miguel de Grasa and Patrick Ogan praised the team’s performance. “I thought we moved the ball really nicely and made good connections,” said De Grasa. “We were quite clinical in the [defence]. We might have left one or two goals out there, but, for the most part, we took our chances.”
Ogan highlighted the team’s ability to stay composed under pressure. “We were only under pressure when we made a few silly mistakes, but the boys reacted well. After conceding, we put them under pressure again and scored twice more.”
Throughout the game, the Saints made small tactical tweaks, including switching between a three-quarter press and a full press when needed. “We didn’t change too much,” the coaches explained. “These are things we’ve built into the boys from game one. They’ve learnt to adapt and execute the plan.”
The match marked the end of the season for the Saints’ first team, and what a season it’s been. They lost only three matches all year. “It was a really successful season with a good bunch of guys,” the coaches said proudly. “Ending it with a win at home made it even more special.”
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