Tuks hockey teams make history in Varsity tournaments
Tuks' men's and women's hockey teams achieved a feat last week that had never before been achieved at this level in South Africa.
TuksHockey made history last week when their women’s and men’s teams clinched VarsityHockey tournament titles within hours.
In the annals of Varsity Sport something like this had never happened before. The chances that men’s and women’s teams of the same university ever repeat this feat on the same day are slim.
Both Tuks teams had their work cut out to win. The women’s team only secured their victory against Maties in the game’s last two minutes. Fittingly it was the team’s captain Tegan Fourie who scored the winning goal. The final score was 4-3.
Photo: Reg Caldecott
The men’s final between Tuks and Wits turned out to be a battle of the drag flickers. Every goal came from a penalty corner. Tuks’ captain, Guy Morgan, and Brad Sherwood were phenomenal. Not missing. Morgan got a hat trick. The final score was 4-3.
According to Tuks men’s coach, Sigz Ntuli, the fact that Morgan and Sherwood ended up with a 100% scoring record from four penalty corner attempts is not something that just happened. Their heroics is the result of hard work and long hours.
Photo: Reg Caldecott
“The final was an excellent example of how good Guy (Morgan) and Brad (Sherwood) are as drag flickers. They are world-class. Guy proved that during last year’s Junior World Cup Tournament by being one of the top goal scorers. Bradley is a classic striker who can score in any situation,” Ntuli said after the victory.
He explained that his team’s strategy is to get opponents to concede penalty corners partly due to their exceptional drag flick skills. It is crucial to bank on scoring from penalty corners, especially if you don’t score field goals.
“Guy and Brad are committed to being the best they can. They train every day of the week. After their teammates finish, they will still be honing their drag-flicking skills. Even on Sundays, you will see them and me on Tuks’s Astroturf strategizing to find ways to be better,” Ntuli remarked.
Photo: Reg Caldecott
According to Ntuli playing Wits in the final was challenging.
“Wits play a different brand of hockey. Their style is very confrontational. They love one on one situations being in their opponent’s face. It is their way of putting an opposition team under pressure,” he explained.
– Inky Zondi (TuksHockey head coach) ascribed the women’s success to pure guts and determination.
Photo: Reg Caldecott
“They wanted to be champions. That is why they never gave up, even though the Maties were leading 3-2 in the game’s dying moments,” he commented.
Zondi does not like singling out specific players, but he can’t help but be excited about how Hanrie Louw played on defence.
“I was also impressed by how the team’s two captains, Onthatile Zulu and Tegan Fourie, combined. Onthatile set up the move that led to Tegan scoring our winning goal. Hats off to Tegan. It took the proverbial ice in her veins to score the goal she scored,” he said.
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