DSG Makhanda, Hoërskool Menlopark, Paarl Gimnasium, and Collegiate Girls’ High claimed their places in the semifinals of the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament at Oranje on Friday.
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DSG, still unbeaten in the competition, was the first to reach the final four, courtesy of a 2-1 win over St Mary’s DSG Kloof.
Coach Geowynne Gamiet‘s charges went on the offensive from the start, and they were soon rewarded when Grace Kemp slotted from a penalty corner after six minutes.
Lucy Holderness, one of the event’s standout performers, made it 2-0 when she converted a penalty corner in the 21st minute.
Georgia Short brought St Mary’s back into the contest with a 44th-minute goal to set up a tense finish.
DSG will face Die Hoërskool Menlopark on Saturday morning, with a place in the final on the line. The ladies from Pretoria scraped into the semifinals with a 2-1 penalty shootout win over Reddam House Constantia after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw.
Menlopark had Annika Kloppers to thank for their qualification. The South Africa U18 goalkeeper kept out four Reddam House penalties to see her side through.
Reddam House took the first eight-second penalty, and from that point, Kloppers gave her side the upper hand with a great save. Menlopark, then, gained a crucial advantage when they converted their first penalty.
While Reddam converted their second penalty, Kloppers kept the next three out, while Reddam House’s goalkeeper, Holly Binneman, pulled off two saves.
During regulation time, Emma Hibbert put Reddam House in front with a penalty corner conversion in the 22nd minute. Seven minutes later, Isabella Oosthuizen replied for Menlopark.
The second semifinal features Paarl Gimnasium against Collegiate Girls’ High. The defending champion, Paarl Gim, kept their hopes of a successful title defence alive by clinching a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Rhenish Girls’ High in the third quarterfinal after their showdown finished 1-1 in regulation time.
Alanda Rademeyer fired in a second-minute strike to put Paarl Gim ahead. Rhenish responded well, ramping up the pressure on Paarl Gim, and they drew level in the 11th minute through Sarah-Ellen Groenewald.
From then onwards, it was an attritional contest, but neither team could unlock their opponents’ defences and the contest meandered to a 1-1 draw.
Paarl Gim shone in the penalty shootout, going four for four. Rhenish was not as fortunate, with Gimmies‘ goalkeeper, Karli van Deventer, making two crucial stops.
The last quarterfinal was a tight affair between Collegiate and the hosts, Oranje. It took 26 minutes before the goalless encounter witnessed a goal, but it came from a familiar source, with Kerrin Gillies converting a penalty stroke. Oranje did not take long to respond and levelled matters through Daniella Grobbelaar three minutes later.
When the clash ended 1-1, it was back to a penalty shootout for the third time in the four quarterfinal matches. Collegiate missed only one, while their goalie, Salome-Rose Oosthuizen, rejected two Oranje attempts to see her team through.
Results
Quarterfinals
DSG Makhanda 2-1 St Mary’s DSG Kloof
Menlopark (2) 1-1 (1) Reddam House Constantia
Paarl Gim (4) 1-1 (2) Rhenish
Collegiate (4) 1-1 (3) Oranje
Cross-pool matches
St Cyprian’s 0-0 Herschel
Waterkloof 2-2 Our Lady of Fatima
Group A
Oranje 4-0 St Cyprian’s
Group B
Rhenish 3-0 Herschel
Group C
Waterkloof 2-0 Reddam House Constantia
Group D
Collegiate 0-0 St Mary’s DSG Kloof
