Western Province A and Eastern Province A separated themselves from the rest of the competition by remaining the only unbeaten teams in the u18 girls’ section at the SASHOC National Week after Wednesday’s matches.
The annual inter-provincial tournament (IPT), hosted by Hilton College, St Anne’s, and The Wykeham Collegiate, concludes on Saturday.
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Pool A
Eastern Province A stole the show on Wednesday with back-to-back wins that propelled them to the top of Pool A. Coach Geowynne Gamiet‘s charges had their first two matches spread across two days, Monday and Tuesday, and won both.
Their first assignment on Wednesday was against an in-form Boland A side that had won its first three matches. Wednesday morning’s showdown would determine which side would complete the group stage in pole position.
“The girls executed the game plan exceptionally well, controlling the tempo and dictating where the game was played,” Gamiet told SuperSport Schools News. “Our structured approach and tactical discipline ensured that we won the key battles across the field and maintained control throughout the contest.”
The contest proved to be one of the most attritional matches thus far at the IPT. Both sides attacked well, but finding a breakthrough was challenging. Then, just as it looked as if the sides were going to share the spoils, Kate Brennan broke the deadlock with a classy close-range goal in the 59th minute.
Eastern Province A took the momentum from that victory into their fixture against Eastern Gauteng later in the day, and immediately seized control of the match.
“The match against Boland was an intense and tactical encounter. The one against Eastern Gauteng required a different approach. Having expended a significant amount of energy earlier in the day, it was important that we controlled possession and managed the pace of the game,” Gamiet said.
Jana Prinsloo opened the scoring in the 12th minute, and two minutes later Kerrin Gillies doubled the lead. They took that two-goal advantage into the third chukka, in which Alecia Louw and Tatum Jacobs added another two goals in the 38th and 43rd minutes.
Lisa de Villiers and Lucy Holderness completed the Eastern Province scoring in the final chukka. Jemma Ferreira, the Eastern Gauteng captain, grabbed a consolation goal in the 50th minute.
“The girls adapted superbly, demonstrating composure on the ball and making smart decisions in key moments,” Gamiet said.
“Overall, it was an excellent day of hockey for Eastern Province, with the team showing tactical maturity.”
The two wins boosted Eastern Province to the maximum possible 12 points from four games. Boland A is in second place with nine points from three wins and a single loss. Northern Gauteng A and KZN Inland A are in third and fourth place, respectively, with six points each.
Pool B
Pool B heavyweights Western Province A and KZN Coastal A crossed swords in a group-defining encounter on the Mansergh Astro, at Hilton College, on Wednesday afternoon. Province produced a polished performance, dominating the contest after halftime, on their way to a 2-0 win, which left them in first place and the only unbeaten team in Pool B.
Province A headed into the contest after wins over Border A, Southern Gauteng A, and Northern Gauteng B in their first three matches. KZN Coastal, on the other hand, was buoyed by their victories over Northern Gauteng B, Border A, and Southern Free State A. Western Province A proved to be another step up.
“We did our homework. We identified the areas where Coastals could hurt us. Then we looked at our strengths and how we can use them to neutralise them,” Olu Ncukana, the Western Province A head coach, said.
Two of those qualities were athleticism and intelligence. Ncukana’s charges executed the blueprint laid out by their coaching staff superbly.
“We emphasised the importance of simplicity. We also made sure that there was role clarity in the team,” Ncukana explained.
Chelsey McGregor drew first blood when her shot from close range took a kind deflection over the head of goalkeeper Eyenhle Nzama in the 22nd minute.
The match looked destined for a 1-0 finish, although Province created the better chances. But Juané Meiring changed that when she unleashed a powerful shot from a short corner in the 55th minute to put the game beyond Coastals’ reach.
“Accountability has been a big thing in the team. Each night, we look at the preceding matches and identify areas in which we could have done better. That has helped us to keep improving.
“We know that we have the talent and ability to win the tournament, but we are not getting ahead of ourselves. We are taking things a game at a time,” Ncukana said.
Western Province is at the summit of Pool B with 12 points from four fixtures. KZN Coastal is in second place with nine points from four outings. Southern Free State A occupies third place, also with nine points from three victories and one loss. However, their goal difference is inferior to that of KZN Coastal.
Results:
Pool A
Northern Gauteng A 3-0 Eastern Gauteng
Eastern Province A 1-0 Boland A
Western Province B 3-2 KZN Inland A
Pool B
Southern Free State A 2-0 Border A
Western Province A 2-0 KZN Coastal A
Southern Gauteng A 4-0 Northern Gauteng B
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