Eunice impresses against Collegiate and Pearson in Gqeberha
When the Eunice High School first-team made their way to the Eastern Cape to take on Collegiate Girls’ High and Pearson High over the past weekend, the objective was simple: They wanted to test themselves against two of the province’s best teams while fine-tuning their systems and getting in some game time ahead of next week’s Fairtree Super 12 Tournament.
The side, under the guidance of coach Nika Coertzen, took on Collegiate on Friday afternoon before facing Pearson on Saturday.
It was a back-and-forth tussle against Collegiate, the All Girls’ Festival champions, with the teams scoring four goals and settling for a scintillating 2-2 draw, which gave a true reflection of the game.
Kerrin Gillies netted twice for the home side, while Lanique Brider and SA u18B star Georgia Kambanis found the back of the net for Eunice.
After that tough outing, the girls from Bloemfontein quickly shifted their attention to a Saturday showdown with Pearson, a side that had suffered a 0-2 loss against Oranje Meisieskool the day before. This time, Eunice made sure of the win.
Coach Coertzen’s charges were more clinical and ruthless inside the circle and used their chances well to power their way to an impressive 5-1 victory. Bianca Rees-Gibbs led the way with a brace, while Storm Harris, Claire Volschenk, and Megan Pelser also scored to complete an impressive drubbing.
“I’m very happy with the team’s performance over the weekend,” coach Coertzen told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“We executed exactly what we’ve been working on over the past two weeks at training. The girls played a strong, cohesive brand of hockey, and I’m incredibly proud of their effort and commitment.”
The weekend in Gqeberha was also a special one for Iliana de Gouveia and Storm Harris, who both made their 100th appearances for the team against Collegiate.
Eunice’s attention now shifts to the Super 12 Tournament, which takes place at Oranje Meisieskool, in Bloemfontein, from 7 to 9 August.
Coach Coertzen said her side still want to improve ahead of the spectacle.
“Of course, there are still areas where we can improve,” she said, “but that’s part of the journey. We’ll keep building on this momentum, one step at a time.”
Eunice kicks off their Super 12 campaign with a clash against Hoërskool Waterkloof.
Other matches
Eunice wasn’t the only side that travelled to Gqeberha. Their great rivals, Oranje, also took on Collegiate and Pearson.
As mentioned above, they defeated Pearson 2-0 but were held to a 1-1 draw by Collegiate in their second outing after Kerrin Gillies scored a penalty stroke in the final minute of the match for the home team.
In East London, Hudson Park picked up a 2-0 win over Stirling High, thanks to goals by Mackenzie Goss and Kara Batting.
Clarendon High School for Girls was held to a 1-1 draw by Queenstown Girls’ High in Komani.
RESULTS
Eunice 5-1 Pearson High
Collegiate Girls’ High 2-2 Eunice
Oranje 2-0 Pearson High
Collegiate Girls’ High 1-1 Oranje
Hudson Park 2-0 Stirling High
Queenstown Girls’ High 1-1 Clarendon High School for Girls
