All eyes on Pearson vs Collegiate
In past seasons, teams in the Eastern Cape have played second fiddle to top teams from the Free State, Western Cape, and Gauteng.
However, in 2025, there has been a shift, and the Eastern Cape is home to some of the country’s best sides.
Pearson High and Collegiate Girls’ High have both upped the ante and put the province on the map.
They’ve produced outstanding hockey in 2025, and it will be on show on Friday evening when the sides clash at Pearson’s Top AstroTurf at 19:15.
It will be the second time they meet this year after facing each other in the quarterfinals of the Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge in Paarl earlier this month.
At that tournament, coach Anton Peltenburg‘s charges ran out the winners, edging out Collegiate 3-2 after trailing 0-2 in the first half.
Pearson went on to finish third, while Collegiate ended fifth after a narrow win over Hoërskool Waterkloof in their final match, taking the victory 4-3 on penalties.
Coach Michael Abrahams’ squad was rightfully disappointed by that result after they had won gold at the All Girls’ Festival by beating Rhenish Girls’ High in the final.
Since then, the girls in green have recorded a mixed bag of mixed results while Collegiate has been untouchable.
Pearson suffered a 1-2 loss against another Eastern Cape powerhouse, DSG Makhanda, before they thumped Hudson Park 5-0 last week.
Lisa de Villiers was the standout player against Hudson, scoring a hat-trick of goals before Chanelle Venter joined in on the action by sending two balls into the backboard.
Meanwhile, Collegiate has run rampant since returning from the tournaments in the Western Cape.
A 9-0 trashing of Union High School sent out a massive statement before goals by Kerrin Gillies (2), Casey Groblaar, and Kate Brennen secured a 4-0 win over Kingswood College a week ago.
There’s no question Collegiate will be out for revenge for their previous loss to Pearson, but they’ll need to be at their utmost best against a resilient side that will be banking on their home support.
DSG Makhanda welcomes Clarendon High School for Girls to the Webster AstroTurf, on Saturday. Clarendon has had a rough season, but, after a hefty 2-12 loss to Eunice High School, they bounced back last week and thumped Cambridge High 7-0.
Woodridge College faces Victoria Park, while Stirling has a Saturday morning date with Kingswood College, in East London. Hudson Park will battle their East London rivals, Merrifield College, while Cambridge faces a tough task when they take on Qonce’s Kingsridge Girls’ High.
EASTERN CAPE GIRLS’ FIXTURES
Friday, 23 May
19:15 – Pearson High vs Collegiate Girls’ High
Saturday, 24 May
10:00 – Woodridge College vs Victoria Park
10:00 – Stirling High vs Kingswood College
11:00 – Hudson Park vs Merrifield
11:00 – Cambridge High School vs Kingsridge Girls’ High
13:00 – DSG Makhanda vs Clarendon
