Central Gauteng A bounces back, Western Province B continues winning
The Central Gauteng u19A girls’ team bounced back from a defeat to Western Province A with two impressive wins on day three of the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in East London on Monday.
Gauteng, who opened their IPT campaign at the Joan Harrison West Swimming Pool with a nervy win over Buffalo City on Saturday, went down 4-7 to Province a day later.
Coach Kelsey Thomson‘s charges were seeking redemption on Monday. They headed in the right direction with a 10-5 victory over KwaZulu-Natal in the morning before grinding out a win by the same score against Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) later in the day.
It was the clash against NMB that held more significance and pressure for the Johannesburg outfit. NMB had stunned KZN on Sunday before edging out their provincial rivals Buffalo City 8-5.
Their showdown lived up to expectations, with both teams taking it to the other from the get-go.
Gauteng started the brighter and their pressure brought them an early reward, with Mia Loizides, Courtney Calenborne, and the dangerous Amy Smith slotting goals.
Unphased, NMB worked their way back back into the clash. Teagan Harty, who has featured on the scorers’ list in all of their matches, hit back with a thunderbolt before Amie Jenner and Jessica Stevens made it 3-3 by the end of the first chukka.
Matters remained tight in the second chukka, with Julia Joseph finding the back of the net for the defending champions, while Matipa Karimazondo replied to make it 4-4 at halftime.
After the break, Central Gauteng took charge and dominated the remainder of the game. Aside from Karimazondo scoring a second, NMB was shut down and failed to capitalise on their chances.
Gauteng, meanwhile, found their rhythm. They looked comfortable on the ball and controlled the tempo of the game.
It was only a matter of time before they scored again, and it was Ruby Carlsen who put them ahead for good before further goals from Loizides and Joseph opened up a 7-4 lead ahead of the final chukka.
The last eight minutes of the match were controlled brilliantly by Central Gauteng. They were solid at the back and challenged NMB on the attack. Their reward was another three goals, scored by Smith, Isabella Imbriolo, and Emily Carle.
That 10-5 victory guaranteed Gauteng a second-place finish in Pool A, and they will face Eastern Gauteng in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Reacting to her team’s winning performances on Monday, head coach Kelsey Thomson told SuperSport Schools Plus: “We learnt a lot from that game against Province, a lot of stuff we wanted to fix today.
“It was, maybe, a good thing, even though you never want to lose, but it was a good bounce-back, and I’m happy with the improvements made by the team.”
Thomson admitted that her side has not yet reached its peak at the tournament, but the playoffs will provide her charges with an opportunity to do that.
“I think we’re climbing, and we always knew that in this kind of set-up where all the A sides are in one pool, that the first-half is always going to be tight. It’s about who’s going to be mentally strong and have endurance.
“Going forward, we need to learn from everything that has happened. The tournament really starts now [as we head into the playoffs], and we need to have the hunger to go to the very end,” she said.
While Gauteng and Western Province A nailed down the top two spots in Pool A, first place in Pool B was cemented by Western Province B.
Coach Connor Whiting‘s charges improved their record to five out of five on day three with victories over Central Gauteng B and Northerns.
They’ll have an opportunity to upset the applecart in the quarterfinals when they take on KwaZulu-Natal. Whiting said his charges will go into the contest with all guns blazing.
“I’m very happy. Our game plan was to try and finish on top of our pool and have a dip at an A-team in the quarterfinal,” he said. “We have an opportunity to cause an upset, and that was the goal.
“I think between us and Central Gauteng B, we can take down some A-teams. That’s the goal. We have nothing to lose. We play KZN, and I think we can take them if we have a really good game, but it won’t be easy.”
In other results, coach Wade Brand‘s Central Gauteng B side secured the runner-up spot in Pool B and will face Western Province A in the quarterfinals.
Nelson Mandela Bay has a second date with Buffalo City, with a semifinal place the reward that awaits the winner of the derby clash.
RESULTS
Scores
Western Province A 11: Hannah Banks (3), Bella Murray (3), Alexa De Villiers, Emma Catto, Roxanne Uys, Amy Van Breda, Isabella Tooley. Buffalo City A 8: Roxy-Lee van Eek (2), Meka Loots (2), Erin Batting, Julianna Saffy, Jasmine Koch, Tatum Knox.
Eastern Gauteng 17: Maddison Griffin (7), Caitlin Scrimgeour (4), Kacey Williams (2), Megan Venter (2), Erin Blackburn, Emma Spronk. Northerns 4: Jorja Ross (3), Gabrielle Hobson.
Central Gauteng A 10: Julia Joseph (3), Anastasia Hambakis (2), Emily Carle (2), Ruby Carlson, Francesca De Villiers. KwaZulu-Natal 5: Inge Southey (3), Kayla Andrews, Caitlin McMurray.
Western Province B 5: Kelly Cadiz (3), Kirsten Bottger, Gabriela Stuart-Reckling. Central Gauteng B 4: Aimee Hatting (3), Amy Stubbs.
Zimbabwe 11: Tayleigh Taylor (4), Emily Taylor (2), Tyla Love, Rachel Duckworth, Olivia Accorsi, Taya Smyth, Lily Bean. Buffalo City B 5: Caroline Kretzmann (2), Courtney Linke (2), Chuma Magobongo.
Nelson Mandela Bay 8: Amie Jenner (3), Matipa Karimazondo, Anna Christensen Pinto, Mia Jenner, Teagan Harty. Buffalo City A 5: Tori Voke (4), Jasmine Koch.
Western Province B 21: Kirsten Bottger (7), Bailey Donnachie (3), Kelly Cadiz (2), Sarah Palframan (2), Gabriela Stuart-Reckling (2), Chelsea Scott, Jemma Stearns, Chloe Galvin, Anna Lieberman, Tatum Malherbe. Northerns 2: Lore Snyckers, Gabriella Grobbelaar.
Western Province A 13: Isabella Tooley (3), Bella Murray (2), Alexa De Villiers (2), Emma Catto (2), Emily Van Heerden, Hannah Banks, Sophie Vickers, Sofia Walker. KwaZulu-Natal 7: Lara Mervis (3), Gemma Malherbe (2), Amber Lewis, Inge Southey.
Eastern Gauteng 14: Caitlin Scrimgeour (4), Maddison Griffin (4), Megan Venter (3), Emma Spronk (2), Keira Hale. Buffalo City B 6: Emma Booyens (2), Slayde Herman (2), Courtney Linke, Mia Smit.
Central Gauteng A 10: Amy Smith (2), Mia Loizides (2), Julia Joseph (2), Ruby Carlsen, Isabella Imbriolo, Courtney Calenborne, Emily Carle. Nelson Mandela Bay 5: Matipa Karimazondo (2), Teagan Harty, Amie Jenner, Jessica Stevens.
Central Gauteng B 20: Amy Harmzen (4), Taylor Billett (3), Kiara Cronje (3), India-Rose Cope (2), Mia Duffy (2), Humairaa Bodiat, Amy Stubbs, Rachel Rostron, Simphiwe Zulu, Aimee Hattingh, Emily Townshend. Northerns 4: Jorja Ross (3), Gabriella Grobbelaar.
Day Four Fixtures
07:30- KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province B (Quarterfinal 1)
08:35- Nelson Mandela Bay vs Buffalo City (Quarterfinal 2)
09:40- Central Gauteng A vs Eastern Gauteng (Quarterfinal 3)
10:45- Western Province A vs Central Gauteng B (Quarterfinal 4)
11:50- Buffalo City B vs Northerns (Pool C)
15:05- Zimbabwe vs Northerns (Pool C)
18:20- Zimbabwe vs Buffalo City B (Pool C)
