Coastals to tackle Southerns for top honours in u18 girls’ Indoor IPT final
Powerhouses, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal A and Southern Gauteng, will lock horns in the final of the SASHOC u18 Girls’ Indoor Hockey IPT at Thomas More College, in Kloof, on Thursday.
Coastal A beat KZN Inland A to book their spot in the title game, while Southerns defeated KZN Coastal B to secure their berth.
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Coastals A and Southerns are the only unbeaten sides in the tournament and since the first day of the event, Monday, they have been on a collision course.
In the group stage, they had a dress rehearsal for the final and played out a thrilling 3-3 draw. On Thursday, sharing the points will not do. There will have to be a winner and a champion crowned.
KZN Coastal A has impressed on their way to the final, winning five of their six matches and drawing with Southerns, who equalised in the last 10 seconds of their clash.
On Wednesday, the local side completed a double over their provincial rivals, KZN Inland A. They met their neighbours in their last pool match and beat them 3-1. Codie Bestbier, Ella Bowyer, and Jenna-Leigh Freese found the back of the net for Coastals, while Emma Williams pulled one back for Inland A.
Then, they traded blows five hours later, in the semi-finals, and Inland A, having taken lessons from their earlier loss, returned a better outfit. They were more compact and defended well. However, KZN Coastal A found a way past the resolute Inland A defence with only three minutes left in the contest when Bowyer beat Siyamethemba Khumalo, in goal for Inland A, to usher Coastals A into the final.
Southerns heads into the title decider with a record of four wins and two draws from their six matches. They shared points with Coastals A on Tuesday, and also drew 4-4 earlier that day against their semifinal opponents, KZN Coastal B.
They headed into their semifinal clash eager not to make the same mistakes they made in their previous draw against Coastals B and kept a good structure to keep the local lasses at bay and off the scoresheet.
Southerns went in front in the fifth minute through Addison van der Byl, and a 24th minute strike from Chloe Potgieter put the game beyond Coastals B. Van der Byl and Potgieter were also on the scoresheet when Southerns routed KZN Inland B 8-0 earlier in the day.
However, the stars of that match were Ciara van der Walt, who bagged a hat-trick, and Amber Fairon, who contributed a brace. Nicole Chikweshe also netted.
The final, between KZN Coastal A and Southern Gauteng, starts at 10:30.
KZN Coastal B and KZN Inland A meet for the bronze medal at 09:15. On the opening day of the competition, KZN Coastal B scored a convincing 5-1 win over Inland A. They’ll be expecting a tougher workout the second time around.
RESULTS
U18
Southern Gauteng 8 (Ciara van der Walt 3, Amber Fairon 2, Addison van der Byl, Nicole Chikweshe, Chloe Potgieter). KZN Inland B 0.
KZN Coastal B 2 (Jennifer Egolum, Alulutho Sikhosana). Northerns 0.
KZN Coastal A 3 (Codie Bestbier, Ella Bowyer, Jenna-Leigh Freese). KZN Inland A 1 (Emma Williams).
KZN Coastal A 1 (Ella Bowyer). KZN Inland A 0.
Southern Gauteng 2 (Addison van der Byl, Chloe Potgieter). KZN Coastal B 0.
U16
KZN Coastal A 3 (Olivia Lord, Emily Simpkins, Charley-Rose Boyall). Southern Gauteng A 3 (Lucy Wells 2, Jamie Howard).
Northerns A 4 (Daniella Grobbelaar 2, Eliane Haycock 2). KZN Coastal B 1 (Bella Roberts).
KZN Inland A 3 (McKenzie du Bourg 2, Rebbeca Hellberg). KZN Inland B 0.
Northerns A 3 (Lenique Vogel 3). KZN Coastal A 1 (Charley-Rose Boyall).
KZN Inland A 5 (McKenzie du Bourg 3, Paige Williams, Rebecca Hellberg). Southern Gauteng A 1 (Giovanna Abrahams).
KZN Inland B 1 (Lucy Fyvie). Northerns B 0.
U14
KZN Coastal A 5 (Jessica Savage 4, Kimberly Johnson). Northerns A 1 (Liesel de Witt).
KZN Coastal B 2 (Chloe Reeves 2). Southern Gauteng 1 (Taylem Casanoves).
KZN Inland A 1 (Chelsey Cameron). KZN Inland B 1 (Cherlaigne Sucks)
KZN Coastal A 3 (Kimberly Johnson, Shriya Nadrajah, Peighton Short). Southern Gauteng 2 (Ashley Kuhn 2).
Northerns A 2 (Pheladi Ngoasheng, Sarah Gouws). KZN Inland A 1 (Chelsey Cameron).
Northerns B 2 (Janke-Marie Pienaar, Kayla Kotze). KZN Inland B 1 (Emlyn May).
