Collegiate ends season in outstanding fashion against Clarendon
A ruthless performance, sprinkled with moments of individual brilliance and fantastic goals, lifted Collegiate Girls’ High to an impressive 5-0 victory over Clarendon High School for Girls in East London.
Their Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clash was the final game of the season for both schools, so bragging rights were at stake.
Heading into the match, Clarendon hadn’t lost a game in five outings, while Collegiate was battle-hardened, having recently been in action against the country’s leading teams in Bloemfontein, at the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament, where they finished seventh.
The girls from Gqeberha are known for their quick starts, and they duly delivered in the first chukka.
After winning back possession from the push-back, they attacked with vigour and intent and were awarded a short corner from their first circle entry.
Kerrin Gillies made no mistake from the first castle, smacking the ball past Soyama Dzengwa for the game’s opener.
The visitors had more to come, though, and they earned another PC after Gemma Bower’s storming run into the D found a Clarendon foot.
Instead of going route one, Gillies played a smart one-two with vice-captain, Tayla Paxton, with Gillies providing the finish to make it 2-0.
Collegiate continued to dominate and moved the ball smoothly, building play from the back through Anna Porter, Jade Grobler, and Cassidy Williams.
Up front, they also troubled Clarendon, but the home team’s shot-stopper Dzengwa was having the game of her life between the goalposts.
Collegiate’s third goal came in the second chukka when Eden Jade Oliver tapped in at the far post to extend her side’s lead.
Clarendon had their moments but, under duress for most of the contest, had to rely mostly on counterattacks, which were always quickly doused by coach Michael Abrahams‘s troops.
Early in the third chukka, Kate Brennan scored a scorcher to take the game even further away from Clarendon.
Then, fittingly, the final nail in the coffin came from Gillies in the fourth quarter and it was special.
After receiving the ball just inside the 23, she skilfully dribbled past five Clarendon players before calmly guiding the ball past Dzengwa to complete her hat-trick.
The win meant Collegiate ended their season with only one defeat all year long in the Eastern Cape, against DSG Makhanda, in June.
Other matches
While Hyundai Friday Nite Lights’ action gripped East London, there were other matches played on Saturday around the province.
Hudson Park High travelled to Qonce to take on Kingsridge High School for Girls. Coach Jerry Snyman’s team made it a rewarding trip by bounding to a 5-0 win. With that convincing victory in the record books, they’ll head into their final outing against Cambridge High full of confidence.
Stirling High, meanwhile, completed their season on a high, scoring a 2-1 win at Merrifield College.
RESULTS
Collegiate 5-0 Clarendon
Hudson Park 5-0 Kingsridge
Stirling High 2-1 Merrifield College
