Holderness inspires DSG to Spar Hockey Challenge triumph in Gqeberha
A solitary goal by Diocesan School for Girls’ (DSG) stalwart, Abigail Holderness, sealed a 1-0 victory for the Makhanda side against Pearson High School in the final of the Eastern Cape Spar Hockey Challenge on Sunday in Gqeberha.
DSG finished the tournament as the only unbeaten side, after running rampant against their opponents on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Coach Geowynnne Gamiet’s side entered the weekend as the favourites, along with Pearson High.
They had been out of action for a while, though, with their last outing being last month when they defeated Kingswood College 2-1 during the annual K-Day celebrations in Makhanda.
Nonetheless, DSG began their pursuit of top honours on a positive note, beating Pearson, with whom they had drawn 3-3 earlier in the season, 1-0 in their opening match on Saturday afternoon.
The Makhanda side, boasting quality players like the Holderness sisters, Lucy and Abigail, Mike Holder, Kayleigh Clayton, and Hannah Lowe, soon made it two wins in a row, beating Komani’s Queenstown Girls’ High 3-1.
They completed their day with a clean record after a 2-1 win over York High, and on Sunday morning handed Clarendon a 2-0 defeat before again beating York 2-1, this time in the semi-finals.
Pearson, meanwhile, went down to DSG in their opener on Saturday, and were held to a 1-1 draw by York, but still managed to secure a semi-final spot.
In the last four, they dominated Queenstown Girls’ High, winning 4-1, to set up a third meeting with DSG this season.
When the teams previously met in Makhanda, it was DSG who were forced to come from behind to draw, but in Sunday’s final they started brightly. They demonstrated positive intent and were rewarded with a penalty corner in the opening three minutes of the match.
Up stepped the dangerous Abigail Holderness, and her powerful drag flick found the back of the net to put DSG into a 1-0 lead.
Pearson fought hard to find a response in the 25-minute-long encounter, and they received two short corners, but were unable to convert either of them.
Time ran down, with very few goal-scoring opportunities having been created, but, at the end, the game opened up.
Holderness had another opportunity to score with five minutes to play and, after dancing her way through Pearson’s defence, her shot was deflected off the goalkeeper’s boots and went wide of the mark.
In the end, though, it was SA u17 star Holderness’s early strike that separated the teams.
In the bronze medal match, a Megan Prinsloo goal secured a 1-0 win for York over Queenstown Girls’ High. Clarendon High School for Girls placed fifth.
RESULTS
Day One
DSG Makhanda 1-0 Pearson High
York High 0-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
DSG Makhanda 3-1 Queenstown Girls’ High
York High 1-1 Pearson High
Queenstown Girls High 1-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
DSG Makhanda 2-1 York High
Pearson High 0-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
Day Two
Pearson High 4-1 Queenstown Girls’ High
DSG Makhanda 2-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
Queenstown Girls’ High 1-0 York High
Pearson High 4-1 Queenstown Girls’ High- Semifinal 1
DSG Makhanda 2-1 York High – Semifinal 2
York High 1-0 Queenstown Girls’ High – Bronze medal
DSG Makhanda 1-0 Pearson High – Final
