Maris Stella thrilled after successful day at ISSF
Maris Stella School enjoyed a good run on Friday’s first day of the Independent Schools’ Sports Festival (ISSF) at St Stithians College.
The ISSF is a two-day annual festival, which brings together the top Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal girls’ schools to test their hockey skills against each other, with the host alternately annually between the two provinces.
This year’s even marks the third time that St Stithians has hosted it, having previously filled in the role in 2001 and 2016.
Maris Stella under the mentorship of their coaches Eloise Walters and Ethan Biggar, delivered three wins on the opening day.
The Durban side secured a 1-0 victory over St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls in their opener, following a back-and-forth clash. In their second outing, they outduelled Rosebank’s St Teresa’s School, winning 1-0 again, thanks to Alluluto Sikhosana, who scored the winning goals in both matches.
Walters’ girls stepped up their performance in the third game, brushing aside Brescia House 3-1. Again, Sikhosana was among the goals, striking twice, while Juliette Fenton added a third as the coastal crew took a comfortable win.
Walters described her team as ecstatic after their three victories: “We, as Maris Stella, are happy to be a part of this wonderful festival. The girls work hard and grow as a team in every match that they play. We are excited for the future of Maris Stella hockey,” said enthused.
Twenty-four matches were played on the opening day across four fields. The results included St Anne’s Diocesan College defeating St Andrew’s College 1-0, and Epworth repeating that scoreline in a win over
St Teresa’s dominated against St John’s, winning 4-0, after racing into a 3-0 lead after only 10 minutes.
RESULTS
St Mary’s DSG (Pretoria) 0-4 Wykeham Collegiate
Wykeham Collegiate 5-0 Brescia House
Wykeham Collegiate 1-1 Kingsmead
St Mary’s DSG (Pretoria) 0-3 Our Lady of Fatima
St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) 4-0 Roedean School
St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) 1-1 St Stithians
St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) 2-0 Brescia House
St Stithians 0-0 Durban Girls’ College
St Mary’s Waverley 2-0 Durban Girls’ College
St Mary’s Waverley 1-0 St John’s
Durban Girls’ College 2-0 Roedean
St Andrew’s 0-1 St John’s
St Andrew’s 0-1 St Mary’s DSG (Kloof)
St John’s 4-0 St Teresa’s
St Teresa’s 0-3 Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima 3-0 St Mary’s PTA
St Anne’s 1-0 St Andrew’s
St Anne’s 0-0 St Mary’s Waverley
Epworth 1-0 St Mary’s DSG (Pretoria)
Epworth 0-0 St Dominic’s
Maris Stella 1-0 St Dominic’s
Maris Stella 1-0 St Teresa’s
Maris Stella 3-1 Brescia House
