Paarl Gim all set for Super 12 after a spectacular season in the Western Cape
The Paarl Gimnasium first girls’ hockey team will enter the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament brimming with confidence after capping off a remarkable season in the Western Cape.
Coach Ian Naudé’s side handed their arch-rivals, Paarl Girls’ High a 4-0 defeat in their annual interschools derby clash on Friday night to claim Paarl bragging rights for the next year.
With that triumph, Gim also asserted their dominance after a phenomenal, undefeated season in the Western Cape.
Gim has lost only twice all season, and both of those defeats came in early April at the loaded St Mary’s Waverley Festival, where they were beaten by St Stithians College (whom they also beat in the tournament) and Bloemfontein’s Eunice High School.
In recent months, they’ve been in prolific form, often overwhelming their opposition, and finding the back of the net with ease. At the other end of the park, they’ve been rock-solid, resulting in goalkeeper Miné Vorster picking up several clean sheets.
Before the interschools clash against Girls’ High, coach Naude’s side posted a 3-2 win over fellow Super 12-qualified Rhenish Girls’ High, a 2-0 victory against Springfield Convent School, and 3-1 defeat of Somerset College.
In front of a packed and buzzing crowd at Girls’ High, Gim enjoyed the early ascendency, dominating possession. They had a chance to take the lead when they received a penalty stroke, but Girls’ High ‘keeper, Jana Joubert, kept it out.
Captain Tanya Pieterse scored in the second chukka, however, to give Gim a 1-0 lead at the break.
The visitors turned up the heat in the third chukka and were duly rewarded when Karea de Ridder scored a field goal to make it 2-0.
Just before the chukka ended, Isabella Nel, who has been a frequent name on the score sheets in recent weeks, scored a cracker of a reverse stick shot to extend her side’s lead.
With the damage already done, De Ridder struck again to make it 4-0. Coach Naudé described it as an important win.
“We had to overcome our biggest obstacle this week, and that was having our emotions in control,” Naudé told SuperSport Schools Plus after the encounter.
“Our game plan was to play one quarter at a time and to just go out and put everything in the field.
“We knew Girls’ High also had a lot at stake and, after drawing with us last year, they were confident. We expected them to come out firing and they didn’t make it easy.
“The girls played well, and we are excited to come out on top in the match. It’s a massive win for us.”
Naudé and his players will next shift their attention to the prestigious Fairtree Super 12 Tournament, which will bring together 12 of the best teams in the country.
The event takes place at C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein and runs from 8-10 August.
Last year, Gim finished as the runners-up, going down 1-3 to Eunice in the final. They’ll be aiming to take that one extra step this time around as they attempt to claim the title for a first time.
“What we take away from this game is that we can rise above the occasion, and that’s so important for us heading into Super 12,” Naudé said.
“We want to play each game as it comes and take it one game at a time. Every match at Super 12 is a big one.
“We’re playing against the top teams in the country. We will have to pull out all the stops and bring our A-game.
“We are confident that we will perform well, but we respect our opposition, and we just need to ensure that we keep the scorelines in our favour,” he concluded.
Gim has been drawn in Pool A alongside the hosts, Oranje, their Western Cape counterparts, HMS Bloemhof, Gauteng’s Garsfontein and Waterkloof, and St Mary’s DSG (Kloof.)
They will open their challenge against HMS Bloemhof in the tournament’s first game at 07:30 on Thursday.
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