St Mary’s Waverley holds off St Stithians in derby clash
With the much-anticipated SASHOC Nationals around the corner, St Stithians Girls’ College hosted St Mary’s Waverley for a high-tempo Hyundai Friday Nite lights derby fixture that doubled as a show of support for breast cancer awareness.
The Astro was surrounded by a sea of pink, with balloons and spectators sporting the colour in support of the initiative.
From the first whistle, the game took off at pace and Saints came close to taking an early lead thanks to a defence-splitting pass, but they failed to convert.
Both sides impressed with their composure on the ball, but there was no breakthrough for either in the first quarter.
Just two minutes into the second chukka, though, Kyla Grobbelaar, of St Mary’s, scored a brilliant penalty corner to give her side the lead.
St Stithians fought back and won a penalty corner, thanks to beautiful ball played by Nicole Chikweshwe, but St Mary’s denied them the outcome they were looking for.
Both defences stood firm in the third chukka as play flowed from end to end, with St Mary’s stubbornly protecting their lead and Saints, equally determined, chasing an equaliser. The home side was able to create a handful of chances, but some crucial saves from the St Mary’s goalkeeper kept her team in front.
It was more of the same in the final chukka, with Saints relentlessly chasing a goal to level the score, but it never came and the visitors, St Mary’s, claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win.
While the result didn’t go the hosts’ way, the evening celebrated more than hockey. It showcased a spirit of competition, community support, and important awareness about breast cancer.
Speaking after the match, St Mary’s coach Cindy Brown expressed pride in her team’s performance and praised the competitive nature of the derby.
“St Mary’s and St Stithians are old rivals. There is always a great vibe and great energy that comes along with these matches, and Friday night was no different,” said Brown.
“It was so great to see so many St Mary’s girls coming to support despite being busy with exams. That was amazing, and I think it made the spectacle all the more memorable for the girls. These are the matches that people want to play in and also want to win.
“The fact that we managed to come away with the win on Friday is special. I’m chuffed with the team.
“We played good hockey and defended well when we needed to. We probably left a few chances out there, but in a big derby game, where there’s so much pressure, it’s never the prettiest hockey.
“I’m just really proud of how the girls got stuck in and defended incredibly well. I think both teams were guilty of double turnovers. As soon as we got it, we lost it, and we didn’t string enough passes together at times. That’s something both teams will look to improve.
“But, overall, in a big game like this, that mindset is really important. The fact that we managed to pull through with the win is really special. So, I am very happy about it, and I am ready for the next one.”
