Durban school defends title at hockey champs
Durban Girls' College achieved their first goal from a penalty stroke.
DEFENDING Champions Durban Girls’ College did not disappoint at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge hosted by St Mary’s DSG in Kloof on July 22 and 23.
Durban Girls’ College was named the Durban Central Regional Winner. This is the fifth time since the tournament’s inception that College has lifted the trophy.
In the first half, the visitors managed to pierce the solid St Mary’s defence, netting two goals, while the local team responded with one of their own. College’s first goal came from a penalty stroke awarded after a defender’s fumble in a short corner. Stepping up to the spot, College’s Ruby Kraus calmly slotted her flick high and left, flying past Josephine Wyly, St Mary’s fantastic keeper.
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Hannah Hargroves from Durban Girls’ College pulled off the goal of the final, and possibly the tournament, with a piece of magic. Lurking in the middle of the circle, her team rocketed the ball up from their half, with some simple, fast passes that quickly reached Hargroves. Standing with her back to the very on-guard keeper, Wyly, the quick-thinking forward, snuck the ball between her legs with a solid tap, foxing Wyly and taking her team to two-nil.
In the second half, the home team dominated with a variety of attacks, but the backline for College didn’t waver, clearing the ball out of the danger zone.
Right up until the final whistle, Saints determinedly persevered. In yet another Saints surge, youngster Olivia Verster from College found herself defending in the middle of the circle, intercepting a whizzer of a pass from a tremendous run down the left line by St Mary’s.
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With seconds remaining in the game, Verster neatly stole the ball and nonchalantly sent it out of her circle and out of danger, securing her team’s victory.
For more info on the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, you can like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.
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