The curtain fell on an exciting campaign for University Sport South Africa (USSA) 2017 hockey tournament hosts, Wits, who swept past the competition en route to booking semi-final berths in the A section of the men’s and women’s hockey competitions.
Both sides, however, succumbed to pressure on the day and came up short in their respective semi-final matches played at the Wits Astro in Parktown on 1 July.
Wits Ladies were first in line and pulled out all the stops in an effort to halt the charge of cross-town rivals, University of Johannesburg (UJ). A dominant display in the closing stages saw Wits ace Nicky Veto’s runs into the UJ 25-yard area cause massive problems for UJ, while an off-load to Toni Marks sailed agonisingly past the mouth of goal. The tie headed for a penalty shootout, which UJ took full advantage of with three unanswered strokes.
In the men’s semi-final, Wits took on Madibaz Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) and displayed strong intent after a sensational Brandon James field goal earned the side an early lead. However, Dan Cairncross equalised for NMMU from the penalty spot before Curtis Samboer scrambled a shot past goal for a 2–1 lead heading into the break. Wits threw everything at it in the dying minutes of the match but some resolute defending from Callan Dawar made the difference as NMMU booked a spot in the final.
“We’ve had an exceptional campaign; our main goal was to come in the top four and that we achieved. However, had we reached the final it would’ve been extraordinary,” said Wits Ladies head coach, Pietie Coetzee-Turner. “We were still the better team on the day. When you get to a penalty shootout, it’s very luck-based to an extent, but it was a good game and I’m very proud of the team.”
It was the first time that both the Wits men’s and women’s teams qualified for the A section semi-finals, following B section contention for the men in 2016 and the women’s side in 2015. As a result, Wits have made the semi-finals seven times at eight events in the past two years, including Varsity Men’s Hockey 2016, Varsity Women’s Hockey 2017 and the Southern Gauteng [men’s and women’s] League in 2016.
Wits women’s captain, Luche Klaasen said making the semi-finals after competing in the B section in 2015 and finishing 6th in the A section last year was a massive achievement. “We started building this team three years ago in the B section of the tournament,” she said. “So I don’t really think it that disappointing. I’m actually quite happy, we are champions and deserved to win the game, but [in the end] it’s just how it is.”
Read: UJ to host Ussa squash tournament
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