After a disappointing end to the Varsity Hockey tournament the Steinhoff Maties Hockey men’s team has no time to think too much about it with a big Western Province Grand Challenge match against title contenders WPCC this weekend.
The Maties men and women play WPCC at the Maties Astro on Sunday.
Maties men lost 0-1 to Tukkies in the semi-final of Varsity Hockey on Monday. This was the first time since August 2012 that Maties lost on their home ground. The result was even more disappointing because Maties have been dominating all their opponents since their loss to UJ. They scored 43 goals in 8 matches and conceded only 6.
Keenan Horne, Shannon Boucher and James Drummond all scored 6 goals. Eight other players also got on the scoreboard. Daniel Bell scoring 5 goals and Dylan Swanepoel and Reece Arendse hit the back of the goal box 4 times.
Horne was named Super Striker three times and Man of the Man twice.
The expectations for the semi-final against Tukkies were high. On Friday Maties beat them 6-1. But on Monday it was one of those days when absolutely nothing went the way of Maties. They had chances but the ball never bounced into the goal box while up until this match the goal box was like a magnet for Maties.
Even though the disappointment was obvious and the players will feel like they let themselves and their coaches down, they will have to refocused. They face a very amped and confident WPCC team this weekend. Maties haven’t lost in the WPGC for the past three seasons so after the heartbreak of Varsity Hockey they will want to get back on the winning track.
There will be four matches at the Maties Astro on Sunday. Vics take on Pinelands (men and women) and the first match is at 12:00. Maties women play WPCC at 15:00 and the men will be in action at 16:30.
