Steinhoff Maties women’s hockey team are once again the South African Student Champions after winning last week’s USSA tournament in Pretoria. Maties finished second the past two years. It is Maties’ 17th USSA title.
This year they beat Pukkie in the final after a penalty shoot-out. Going into the final Pukke were the favourites because they got the better of Maties in the group matches by winning 3-1. In the final though the match ended 1-1. The one on one penalty shoot-out then decided the winner. Tarryn Glasby was the goal scorer in the match and then Glasby, Cath Morris and Heather MacEwan scored in the shout-out.
In the earlier group matches Maties beat NMMU (4-1), UCT (4-0) and then in the semi-final got the better of UJ (1-0).
It was not the best tournament for the men’s team though. University of Johannesburg defended its title successfully. Maties finished fifth after losing out on the semi-finals to KZN and NMMU due to goal difference. They finished 2nd last year. In this year’s tournament they lost against NMMU (0-4) and draw the match against Wits (1-1). They won the matches against KZN (2-0), Rhodes (5-1) and Ikeys (4-1). In the end of the day the draw against Wits was the big difference.
Four players form the Maties Hockey Club are now off to play in the Commonwealth Games for South Africa. They are Pierre de Voux, Illse Davids, Jade Mayne and Quanita Bobbs. The Games is from 23 July to 3 August in Glasgow, Scotland.
In the mean time the Western Province women’s team for IPT was announced. Jade Mayne, Illse Davids, Erin Hunter, Hanli Hattingh, Bronwyn Kretzman, Suleke Brand, Leigh Boardman, Farah Fredericks and Sarah Bingham represent Maties in the WP team.
Nicole Le Fleur, Rezanne Villet, Margaux Reynecke, Rosey Lombard, Kim Rennie, Teagan van der Wath, Taryn Horner and Sabrina Miles will be in action for the WP Peninsula team.
The tournament is in Pietermaritzburg from 18 to 24 August.