UP-Tuks are sitting pretty at the top of the Varsity Hockey standings following their unbeaten run in Potchefstroom but know they will have a tough task of securing top spot when the tournament resumes on Friday, May 8 in Johannesburg.
Tuks bagged 18 goals and conceded just five on their way to securing four wins, including three bonus points, to lead the way with 19 points, just one point ahead of fellow unbeaten side UFS-Kovsies.
One player key to their success in Potchefstroom was Tarryn Moses who believes they have set the perfect platform to build on as they look to secure top spot and a home final.
“The vibe in the team is really good and we are all overjoyed about the results we achieved. We have now put ourselves in a good position for the upcoming weekend but we will not be getting ahead of ourselves as we know it is going to be a tough weekend.
“Our aim now is to build on the foundation we have set and maintain our positive frame of mind as we look to remain on top of the log. We know every team will be stepping up their performance in Johannesburg because they now have an idea of where their games are at, so we are looking forward to a weekend of hard matches,” she told varsitysportssa.com.
Despite their on-field success, the link admitted there was a nervous energy floating around before their first match as they did not know what to expect as the format of the matches were different to that which they are accustomed to.
Moses, who participated in the 2013 edition, admitted that the level of hockey was much higher in Potch and owes that to the teams putting in extra work during pre-season for a tournament that allows them to showcase the beauty of the sport.
“Varsity Hockey is an important tournament in that it exposes the game to a broad audience. The people of Potchefstroom came out in their numbers to support all the teams and they created an electric vibe. The exposure that Varsity Hockey is giving us is not only helping to attract more people to hockey but it is also helping in the development of the game.
“The level of competition was a lot higher than back in 2013 and I think that comes down to the teams putting in extra work during pre-season and that showed in the performance levels,” she added.
