UFS-Kovsies are one step closer to finishing top of this year’s Varsity Hockey standings after managing to overcome UP-Tuks 2-1 in a top of the table clash in Round Five at UJ.
The Bloem side took advantage of a second chukka powerplay to double their score and it proved valuable in holding off UP-Tuks who got a goal back towards the end of the game. Kovsies are now two points clear at the top of the standings.
Maties will hold the bragging rights in the Cape after the beat UCT 1-0 in a nail-biting finish in the day’s second match. There was nothing to choose between the teams for almost the entire match, however the Stellenbosch side managed a late winner in the final minute of play to take the win.
Wits made good use of their home ground advantage when they bagged their second win in the tournament. Goals in the first and the fourth chukkas were enough for the Joburg side to beat NWU-Pukke 3-2 after a late revival by the Potch team in the final 15 minutes.
UJ got their third win of the tournament after they beat NMMU 2-1 with a last quarter goal in a hard-fought encounter. It was also NMMU’s third loss in this year’s campaign.
Wits 3-2 NWU-Pukke
Wits took advantage of the support and opened the scoring almost halfway through the first chukka as they aimed to carry their momentum from their win against UCT in the fourth round. The home side then added a second just before the quarter ended to take a 2-0 lead in to the second chukka.
NWU-Pukke managed to halt Wits’ scoring form in the second chukka, but at the same time could not get a goal back themselves to get back into the game. At half-time Wits held onto their comfortable lead going into the final two quarters.
The third chukka continued where the second left off with no signs of anyone adding to the scoreboard, although there was a lot of intensity by both teams. The scoreless quarter meant that NWU-Pukke had to go into the final 15 minutes with it all to do if they wanted to get in the match.
That is exactly what happened as the Potch team opened the scoring early in the fourth chukka to reduce the deficit to just one goal with the score at 2-1. Their comeback was halted when Wits added a third to restore the two goal buffer before NWU-Pukke once again hit back with a goal of their own to set-up a tense finish to the game. Wits eventually closed out the game for the win.
Mugg & Bean Star Player of the Match: Celia Evans (NWU-Pukke)
Jet Striker of the Match: Amber Dry (Wits)
FNB Player of the Match: Toni Marks (Wits)
Maties 1-0 UCT
It was a derby in the truest sense in the opening quarter with both teams struggling to find a way past their opponent’s defence to claim the lead. The first chukka ended goalless with UCT probably the more happier of the two teams at this stage of the game.
There was a brief onslaught onto the UCT goal in the second chukka, but Maties were left frustrated that they could not finish any of their chances with their opponent’s defence standing firm. At half-time it was all square at 0-0.
There was nothing new in the opening stages of the third chukka as both teams continued to size each other up for potential weaknesses on defence. No one wanted to be the first to concede a goal in such a late stage of the match and the score remained the same going into the fourth and final chukka.
With the final 15 minutes left to play the game reached a point where a single goal would probably be enough to clinch victory and that turned out to be the case with Maties snatching a late goal to win the tie and leave UCT with only a solitary bonus point for all their defensive work during the game.
Mugg & Bean Star Player of the Match: Taylor Karstens (NWU-Pukke)
Jet Striker of the Match: Kirsten Seale (UCT)
FNB Player of the Match: Erin Hunter (Maties)
Kovsies 2-1 UP-Tuks
The first chukka came and went with no one opening the deadlock in the 15 minutes with the top of the table being the prize for the victors in this mouth-watering encounter.
The game then burst into life in the second chukka when Kovsies took a 2-0 lead after taking advantage of a powerplay in the opening four minutes of the quarter. The Bloem side scored a goal in the third minute, which meant they doubled their tally with the rule. There was no addition to the score for the rest of the chukka and the score remained the same until the half-time break.
Kovsies only conceded two goals whole tournament and their defence was once again a key component in their performance as they continued to keep the log leaders at bay during third chukka. Kovsies could not score themselves during this period, which would have taken the game away from UP-Tuks, but they still had a handy two-goal buffer going into the last 15 minutes.
Up-Tuks entered the fourth quarter with something to prove and did just that as they got a goal back early in the first few minutes to reduce the margin to just one. It made for an exciting finish to the game with Kovsies holding onto their slender lead to the end for what should be a confidence boosting win for them ahead of the play-offs.
UJ 2-1 NMMU
UJ started like a house on fire in the opening chukka with four short corners in the first five minutes. Their attacking play eventually paid-off when they scored their first goal in the seventh minute. It would turn out to be the only score for the quarter.
NMMU then caught UJ off guard with an equaliser deep into the second chukka after no one took advantage of the powerplay in the opening four minutes. Both teams were unable to construct another goal before the half-time break with the game evenly poised at 1-1.
The third chukka would have been the perfect stage of the match for one of the sides to take control with goal, but both NMMU and UJ failed to take the initiative as once again a match in this tournament entered the final chukka in the balance.
Both teams increased the pace in the fourth chukka and it was UJ who scored the breakthrough goal with just six minutes left on the clock to take the lead. The goal proved decisive in the end as UJ were the victors when the full-time hooter sounded.
