The University of the Free State’s women’s hockey team will count on their home fans to give them the edge when they play host to the dangerous NWU-Pukke, the University of Pretoria (Tuks) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) on the second weekend of Varsity Hockey action.
After a two week break the Varsity series, which is sponsored by First National Bank (FNB) and Mugg & Bean, recommences on Saturday. Matches will be played at the astro fields of UFS and the University of Johannesburg, with UJ hosting the University of Stellenbosch (Maties), the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) and the University of Cape Town (UCT).
NWU-Pukke, who hosted the first weekend’s action at their home field in Potchefstroom, are the current leaders on the log with 14 points, after winning all three of their first matches.
They will however face a much greater challenge this weekend, as two of their opponents – Tuks and Kovsies – share second place with 10 log points each.
Maties, who is in fourth place with six points, can also make inroads at the UJ fields. On paper the Stellenbosch team is the strongest of the four in Johannesburg.
To add to their confidence, Maties was well represented in the Western Province Under-21 team which won top honours at the national U21 tournament in Durban last week. Quanita Bobbs, who has already scored twice in the Varsity Hockey series, was a standout in the Province side.
Pukke will also still carry confidence from the U21 tournament. Many of the Potchefstroom girls were in the North-West U21 team which finished second.
Another bonus for the current log leaders is the availability of their Protea stars, Sulette Damons and Celia Evans. The national players were originally not going to form part of their universities’ plans, but the decision to push a Protea training camp on China back to next week, have put them back in the mix.
“The majority of our team are in that North West side and they came second, so that should give us a bit of confidence. Hopefully they’ve all recovered in time,” Evans told varsitysportssa.
“Now all the national players will also be there with the training camp pushed back a week, and with the U21 World Cup coming up all the younger girls will be pushing hard.”
Evans scored four goals during the first weekend to be joint top-scorer with the Kovsie Izelle Lategan, while Damons has three goals to her credit.
With this duo at the front the Pukke scored twelve goals in their first three matches.
Kovsies bothered the scorers ten times in Potchefstroom, thanks largely to Lategan, the national U21 captain. She will surely deliver fireworks again in front of her home crowd.
Kovsies’ first challenge is on Saturday against Tuks, who is one of only two unbeaten teams left in the competition. The Pretoria side won twice and drew their third game in Potchefstroom.
Tuks captain Kara Stella told varsitysportssa her team was happy with the weekend in Potchefstroom, but knows the three days in Bloemfontein could make or break their onslaught on the title.
“We haven’t lost yet which I suppose is a good sign going forward, but we have some tough matches coming up so we will need to play better,” she said.
Fixtures:
At the University of the Free State:
Saturday 11 May: 14:30: Pukke vs Wits; 16:00: Tuks vs Kovsies.
Sunday 12 May: 14:30: Wits vs Tuks; 16:00: Pukke vs Kovsies.
Monday 13 May: 18:00: Pukke vs Tuks; 19:30: Kovsies vs Wits.
* Both Monday matches will be televised live on SuperSport 5 (Channel 205).
At the University of Johannesburg:
Saturday 11 May: 14:30: Maties vs UCT; 16:00: NMMU vs UJ.
Sunday 12 May: 14:30: UJ vs UCT; 16:00: NMMU vs Maties.
Monday 13 May: 15:00: UCT vs NMMU; 16:30: Maties vs UJ.
* Both Monday matches will be televised live on SuperSport 5 (Channel 205).
Squads:
NWU-Pukke: Anelle van Deventer, Danielle Kapp, Celia Evans, Amore de Wet, Jessica de Bruyn-Smith, Carli Gericke, Tania Kruger, Fay Irvine, Sulette Damons, Maartje Korten, Lentea Kamffer, Stephanie Baxter, Tiffany Jones, Sinalo Jafta, Carissa Vorster, Michelle Dias, Sharne van Loggerenberg, Zonica Smith, Schani Moore, Melissa de Koker, Anita Bouwer, Janke Erasmus, Mariska Fourie, Chandre van Niekerk.
Maties: Quanita Bobbs, Nicole La Fleur, Sherry King, Suleke Brand, Bronwyn Kretzmann, Heather McEwan, Farah Fredericks, Hanli Hattingh, Erin Hunter, Rosanne Lombard, Taryn Mallett, Nicole Bartch, Ilse Davids, Anna Malan, Annalien Davin, Chloe Pfeiffer, Leigh Boardman, Ruby Tlhapane.
Kovsies: Roxanne Mostert, Izelle Lategan, Inke Wolmerans, Tanya Brits, Danelle Greeff, Shevaun Botha, Minjon van Tonder, Kim Mentor, Lisa Hawker, Jacqui Ras, Line Malan, Lienkie vd Heever, Nicole Walraven, Sandre Pretorius, Cornelle Botha, Beatrix Westdyk, Madie Wessels, Jonelke Swanepoel.
NMMU: Christine Vorster, Stacey Middelton, Lauren Jasson, Robynne Botha, Nicole Kemp, Jordan Le Clus, Andrea Marais, Christine Dorward, Danielle Judge, Lindsay van Niekerk, Carla Edworthy, Tristian Schroder, Catherine Meier, Keisha Arnolds, Gillian Forbes, Samantha Badman, Lindsay Brent, Cassie Lister.
UJ: Robyn Ormond, Ashley Tarr, Casey-Jane Cowell, Kerry Trebble, Bernadette Coston, Georgina Crisp, Kirsten Simone, Sarah Allan, Charlize Jonker, Nika Nel, Sascha Graham, Kaila Flemming, Lanné Rossouw, Louise Coertzen, Virgilia Testa, Jessica Pyper, Isabella da Rocha, Jessica Santana.
Tuks: Phumelela Mbande, Mmatsepho Modipane, Jenna-Leigh du Preez, Lisette du Plessis, Kara Stella, Chanelle van Zyl, Janie Porteous, Omari Pienaar, Kelly Kaulback, Tarryn Moses, Izelle Verster, Christi Prost, Kate Koenig, Jacinta Jubb, Jenna Shuker, Simone Barrett, Lilian du Plessis, Hlubikazi Siphamla.
Wits: Demi du Toit, Ursh Lesar, Kirstie Thompson, Kirsten Morley-Jepson, Jaime Martin, Shannon White, Lisakazi Maseti, Izzy Inder, Gabriella Garcia, Aimee Waterson, Kirsten du Toit, Philippa Nettleton, Ashlee McCrindle, Zimi Shange, Phil Raal.
UCT: Carey Clegg, Emily Tullis, Alex Fuller, Toni McCann, Keren Dugmore, Stacey Morley-Jepson, Brittany Fenwick, Jessica Pollock, Paula Dollman, Tracey Whitfield, Katie Winter, Candice Manuel, Amy Gibbings, Thando Mazomba, Annabelle Nichol, Yoza Mazomba.
