NWU-Pukke got the bragging rights over their traditional intervarsity rivals, Kovsies, with an 11-4 Varsity Hockey win at the NWU-Puk Astro turf on Sunday night.

Everything was up for grabs between these two rivals as Kovsies needed to win to have any chance of making the semi-finals while Pukke needed to win in order to avoid playing Tuks in the semi’s on Monday.

Pukke drew first blood with a goal in the ninth minute through Anneke Beukman’s drive from a penalty corner to give her side 1-0 lead in front of a jubilant support base.

Pukke kept piling on the pressure and their persistence paid off as Lori Hyde scored Pukke’s second to take the score to 3-0.

Kovsies, though, could not be underestimated as Janke Kotze and Este van Schalkwyk came close on a few occasions. Pukke’s Marine Kock pulled off two brilliant saves from a penalty corner to keep the ladies in red scoreless after the first chukka.

Kovsies struck back with a piece of individual brilliance from Jean-Casey Botha who hit flicked past Kock from close distance with a back stick effort, to make it 3-2.

The scores stayed the same at half-time as both sides were still in the running to make it to the semi-finals.

Pukke made a better start to the second half with a beautifully executed goal from the right hand side through Courtney du Preez’s stinging shot that gave Alri Vorster no chance, to make it 5-2 in Pukke’s favour.

Soon afterwards Pukke found themselves in the driver’s seat when Hyde bagged her brace with a powerful hit from 16 metres out.

Pukke showed why they are the favourites as they started to boss play in the final 15 minutes, giving Kovsies little chance to mount a comeback.

Kovsies, though, had one last bit of hope in their hearts when they scored in the Powerplay to reduce the deficit to three goals with the score at 7-4.

But Pukke came straight back as Courtney du Preez stretched in front of goal for a tap-in to make it 9-4. Beukman also got her double with a quick shot from just inside the shooting circle to put her side into double figures at 11-4.

This is how the score remained when the final whistle blew as Pukke now face Maties in the semi-finals at 18:45 on Monday. Tuks face Wits in the other semi-final starting at 17:00.

Mugg & Bean Star Saver: Marine Kock (NWU-Pukke)
FNB Player of the Match: Courtney du Preez (NWU-Pukke)

Scores

Pukke: 11
Goals: Anneke Beukman (Penalty Corner, Field Goal), Lori Hyde (Field Goal x2), Courtney du Preez (Field Goal x2)

Kovsies: 4
Goals: Jean-Casey Botha (Field Goal) Nicole Kruger (Penalty Corner)

Teams
Pukke: Marine Kock, Jocelle Deysel, Jessica de Bruyn Smith, Lindi Anker, Carli Pretorius, Lerato Mahlangu, Carli Rheeder, Dunelle van Taak, Anneke Beukman, Elmien Marais, Charne Maddocks,
Subs: Hope Nkosi, Miecke Flemming, Lori Hyde, Courtney du Preez, Kerrin Klaaste, Meeghan Klomp, Jamie Flowers.

Kovsies: Alri Vorster, Chane Hartel, Lisa Alberts , Antonet Louw, Shindre-Lee Simmons, Pricilla Esterhuyze, Casey-Jean Botha, Este van Schalkwyk, Janke Kotze, S’Thabile Motsa
Subs:, Jessica Elizabeth Charles, Nadia van Staden, Candice Calder, Lezanne Vermaak, Shanay Solomon, Nisa van Zyl, Heraldine Olin, Nicole Kruger

By Wouter Pienaar