The UCT girls hockey side produced a dominant display to dismantle NMMU 3-0 in the Varsity Sports Hockey Challenge in Johannesburg on Monday.

The NMMU girls came out firing in the first couple of minutes of the game and the pressure was firmly on UCT. After the girls from the Cape managed to weather the early storm they counter attacked beautifully and managed to get on the scoreboard first with a goal from Paula Dollman in the fourth minute of the game and they lead 1-0.

After that goal UCT seemed to relax more and started getting more possession and this resulted in them winning a penalty corner after a fould from NMMU in the circle. The UCT corner was well executed and Morely-Jepson took the hit at the top of the circle and she beat the NMMU keeper on her right and it snuck into the corner. A 2-0 lead to UCT after eight minutes of the first chukka.

At the conclusion of the first chukka UCT had the upper hand with 59% of the possession as well as the lions share of the territory.

NMMU started the second chukka like they started the first and had an opportunity early in the stanza to get one goal back but the shot from Danielle Judge was unfortunately wide for the Madibaz.

UCT had another chance to extend their lead but after some poor defending from NMMU the ball fell to Keren Dugmore who shot wide from a tight angle. NMMU were put under constant pressure and conceded another penalty corner but UCT’s variation was unsuccessful and the shot went wide.

NMMU won a penalty corner but their execution is quite poor and the umpire gives the hit to UCT who counter and win themselves their third penalty corner of the day.

Keisha Arnolds got a bit too physical on defence and the umpire thought it was unnecessary and she had to sit out the last two minutes of the second chukka.

UCT retained their two goal cushion at the end of the second chukka and they would have been a lot happier as they started taking control over their opposition.

The UCT girls started the last chukka very brightly and they won a penalty corner within the third minute of the chukka but their attack was foiled by NMMU but the Madibaz could take advantage of a numerical advantage on the counter attack. UCT won the ball back and a few quick passes meant that Dollman got the ball on the edge of the circle and drove it into the circle, to cross the ball and Candice Manuel finished it off to give UCT a comfortable 3-0 lead with 16 minutes left on the clock.

A great opportunity for NMMU to make a late charge at UCT was broken down when the shot from Nicole Kemp was saved quite easily by Carey Clegg.

UCT have been impressive with the speed of their counter attack and they nearly grabbed a fourth but a good save from NMMU meant they could not add to their tally.

With three minutes left on the clock UCT had not quite shut up shop and won another penalty corner. Morley-Jepson’s straight shot from the corner was wide however.

Yoza Mazomba received a card leaving to finish UCT with ten players.

Right at the death NMMU won another penalty corner but off the corner Arnolds’ shot went high and wide and UCT consolidated the possession and ran down the clock to win the game comfortably 3-0.

The scorers:

For UCT: Dollman, Morely-Jepson, Manuel

Squads:

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.

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.