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[10/01/2012]North-West Graduates advanced directly to the Southern Women’s Hockey Grand Final with a tense 1-0 victory over Minor Premier’s OHA.
Very little separated the two sides in the opening half, with Graduates best attempts restricted to four penalty corners. OHA pressed high up the pitch in the final minutes before the interval but could not break the deadlock. OHA coach Alistair Addison encouraged his charges at half-time and they continued to take the initiative into the second half, but for all their possession the Ships could not trouble Graduates goalkeeper Imogen Wright. Graduates capitalised on a midfield turnover in the 48th minute to stream forward in numbers, OHA goalkeeper Shannon Scott made the first save but could only parry it down for Graduates star forward Emily Parker to score. Graduates almost made it two goals in the space of as many minutes, with Nina Khoury striking high over the goals in the 50th minute.
The Graduates period of dominance sparked the match into frantic styled patterns of play, as OHA and North-West traded unsuccessful penalty corner opportunities. OHA’s Claire Picone had a blatant opportunity to round Graduates keeper Wright, but her hurried shot struck Wright’s pad and spilled wide of the goals. OHA had one final opportunity from a penalty corner in the 65th minute to take the game into extra-time but reigning premier’s North-West’s gallant defence held firm. OHA must quickly respond with a Preliminary Final against a resurgent Derwent next weekend.
The Strikers were rarely troubled with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Canterbury after leading 2-0 in the 11th minute. Kirby Lovell bagged the Strikers first goal in just the 5th minute after sixteen year old midfield sensation Maddie Westland weaved past two defenders before completely the goal assist. The skill and pace of Derwent’s forward line continued to cause Canterbury problems with Amelia Spence and Steph Blackwell combining on the breakaway to ensure a 2-0 half-time advantage. Canterbury’s Jess Wuetschner gave the Lions hope of a fight back, pouncing on a Derwent defensive howler to reduce the deficit in the 37th minute. Spence completed Derwent’s progression to its first Preliminary Final in a number of years with the sealing goal in the 45th minute despite Canterbury withdrawing goalkeeper Debbie Jandera in the final moments.
Results: NWG 1 (E Parker) def. OHA 0, DER 3 (K Lovell, S Blackwell, A Spence) def. CANT 1 (J Wuetschner).
The Friend’s School completed a fine Division One hockey double, with its Boys side defeating Hutchins School,4-2 and its powerful Girls team thumping Guilford Young College -St Mary’s College, 11-0.
