DIVISION 1 WOMEN – QUALIFYING FINAL – REDBACKS 4 d WEST 0
REDBACKS’ Division 1 women are through to the Lower South East hockey grand final after a 4-0 win over West in the qualifying final.
A tough encounter was expected, after both teams finished the season level on points, while West won the previous encounter 3-1.
The first 10 minutes of the game were evenly contested, as both teams pushed into attack.
Zara Blackwell put Redbacks on the scoreboard late in the first quarter.
In the second term Redbacks began to assert control in the midfield and Anna Mitchell gave her team a 2-0 lead.
West made some structural changes at half time which allowed Georgia Clarke to make strong attacking runs through the centre.
However, Redbacks continued to link well and Blackwell eventually deflected a crossed ball from Neave Delaney to extend the margin to three goals heading into the final quarter.
During the fourth term West was able to penetrate the Redbacks’ circle and earn a penalty corner.
However, the Redbacks’ defence held strong and a fourth goal, scored by Jemma Heraper, iced the game at 4-0.
West will now suit up this week against third-placed Tigers in hopes to book the second grand-final berth.
DIVISION 1 WOMEN – ELIMINATION FINAL – TIGERS 1 d PORTLAND 0
TIGERS entered the Division 1 women’s elimination final against Portland as the favourite, after an easy victory against the side in the final minor round.
However, Portland had a defensive mindset and at the final whistle Tigers claimed a narrow 1-0 win to keep its finals campaign alive.
That goal came early in the game, when Brooke Marcus converted a Dana Jones cross in the 12th minute.
Several opportunities followed throughout the game, but the Portland defence held firm, with keeper Linda Smith keeping her team in the game.
Ashleigh Doll defended solidly for Tigers, as did Bec Gould and Jemma Aitchison for Portland.
The final quarter continued to be a tight tussle, until with about a minute before full time an against-the-flow attack from Portland caught the Tigers’ defenders out of position.
A three-on-one situation against Tigers goalie Sophie Nisbet was the result, but she charged out and saved the day with a superb clearance.
Portland continued to press hard for the equaliser, but Tigers survived the onslaught and will now face West in this week’s preliminary final.
DIVISION 2 WOMEN – QUALIFYING FINAL – TIGERS 2 d NARACOORTE 1
AN early goal to Tigers was the deciding factor in its victory over Naracoorte in the Division 2 women’s qualifying final.
A strong start allowed Magret Fenwick to hit the scoreboard in the opening stages of the match.
Naracoorte hit back immediately with a short corner of its own, but the shot was saved by Tigers’ goal keeper Rachel Larson.
Play was evenly matched from there, until Naracoorte equalised through Jessamy Bennet with under a minute remaining in the first term.
That sparked an intense second quarter, but despite best efforts of both teams the deadlock remained at half time.
Early in the third quarter Tigers’ Teena McKee scored the winning goal, with the side then turning to defence to protect its lead.
Sophie Nisbett and Kirrilly Cooper were solid in the backline and Tigers absorbed the pressure to claim the first place in the grand final after a nerve-racking final quarter.
UNDER 15 GIRLS – ELIMINATION FINAL – WEST 6 d REDBACKS 0
SUNDAY’S Under 15 girls elimination final saw West claim a 6-0 win to keep its season alive over a determined Redbacks side.
Play was even in the opening stages of the match and with a full-strength Redbacks team, West had to use its short ball game to manoeuvre around the defence and score.
At half time West had a comfortable lead, but Redbacks came out firing in the second half with Layne Blackwell and Shae Delaney causing West some issues.
However, Ella Clarke was moved from defence into attack and scored an impressive goal for West, while its control through the midfield was led by Tess Kensley and Mercedes Theobald.
The game was played in good spirits with West coming out comfortable victors at the final siren and booking a place in the preliminary final this week.
