The 2019 Varsity Hockey Final saw North West University beat Maties in a penalty shootout at the Stellenbosch University astro, after 4 competitive and goalless quarters of regulation time.
The game was an exhibition of fluid end-to-end hockey, with the two sides surging into each other’s halves relentlessly. However, good attacking play was matched with even better defence.
A full-throttled Monique Bartsch on the ball during the fast-paced action, surrounded by Maties and NWU players alike. PHOTO: Kevin Sawyer.
“I think it was a really exciting and challenging game. To be honest, I think we dominated more of the game than they did,” said Paige Phillips, captain of the Maroon Platoon (the nickname of the Maties Ladies first team).
“What is disappointing is that we couldn’t convert the opportunities we had into goals. Both teams worked incredibly hard and you could feel the drive to win on the field,” Phillips continued.
Maties goalkeeper Kristen Block had to make her presence known early, with Charné Maddocks, NWU captain, narrowly failing to latch onto a close-range opportunity.
Although NWU held most of the possession in the first quarter, they were unable to use their time on the ball to take the lead.
The atmosphere rose in intensity with every passing minute of deadlock, heightening on the field as sheets of rain momentarily poured down on the players, seeing spectators scrambling for shelter.
NWU coach Shaun Hulley gazing through the rain at the action on the field. PHOTO: Mike Wright.
However, despite the short lashing of rain, the waves of attacking play continued from both teams, all of which failed to give either team the upper hand.
With 4 minutes left in the game, NWU called for their power play which forced two Maties players off the field of play. This resulted in surplus pressure until NWU was finally awarded a short corner with 30 seconds remaining, of which was unsuccessfully taken.
With no score at the final whistle, penalty shootouts occurred which resulted in NWU winning 2-1.
“Both teams had their opportunities throughout the game, and at the end of the day we knew it was possibly going to come down to a shootout because of the quality of the two teams,” said Shaun Hulley, coach of the victorious NWU.
“We backed our keeper, and we have trained pretty hard on the shootouts. Unfortunate to Maties; I think it’s awesome playing this quality of hockey,” he continued, eager to join his team in celebrating.
Entertainment MC, Nienke Osborne, thought that the game was intense and that Varsity Sports made the event fun for all, whether you normally watch hockey or not. PHOTO: Mike Wright.
Baphiwe Musondo, Varstity Sport Match Day manager, expressed his relief that the airing of the game on SuperSport occurred despite the multiple behind the scene crises, saying, “After a very long day, with all the delays with [SuperSport production] trucks breaking down, and the rain coming down with no warning, I think everything went as well as it could.”
“We only had the day to get everything set up, so I think everyone did well, from the big screen, to our MCs, to the SuperSport guys arriving at the time that they did. I just need to watch the finished product,” he concluded, sighing with relief.
The individual prizes for the final were as follows:
FNB PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Kirsty Adams (NWU)
MUGG & BEAN STAR SAVER: Mishka Ellis (NWU)
MTN CONNECTOR AWARD: Stephanie Botha (Maties)
