There were goals galore as the 2024 South African Hockey IPT tournaments began their week-long journey at St. Stithians College in Johannesburg on Monday, 9 September, 2024.
Women’s B Section
The seven women’s teams, playing in a round-robin format, knew that you can’t have a slow start under that format if you want to be lifting the title on Saturday morning.
Lisa February scored an early goal for SA Country Districts against Mpumalanga but early in the second quarter Marche Swarts cancelled it out. That was all the scoring for the game as it ended 1-1.
Northern Daisies were trailing 1-0 at half-time to Eastern Province who had scored through Asithandile Nama, but the Daisies fought back and earned a victory through Nadia Kitshoff and Bulelwa Mzimela (2).
Early pace setters in the B Section, the KZN Mynahs overwhelmed Eastern Gauteng with a 10-1 win, Emily Macquet scored a hat-trick while Jessica Fletcher went bigger with four goals as the KZN based team were just too good for their East Rand opponents.
Women’s A Section
The A Section tournament is played over two pools with cross-pool quarter-finals on Thursday, where defending champions Western Province started their tournament in the worst possible way, being outplayed by the SA Under 21 side.
The junior national team were superb in their first assignment under Cindy Brown and galloped to a 4-0 win through Germarie Spershott, Olympian Ntsopa Mokoena and a further brace from Thabelani Metu.
North West were too good for the challenge of SG Witsies. A goal in each quarter scored by Chanel Genis, Tarmarie Myburgh, Charne de Wet and Kim Hubach saw them to a comfortable 4-0 victory emulating the U21 winners earlier.
Pool B started with a well-contested battle between Northern Blues and KZN Raiders. Hanrie Louw opened the scoring for the Blues, but Raiders pulled level with a Tatum Lardant goal. Jean-Leigh du Toit and Maikemisetso Marokoane scored either side of the third break to win the points for the Blues.
Southern Gauteng scored in the first minute of their match against Free State and never looked back. Kiara Fitzhenry got two, Kiara Meyers got two, while Shanna Medonca, Kelsey Stark and Julianne du Plessis completed the rout for a great start to the tournament.
Original Copy: SA Hockey, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Taheera Augousti in action for the SA Under 21 junior national side, who were superb in their first assignment, galloping to a 4-0 upset win over defending champions, Western Province in the first fixture of the 2024 SA Hockey IPT at St. Stithians College in Johannesburg on Monday, 9 September, 2024. Photo: Hockey SA
Photo 2 Caption: Cindy Brown could not have asked for a better start for the junior national team, in their first assignment under lead. Photo: Hockey SA
Photo 3 Caption: WP went scoreless, while Germarie Spershott, Ntsopa Mokoena and a brace from Thabelani Metu settled the match in favour of the juniors. Photo: Hockey SA
Photo 4 Caption: Jean Leigh du Toit scored just before the third break to give KZN Raiders the lead in a well-contested battle against the Northern Blues. Photo: Hockey SA
