UCT came out on top against a less than impressive UJ in the fifth and sixth place playoff in Potchefstroom on Monday 13 May.
This game was the second time UCT and UJ had met at the NWU Astro this weekend but the outcome was not in favour of UJ, who beat UCT on penalties.
A silly mistake by goal keeper Nadia Mattana almost gave UCT an early lead, her team mates were able to clear the ball from the danger zone. UCT continued to push for a goal, but the first quarter ended with a 0-0 score.
UJ’s defensive woes continued in the second quarter when captain Andrea Leader found the back of the net through a short corner, to put her team 1-0 ahead in the 18th minute which they carried into half time.
Leader had a chance to double her team’s advantage at the beginning of the third quarter, but her penalty went wide, keeping the score at 1-0 for UCT. Kristen Paton, who has been UJ’s star player this weekend, was continuously shut down by UCT despite her best efforts to draw level before the third quarter ended.
UCT spent the majority of the final quarter defending in their own half, with Paton looking the most threatening she’d been in the whole game. They had the advantage when they called their PowerPlay and UCT went down another player through a green card, but lack of communication cost them any chance at goal. Gabriella Terblanche had the best shot at putting UJ ahead but the ball very narrowly missed open goals. UJ then made the risky decision to substitute their goal keeper in place of another attacking player, but with less than a minute to play they were unable to get their goal which meant UCT finished in fifth place.
Mugg & Bean Star Saver Award: Nepo Serage (UCT)
MTN Connector Award: Jess Hutchison (UCT)
FNB Player of the Match: Nicole Koenig (UCT)
Scores
UCT: 1
Goal: Andrea Leader
UJ: 0
Teams
UJ: 1. Nadia Mattana, 2. Dinisha Coopoosamy, 3. Celine da Silva, 4. Zeena Martin, 5. Thato May, 6. Gabriella Terblanche, 7. Phia Gerber, 8. Kristen Paton, 9. Lisa Hawker, 11. Tanika Schram, 12. Tenika Schram, 13. Demi Harmse, 14. Pauline Jacobs, 15. Kaylim Bowers, 16. Lethabo Nkoe, 18. Kelly Hewitt, 22. Kerry-Leigh Cawrse, 23. Paula-Ivana Rebelo.
UCT: 1. Nepo Serage, 3. Rosie Church, 4. Gillian Hermanus, 6. Jess Hutchison, 7. Andrea Leader, 8. Michelle Winter, 9. Nicole Koenig, 10. Chelsea Manoek, 12. Francesca Vercelotti, 13. Moletlo Somo, 14. Michelle Tullis, 15. Caity Barbour, 17. Courtney Wheeler, 18. Caroline Mills, 20. Modjadji Maake, 21. Candice Ewing, 24. Cameron Beckett, 28. Aaliah Dollie.
By Bronwen Bain
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