The drama and excitement were at their peak on a sunny day in Johannesburg, as eight teams battled it out for a coveted spot in the SA Hockey IPT 2024 semi-finals. With stellar performances, unexpected twists, and nail-biting finishes, the stage is set for the final four teams to clash in the next round.
Women’s A Section
Northern Blues 9-0 SG Witsies
Northern Blues lived up to their top billing in a dominant display against SG Witsies. Hockey5s star Marguerite van Wyk led the charge with a stunning hat-trick, while Hanrie Louw added to her impressive goal tally with two strikes. The birthday girl, Izelle Cilliers, joined the party, and the Fourie sisters—Cerian and Tegan—sealed the deal with three more goals. Their ruthless form makes the Blues a force to reckon with, as they head into the semi-finals against Southern Gauteng.
North West 0-1 Southern Gauteng
Southern Gauteng pulled off an upset against North West in a fiercely contested quarter-final. Despite being third in their pool, Southerns’ robust defense laid the foundation for a gritty win. Kiara Meyer’s 18th-minute goal proved decisive, as they held off North West’s attempts to equalize, booking their semi-final spot in style.
South Africa U21 6-1 Free State
The SA U21 women’s team continued to dazzle with their attacking flair, securing a place in the semi-finals with a commanding 6-1 victory over Free State. Six different scorers—Taheera Augousti, Amber Fairon, Tara Pakendorf, Ntsopa Mokoena, Caylin Maree, and Rea Phume—highlighted their offensive prowess. Free State’s lone goal came from Izaiah April, but the junior national team’s relentless pressure was too much to handle.
KZN Raiders (2) 1-1 (3) Western Province
In the most intense match of the day, defending champions Western Province were pushed to the limit by KZN Raiders. Correen Matthee put Province ahead early, but Cailynn den Bakker leveled the score before halftime. Neither team could break the deadlock in regulation, forcing a shootout. Raiders stumbled in the third round, giving Rebecca Kaps the chance to win it for Province, and she calmly delivered, sending her team to the semi-finals.
Women’s A Section – Fixtures – 13 September
09:45 – 5-8 – KZN Raiders vs. Free State
13:15 – SF – Western Province vs. South Africa U21
16:45 – SF – Southern Gauteng vs. Northern Blues
17:15 – 5-8 – North West vs. SG Witsies
Men’s A Section
South Africa U21 4-2 WP Peninsula
The SA U21 men’s team knew they’d be in for a battle against WP Peninsula, and they rose to the challenge. Jaydon Brooker was the star of the match, scoring twice in the first quarter. James Flint pulled one back for Peninsula, but Brooker completed his hat-trick, giving SA U21 a comfortable lead. Ross Montgomery brought some late excitement by making it 3-2, but Jamie Seale’s 57th-minute goal secured a 4-2 win, propelling the juniors into the semi-finals.
Western Province 2-0 Eastern Province
Western Province’s experience showed in a hard-fought 2-0 win over Eastern Province. Early goals from indoor specialists Idrees Abdulla and Hans Neethling put them in control within the first seven minutes. Despite a quiet attack thereafter, Western Province’s defense held firm, and Eastern Province couldn’t find a breakthrough, securing Western Province’s spot in the semis.
KZN Raiders 2-3 Northern Blues
The men’s KZN Raiders suffered the same fate as their female counterparts, crashing out of the tournament after a 3-2 loss to Northern Blues. Brad Sherwood was the hero for the Blues, netting an early brace before completing his hat-trick. Tyler Tomsett and Ethan Biggar scored for the Raiders, but they couldn’t find the equalizer, leaving them to fight for 5th-8th place.
Southern Gauteng 4-1 SG Witsies
In the most straightforward game of the quarter-finals, Southern Gauteng flexed their muscles against SG Witsies. Liam Hermanus opened the scoring, but Dechlan Bennett brought Witsies back into it with a swift equalizer. However, two quick goals from Marvin Simons and Ross Breytenbach before halftime put Southerns back in control. Sanele Mchunu added the final blow in the fourth quarter, as Southerns comfortably advanced to the semi-finals.
Men’s A Section – Fixtures – 13 September
08:00 – 5-8 – Eastern Province vs. WP Peninsula
11:30 – SF – Western Province vs. South Africa U21
15:00 – SF – Southern Gauteng vs. Northern Blues
15:30 – 5-8 – KZN Raiders vs. SG Witsies
The semi-finals promise to deliver more thrilling action as the top teams inch closer to the 2024 IPT title. Stay tuned for more updates from Johannesburg!
