Rory runs out fast during one of many under-16 penalty corners, with goalie Annie protecting Cael and Jack on the posts. Photos: Lee Manning.
Fantastic defence and solid teamwork minimised the margins for Benalla Hockey Club’s sides in round 11 of the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association competition.
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Under 13s vs Mooroopna
Benalla’s under-13s played an intense match against Mooroopna, with lots of turnovers and running.
Hayden had another great game as goalkeeper, making a number of impressive saves and covering many defensive penalty corners, while Finn used smart passing from fullback to create space for his teammates.
Phoenix and Madeleine were relentless in the midfield, applying strong defensive pressure and winning important tackles.
Captain Charlee led by example, covering the ground all game to stop opposition attacks, support her teammates and keep the team working together, while Rachel combined strong tackling with smart movement into space to help Benalla regain possession and build attacking play.
Sophie created dangerous attacking opportunities down the wing, with two long runs ending in big hits across goals for William to race into position to slot the ball in past the goalie.
It was another fantastic team effort, with every player contributing to a competitive and spirited performance, with the 4-2 loss spurring them on for the final third of the season.
Goals: William Keen 2.
Umpire best and fairest votes: 3 - Sophie Littler, 2 - Finn Thompson, 1 - Madeleine Wright.
Under 16s vs Strikers
Under-16 captain Jack plays a strong slap hit past his opponent.
The under-16s were magnificent in their defensive circle, with goalie Annie bounding out and deflecting more than 15 goals under the relentless onslaught of Strikers attackers.
Solid full back Cael halted many runs, while captain Jack powerfully cleared a number of hits into the circle.
Rory controlled the midfield with multiple turnovers, while Cooper channelled many of Strikers runs out wide away from their strong forwards.
Alida traps the ball out wide ahead of a Strikers defender.
Centre Angus ran the whole field cutting off options and supporting the Tigers’ runs, with Emily, Ineke and Breanna skilfully running the ball through layers of players.
Wings Steele, Alida and Indi had some nice touches of the ball, with a few narrowly missed goals in the 9-0 loss.
Women’s SYC vs Strikers
SYC had a slow first quarter, but three quick goals to the Strikers caused them to rally and play one of their best second quarters ever, with intense defence by Amber and good hits out to the wing.
The third quarter saw some nice runs into the attacking circle, with two near-misses inspiring the team to continue pushing forwards.
Jacinta and Lee both had some good forward runs from the defensive end after timely intercepts, and helped hold Strikers to just four goals after their opponents scored in the final minutes.
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