Collegiate, Rhenish share the honours
Collegiate and Stellenbosch rivals Rhenish enjoyed some keen contests in their annual derby at the weekend, with the hosts triumphant on the hockey astro and Rhenish coming out on top on the netball court.
Fresh from a gruelling St Mary’s tournament, the Collegiate first hockey side faced a Rhenish team coming off backto-back 1-1 draws against DSG and Pearson.
The home side were in need of a boost as the chase for the country’s top 10 is proving to be a tough one.
As expected, the game started tentatively, with both sides sizing the other up.
A moment of magic from captain Taz Preller midway through the first quarter saw her beat four Rhenish defenders to throw a pass into the circle, where Monique Titus was on hand to score.
The home side doubled their lead early in the second quarter after good defence saw Collegiate gain possession.
A lifted pass from Shelby Sofianos found an unmarked Chelsey Cooke on the far post.
Rhenish turned up the heat in the third quarter and forced the home keeper into a string of impressive saves before the pressure finally took its toll and they finished off a clinical move on the far post.
Cooke extended Collegiate’s lead with her second of the game and there was just time for Rhenish to score their second from a penalty corner.
But Collegiate held their composure and ran out deserved winners 3-2, with Josi Hofmeyr earning her 100th cap on the day.
The netballers were also involved in a titanic battle.
In previous years, this result had been rather one-sided but the local side have slowly but surely been producing better results and provided tough opposition.
The game was fast-paced and both sides did well to capitalise on their possession early on.
The sides were neck and neck all the way through, but a combination of Rhenish’s physicality and the increasing heat saw the visitors gain the upper hand in the last four minutes, netting four goals to win 28-22.