Dick Morgan reports...
Intercity Men 'A' Division:
Eastside University 1 (B. Bellamy) v Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech 1 (S. Puna);
Old Boys 10 (P. Rae 5, A. Burkhart, T. Schofield, A. Le Claire, A. Singers, A. Barnsdall) v Bayleys Bar Mount 4;
Otumoetai 8 v Pukekohe Indians 3;
Kohekohe 4 v Suburbs-Piako 2.
Intercity Women 'A' Division:
Old Girls 3 (A. Vaile, K. Carson, N. McTamney) v Ultimate University 1(C. Eshuis);
Rose and Thorn Te Awamutu 8 (R. Hurihuranganui 2, M. Whitehead 2, D.Rumble, W. Hamahona, M. Dunn, H. Tooman) v Rotorua Aces 0;
Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech 5 v Bayleys Bar Mount 0;
Tokoroa 2 v Onewhero-Pukekohe 0.
Eastside University 1 (B. Bellamy) v Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech 1 (S. Puna);
Old Boys 10 (P. Rae 5, A. Burkhart, T. Schofield, A. Le Claire, A. Singers, A. Barnsdall) v Bayleys Bar Mount 4;
Otumoetai 8 v Pukekohe Indians 3;
Kohekohe 4 v Suburbs-Piako 2.
Intercity Women 'A' Division:
Old Girls 3 (A. Vaile, K. Carson, N. McTamney) v Ultimate University 1(C. Eshuis);
Rose and Thorn Te Awamutu 8 (R. Hurihuranganui 2, M. Whitehead 2, D.Rumble, W. Hamahona, M. Dunn, H. Tooman) v Rotorua Aces 0;
Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech 5 v Bayleys Bar Mount 0;
Tokoroa 2 v Onewhero-Pukekohe 0.
Fraser Tech / University action on Saturday.
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The top four in Men's Intercity Hockey was virtually sealed at the weekend in the penultimate round, with Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech, Eastside University and Otumoetai all confirming their berths, while Old Boys slipped into fourth place to probably make up the remaining semi-final slot.
For Old Boy's not to go through, fifth place Suburbs-Piako need to beat University, and Old Boy's would have to lose to seventh place Pukekohe Indians.
On Saturday at the Gallagher Hockey Centre, Fraser Tech and University fought out a 1-1 draw, Old Boys thumped Bayley's Bar Mount 10-4, and at Ngatea Kohekohe defeated Suburbs 4-2, while Otumoetai beat Pukekohe Indians 8-3 at the Mount.
In Women's Hockey Fraser Tech beat Mount Maunganui 5-0, Rose and Thorn Te Awamutu thrashed Aces 8-0, and Old Girls beat Ultimate University 3-1 to confirm each winner's semi-final spot. Tokoroa beat Onewhero-Pukekohe 2-0 to give themselves a chance of top four if they beat University next week.
The Men's game between University and Fraser Tech was 'a game of two halves' with University dominating the first spell, and Tech the second. The game began at a fast clip as University, inspired by the return of Commonwealth Games silver medallist Blair Hopping put pressure on the Tech defence with regularity. Hopping was wide with a shot at a penalty corner, but the students continued to pound the defence and Tech could not seem to break through. Play fluctuated through the half, and as Fraser Tech became more confident they began to gain more territory and possession, and they went close when Nick Connolly broke away and a strong cross from him led to a penalty corner which was cleared by the University defence. University however regained their composure and it seemed as though they would shut Tech out of the game when the ball deflected off Brad Bellamy's stick into the goal following a strong shot by Hopping. Tech came back from this and were attacking when the half-time whistle sounded.
University failed to convert an early second half penalty corner, and from that point Fraser Tech put many passing moves into motion which stretched the university defence. The equaliser came when Matt McInnes broke into the Varsity circle to find Sandeep Puna who slotted the goal. Tech then pressurised the University defence and play was very even with each side praying the other would make that vital mistake which would break the deadlock. Both teams made threatening inroads as the half wore on, but after University failed to convert a penalty corner Tech counter-attacked and University's defence were called upon to make many saves in the closing stages. The match was possibly a dress rehearsal for the final in three weeks time.
The game following was the Women's match between University and Old Girls, where the experience of Old Girls proved too much for the students to handle. However in the first half University competed for a time after Anna Vaile had scored for Old Girls in the opening minutes. Shortly after Waikato Under 15 Captain Clarissa Eshuis scored for University in a goal mouth scramble to equalise, but before half time Katrina Carson had regained the lead for Old Girls . The second half produced domination from Old Girls with Melanie Yule dictating play, and the game was sealed for Old Girls when Nerolly McTamney scored late in the game.
RESULTS:
Intercity Men 'A' Division:
Eastside University 1 (B. Bellamy) v Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech 1 (S. Puna);
Old Boys 10 (P. Rae 5, A. Burkhart, T. Schofield, A. Le Claire, A. Singers, A. Barnsdall) v Bayleys Bar Mount 4;
Otumoetai 8 v Pukekohe Indians 3;
Kohekohe 4 v Suburbs-Piako 2.
Intercity Women 'A' Division:
Old Girls 3 (A. Vaile, K. Carson, N. McTamney) v Ultimate University 1(C. Eshuis);
Rose and Thorn Te Awamutu 8 (R. Hurihuranganui 2, M. Whitehead 2, D.
Rumble, W. Hamahona, M. Dunn, H. Tooman) v Rotorua Aces 0;
Boots 'N' All Fraser Tech 5 v Bayleys Bar Mount 0;
Tokoroa 2 v Onewhero-Pukekohe 0.