On a final day that showcased the grit, skill and fighting spirit of South Africa’s leading women squash players, the Capital Fruit SA Country Districts (SACD) A women’s team overcame a courageous Northerns A side to successfully defend their Kaplan Cup title at the Mossel Bay Town Hall in Mossel Bay on Friday, 10 July 2026.
The championship clash provided a fitting conclusion to the 66th edition of the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament, with the title remaining in the balance until the No 3 players completed the decisive match.
In front of an enthusiastic crowd on the all-glass showcourt, Keschia Schlebusch defeated Starla Phillips 3-1 to secure SACD’s second consecutive Kaplan Cup crown and their seventh overall.
The 17-9 scoreline told only part of the story. Northerns pushed the defending champions to the limit and came within touching distance of ending SACD’s dominance in South Africa’s premier domestic team competition.
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SACD struck first through Bianke Pienaar, who was in commanding form as she brushed aside Kaylee Hunt in straight games to settle the champions early.
Northerns hit straight back when No 2 Lara Patrick levelled matters after an enthralling contest against Alexa Pienaar. Neither player managed to establish control as momentum swung throughout the match. Locked at 8-8 in the deciding fifth game, Patrick held her nerve to win the final three points and square the overall contest.
The defending champions regained the advantage in the clash between the No 1 players, where Lizelle Muller and Helena Hudson produced one of the matches of the tournament.
Hudson appeared destined to put Northerns ahead when she opened a 9-7 lead in the deciding game, but Muller drew on more than two decades of experience to remain composed under pressure, reeling off the final four points to complete a remarkable comeback that swung the tie back towards Mossel Bay’s defending champions.
Northerns refused to surrender. Jordin Phillips struck the ball superbly to defeat Chante Leppan in four games, despite dropping the third, ensuring the Kaplan Cup would be decided by the final match of the day.
That left Schlebusch and Starla Phillips to battle for provincial honours in a contest worthy of the occasion. Combining skilful shot making with relentless determination, the two players produced a gripping finale, trading long rallies and refusing to give ground as the crowd willed the contest on.
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Schlebusch dropped the opening game, but she steadied herself to take control of the middle of the match and finally secured victory, sparking scenes of jubilation and relief as SACD successfully defended their crown.
In the other women’s tie of the final day, Western Province A closed out their campaign with an 18-5 win over Capital Fruit SACD B. Kim McDonald, Cassandra Erasmus, Bianca Besener and Nicole Gliddon all delivered for Western Province, while Rachel Cilliers claimed the standout individual result of the tie for SACD B, recovering from a first-game loss to edge Katie Mayhew in a marathon four-game encounter that included an 18-16 third game.
Capital Fruit SACD A finished top of the final women’s log on 77 points, with Northerns A second on 68 after a week in which they took the champions closer than any side has managed in recent years.
Capital Fruit SACD A Women’s A Team
1. Lizelle Muller
2. Alexa Pienaar
3. Keschia Schlebusch
4. Bianke Pienaar
5. Chante Leppan
Northerns A Women’s A Team
1. Helena Hudson
2. Lara Patrick
3. Starla Phillips
4. Kaylee Hunt
5. Jordin Phillips
The Women’s A Section Teams
1. Northerns A
2. Capital Fruit SACD A
3. Joburg Squash A
4. Western Province A
5. Capital Fruit SACD B
Original Copy: BLD Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: The Capital Fruit SA Country Districts A women’s team (from left, Keschia Schlebusch, Chante Leppan, Lizelle Muller, Bianke Pienaar, Alexa Pienaar, celebrate defending their title in the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament in Mossel Bay on Friday. Photo: Johnny Munro
Photo 2 Caption: SACD A defeated Northerns A 17-9 in the tournament decider to secure their seventh Kaplan Cup title overall.
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