Switzerland on Top as Tenacious South Africa Lose Indoor Series 2-1

The Spar South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team fought bravely but succumbed to a series loss to hosts Switzerland, drawing their final two Test matches 3-all and then 4-all in Basel on Saturday, 3 February, 2024. 

The result means the home team secured a 2-1 win, their two victories coming in the first two days of competition. 

Malika Hamza was in superb form for the visitors scoring three goals on the night. Her first came in just the second minute of the match, via a penalty corner, as Tatum Kroutz then doubled their lead. 

Several minutes later Stephanie Weber’s goal got her team on the scoreboard and it was not long after that, that Sofie Stomps put the Swiss on level terms making the score 2-2. However, it became a tit-for-tat affair as Weber and Hamza then bagged their second goals of the night. 

Hamza then scored in the 38th minute and no doubt South Africa would have been gunning for a win but Tamara Trosch scored via a penalty corner which saw the match end all square and also gave Switzerland the series win. 

Earlier in the day, the two teams played the fifth match and it was another draw as the game ended 3-all. Cerian Fourie opened the scoring for South Africa, a chance then fell to Trosch and she made no mistake and levelled matters. 

Hamza then found her scoring boots and propelled the visitors into the lead but it wasn’t long until Swiss went level via a Stomps goal. Tegan Fourie then regained the lead for South Africa but Raffaela Treibold’s goal saw the team share the spoils.

Stomps ends the series as the top goalscorer netting 7 goals over the last few days. Hamza is the best placed South African player in this regard as she scored 6 goals. 

Tegan Fourie and Kroutz each scored 4. It is also worth mentioning that Kroutz made her debut in the opening game of the series on the 30 January, 2024, so she looks set for big things with the national team. 

Switzerland beat the Spar SA Indoor Hockey Women Team 2-1 in the Test Series

Tue 30 Jan (20:30): Switzerland 3-1 South Africa
Wed 31 Jan (21:00): Switzerland 3-1 South Africa
Fri 2 Feb (13:15): Switzerland 3-3 South Africa
Fri 2 Feb (17:30): Switzerland 1-3 South Africa
Sat 3 Feb (13:00): Switzerland 3-3 South Africa
Sat 3 Feb (19:00): Switzerland 4-4 South Africa

South Africa Indoor Hockey Women’s team for Switzerland Test Series: 

Bonolo Moabi
Cerian Fourie 
Cherry Grevenstein
Daniella de Oliveira 
Elizabeth Porter 
Jamie Southgate
Jessica Lardant 
Laiken Brisset 
Malikah Hamza
Sara Paget
Tatum Kroutz
Tegan Fourie
Manager: Robyn Morgan
Coach: AJ Spieringshoek’s

Switzerland Team:

Dorine von Overbeck
Sofie Stomps
Stephanie Weber
Sae Fontana
Sarah Zepf
Tamara Trösch
Nele Pöhler
Carina Zimmermann
Paulina Appel
Elena Trösch
Raffaela Triebold
Ursina Fazis
Manager: Constance van Asselt
Coach: Mathias Schaeben
Linda Haussener
Physiotherapist: Fien Koelmans

Main Photo caption: The Spar South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team fought a titanic tussle but succumbed to a series loss to hosts Switzerland, drawing their final two matches 3-all and then 4-all in Basel on Saturday, 3 February, 2023. All Photos: (c) Karen Fourie