UJ Stun UCT on Penalties

Fifth place UJ bought their A-game against third place UCT to take a narrow 2-1 win on penalties in Potchefstroom.

The first half saw equal opportunity for both teams, but it was UCT who had the most composure. UCT had four short corners in a row, but were unable to get ahead, with the score sitting at 0-0 going into half time

UCT came out firing in the second half, but their efforts proved futile in the third quarter when they were still unable to find the back of the net. Kristen Paton came close to scoring for UJ, but her shot went just wide. Thato May put UJ on the board in the last five minutes of the third quarter when she fired a shot through UCT’s defence to take a 2-0 going into the last quarter of the match.

UJ caught their second wind in the last quarter and took the opportunity to call a PowerPlay after UCT were yellow-carded, which sent them down to eight women. However, they were unable to make anything of the PowerPlay but still maintained their 2-0 lead. Francesca Vercellotti proved to be the hero of the day when she scored in the dying seconds of the game to draw UCT level with UJ and take the game to penalties.

UJ won the coin toss and chose to send UCT in to take the first penalty. Nicole Koenig scored UCT’s first and only penalty, with Pauline Jacobs converting her penalty or UJ to draw level with UCT. Lethabo Nkoe was UJ’s saving grace when she found the back of the net to secure the win for UJ, with UCT unable to score any more of their penalties to put them back in it.

M&B Star Saver Award: Nope Serage (UCT)
MTN Connector Award: Chelsea Manoek (UCT)
FNB Player of the Match: Kristen Paton (UJ)

Goals:
UJ: Thato May, Pauline Jacobs, Lethabo Nkoe
UCT: Nicole Koenig

UJ: 1.Nadia Mattana, 23. Paula Rebelo, 10. Jivanka Kruger, 7. Phia Gerber, 16. Lethabo Nkoe, 2. Dinisha Coopoosamy, 11. Tanika Schram, 3. Celine da Silva, 8. Kristen Paton, 4. Zeena Martin, 13. Demi Harmse, 18. Kelly Hewitt, 9. Lisa Hawker, 14. Gabriella Terblanche, 15. Kaylim Bowers, 12. Tenika Kriel, 5. Thato May, 6. Pauline Jacobs.

UCT: 1. Nope Serage, 3. Rosi Church, 4. Gillian Hermanus, 6. Jess Hutchison, 7. Andrea Leader, 8. Michelle Winter, 9. Nicole Koenig, 10. Chelsea Manoek, 11. Clem Goldig, 12. Francesca Vercellotti, 13. Moletlo Somo,. Michelle Tullis, 16. Megan Pryce-Lewis, 17. Courtney Wheeler, 20. Modjadjl Maake, 21. Candice Ewing, 24. Cameron Beckett, 28. Aaliyah Dollie.