WP Women’s Hockey Crowned IPT Champions

Western Province Women’s Hockey were crowned 2023 Inter Provincial Tournament Champions at Riverside Sports Club in Durban North on Saturday, 26 August.

This is the first time over a decade that the ladies were crowned winners. They secured the title after defeating defending champions Northern Blues 2-0.

Western Province’s first goal was scored by SA Hockey player Tarryn Lombaard after a cross into the circle from Sasha Sivertsen. 

Lombard wrote her name into the headlines as she burst onto a through ball from Nicole Koenig to score the second goal and clinch Western Province’s first IPT title since 2011.

Raiders Earn Bronze 

The KZN Raiders sealed a bronze medal with a 2-0 win over SA U21, goals were scored by Raiders captain Jess Lardant and Malikah Hamza. 

North West finished in 5th place with former SA player Dirkie Chamberlain and Dine van Jaarsveld scoring goals for the team that led North West to a 2-0 victory over Southern Gauteng.

In the relegation match SG Witsies took on the Free State, the ladies from the City of Roses were strong for the Joburg girls beating them 2-1. Having trailed to a Nadia Weldhagen goal, Witsies levelled through Hannah Smyth. But a late Free State goal was enough to see Witsies get relegated to the B Section for 2024.

Their place in the A Section will be taken by Border who emerged victorious in a dramatic game against WP Peninsula. Border took the lead after Bianca Wood saw them go into the halftime with two goals. In the second half the momentum changed as Pens Jenna Fyvie scored the first goal before having missed an incredible opportunity, Gabrielle de Kock levelled the score and sent the game to a shootout. 

Antonet Louw was given the opportunity to win it for her team which she did, and the Eastern Cape side Border celebrated a title and promotion to the A Section in 2024.

Eastern Province earned the B Section bronze with a 1-0 win over KZN Mynahs, fifth place was decided by a shootout with KZN Robins beating SACD. Mpumalanga finished 7th over Eastern Gauteng, while Eastern Gauteng U21 snatched 9th from Northern Cape through a shootout.

Results: SA Hockey IPT 2023 2

A Section

7th Playoff – Free State 2-1 SG Witness
5th Playoff –North West 2-0 Southern Gauteng
Bronze – South Africa U21 0-2 KZN Raiders
Final – Western Province 2-0 Northern Blues 

B Section

9th Playoff –Eastern Gauteng U21 (5) 3-3 (4) Northern Cape
7th Playoff – Mpumalanga 4-0 Eastern Gauteng
5th Playoff – KZN Robins (3) 2-2 (0) SACD
Bronze – KZN Mynahs 0-1 Eastern Province
Final – WP Peninsula (2) 2-2 (3) Border

SA Hockey IPT 2023 | Individual Awards

A Section

Goalkeeper of the Tournament – Leahne McLaren (North West)
Top Goal Scorer of the Tournament – Tarryn Lombard (Western Province)
Junior Player of the Tournament – Shanna Mendonca (South Africa U21)
Player of the Tournament – Tarryn Lombard (Western Province)
Women’s Final Umpires – Melissa Taylor, Wanri Venter & Rieze Swart (Reserve)

B Section

Goalkeeper of the Tournament – Kayla Berkenshaw (KZN Mynahs)
Top Goal Scorer of the Tournament – Bianca Wood (Border)
Player of the Tournament – Antonet Louw (Border)
Women’s Final Umpires – Sonika Buys, Nina Reynolds & Alison Mark (Reserve)

Photo 1 Caption: Western Province Women’s Hockey crowned  2023 IPT Champions. Photo: SA Hockey / Belgotex Sport (Twitter)