Namibia: Saints Wrap Up Women's Title
Saints retained the Bank Windhoek Indoor Hockey Women's Premier League title in style with a 10-1 victory against Wanderers on Friday night.
Windhoek Old Boys still had a mathematical chance of catching them, but when they failed to get a bonus point win against DTS the next day, Saints wrapped up their third consecutive indoor league title win.
With three matches to go Saints are now in an unassailable lead on 27 points, with Old Boys second on 14 and DTS third on eight points.
On Friday, Saints took a while to break down Wanderers' defence, but when Azaylee Philander opened their account in the eighth minute, the dam wall burst.
Cele Wessels made it 2-0 a minute later, while two goals by Gillian Hermanus - one a deflection and the other a penalty, made the half time score 4-0 in Saints' favour.
Saints pulled further ahead after the break, with Philander and Wessels both scoring their second goals, and although Bernice Brink managed to open Wanderers' account, Saints immediately struck back with two more goals by Wessels - the first from a quicksilver counter-attack and the second from a Caitlin Gillies cross.
In the final stages, Philander completed her hat-trick, while Caitlin Gillies also found the net to complete an emphatic victory.
The next day Old Boys had to beat DTS by a bonus-point five goals to remain in with a mathematical chance of winning the league, but they only managed a 4-0 victory, to hand Saints the title.
Marcia van Zyl opened Old Boys' account in the third minute, while two goals within a minute by Annalien Davin put them 3-0 ahead by half time.
They struggled to break down DTS' defence in the second half and could only add one more goal by Kaela Schimming from a short corner, to fall one goal short of a bonus-point win.
On Saturday, DTS managed to get a point in a 1-1 draw against Wanderers.
After a goalless first half, Bernice Brink put Wanderers ahead from a short corner, but DTS soon equalised through Anthea Coetzee from another short corner.
The Men's Premier League is still delicately poised after the front runners Saints and DTS both picked up bonus-point wins over the weekend.
Saints thrashed Wanderers 14-1 to remain on top of the log on 33 points from nine matches, while DTS beat Old Boys 5-3 to remain second a point behind, although they have played one more match than Saints.
On Saturday night, Saints were in a different class as they systematically took Wanderers apart with their slick passing game.
Cody van der Merwe opened the scoring after four minutes and three minutes later they were suddenly 4-0 ahead after goals by Fagan Hansen, Nico Neethling and a second by Van der Merwe from the penalty spot.
Wanderers opened their account through Herschelle van Schalkwyk, but three more goals by Van der Merwe and another by Hansen put Saints 8-1 ahead at half time.
Saints' dominance continued after the break with Hansen and Nico Neethling each scoring two goals and Damien Schütz one, while Van der Merwe completed the rout with his sixth goal from a short corner.
DTS, meanwhile, beat Old Boys 5-3 in a thrilling match earlier on Saturday, after leading 2-1 at half time.
In an action-packed match, DTS took the lead with two short corner goals by their young striker JP Britz, but Siyabonga Martins opened Old Boys' account from a short corner just before half time.
Fortunes continued to swing to and fro after the break with a brace by Josh van der Merwe and another by Martins making it 4-2 to DTS, before Ernest Jacobs gave Old Boys hope with a fine solo goal in the final stages.
Percy Barthram, however, sealed DTS' victory with a last-minute goal.
On Friday, Old Boys thrashed Wanderers 14-0 after leading 9-0 at half time.
Ernest Jacobs led the way with five goals, while Bucko Bartlett scored three, Dylan Finch two, and Etienne de Villiers, Nathan van Niekerk, Siyabonga Martins and Kevin Barnard one goal each.
This article was originally published by The Namibian. Photo: Helge Schutz