National Left back Trisha Woodroffe
The annual GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships got off to a fast start on Monday evening as the national Ladies made their debut against SIDM, a combination of Hikers and Saints HC. The new surface of the Sports Hall was being tested for the first time in competition and some players struggled to keep pace with the speed of the ball.
The national Ladies, who have been benefitting from regular training at the venue, seemed naturally the most comfortable as they dominated the possession, stringing together several passes in each build-up en route to a comfortable 11-0 victory.
Marisha Fernandes and Trisha Woodroffe proved an impenetrable defence for the nationals as both demonstrated composure and generated several effective attacks from the back. Striker Kerensa Fernandes was top-scorer of the match with a hat-trick, while Woodroffe, Marzana Fiedtkou and Maria Munroe each had doubles. Juniors Aliyah Gordon and Minsodia Culpepper completed the score sheet with one a piece.
Pizza Hut GCC began their 2017 quest to retain the title in similar dominant fashion as Sonia Jardine and Carina Moller both scored hat-tricks in their 8-1 beating of Old Fort Shooting Stars. Bushani Kaladeen was the noticeable standout for Old Fort although she would only manage one goal for her team though a counterattack in the fifth minute. Captain Tiffany Solomon and Sandy Roopnarine scored the other two goals for GCC.
The Men’s first division competition produced a thrilling battle between Old Fort Titans and Bounty GCC as the two fought to a 5-5 stalemate in the end. Old Fort led from the start, going up by two field goals from Jael Gaskin in the first twelve minutes.
GCC’s Alan Fernandes replied two minutes later, but Akeem Hope restored Old Fort’s two-goal cushion in the 15th minute. GCC midfielder Orland Semple returning from a long hiatus from the game managed to draw his team within one for the second time just before the half which arrived with Old Fort enjoying a 3-2 lead.
The game seemed surely beyond GCC five minutes into the second half as Old Fort hammered home two goals through Ascofu Simon and John Abrams to give Old Fort a 5-2 lead. GCC however, would launch an all-out attacking assault on Old Fort and found gaps in their earlier solid defence.
The changed tactic by GCC produced the opportunities they needed as Dwayne Scott, Mark Sargeant and Peter Degroot each found the back of the net with DeGroot’s equaliser coming in the penultimate minute of the match. The 5-5 draw leaves both teams in strong contention for the title that has eluded them for three years.
The National Blacks completely dominated the Pepsi Hikers in their Men’s first division duel finishing with a 12-0 score line, while the National Greens gave Saints HC a 9-1 drubbing. The Old Fort Warriors pulled off a 5-1 victory over the Hikers in the lone second division match-up of the evening, while the GCC Vintage enjoyed a 10-5 victory over Old Fort Goal-getters.
The full evening’s results are as follows:
Men’s First Division
National Black vs Pepsi Hikers: 12-0
National Black – Hilton Chester 5, Robert France 3, Andrew Stewart 2, Kareem McKenzie 1, Jamarj Assanah 1
National Green vs Saints: 9-1
National Green – Aroydy Branford 4, Kevin Spencer 2, Jason DeSantos 1, Devin Munroe 1, Aderemi Simon 1
Saints HC: Seon Sookhai 1
Bounty GCC vs Old Fort Titans: 5-5
Bounty GCC – Alan Fernandes 1, Orland Semple 1, Dwayne Scott 1, Mar Sargeant 1, Peter DeGroot 1
Old Fort Titans – Jael Gaskin 2, Akeem Hope 1, Ascofu Simon 1, John Abrams 1
Women’s Division
National Ladies vs SIDM: 11-0
Nationals – Kerensa Fernandes 3, Marzana Fiedtkou 2, Maria Munroe 2, Trisha Woodroffe 2, Aliyah Gordon 1, Minsodia Culpepper 1
Pizza Hut GCC vs Old Fort Shooting Stars: 8-1
Pizza Hut GCC – Sonia Jardine 3, Carina Moller 3, Tiffany Solomon 1, Sandy Roopnarine 1
Old Fort – Bushani Kaladeen
Veterans Division
GCC Vintage vs Old Fort Goal-Getters: 10-5
GCC Vintage – Dwayne Scott 3, Alan Fernandes 3, Philip Fernandes 2, Devin Hooper 1, Patrick Edghill 1
Old Fort – Dwight Sullivan 2, John Abrams 2, Chris Low-Koan 1
Men’s Second Division
Old Fort Warriors vs Hikers: 5-1
Old Fort – Jason Clarke 2, Jael Gaskin 1, Deheron Wilkinson 1, Stephon King 1
Hikers – Samuel Garnett
Matches continue throughout the week from 17:00h with the finals to be contested on September 30. Men’s national selections, the BLACKs and the GREENs, will play an exhibition match against each other right before the final presentation. (PHOTOS: Keno George)
