The Perth Thundersticks Women were back to winning ways before the Tassie Tigers Men won a nail biting shootout to conclude the action in Round 5 of the Sultana Bran Hockey One League 2022 Season.
Women’s Match
The Perth Thundersticks are back in the top four while effectively putting an end to the Tassie Tigers finals hopes in a 3-0 result at Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University tonight.
The home side was dominant in every major facet of the game including possession, time in the attacking half, shots, and most critically on the scoreboard.
The win was set up by a relentless defensive display as the Thundersticks smothered the Tasmanians, restricting their time and space.
With the Thundersticks and the Tigers heading into the match in fifth and seventh place respectively and both sides desperate to keep themselves in finals contention, the build up had a mini final feel to it.
After a scoreless first quarter where much of the play was happening in the Thundersticks attacking half, it was seemingly only a matter of time until the hosts went ahead and the breakthrough came in the 19th minute.
A sharp counter attack from midfield saw Neasa Flynn hold the ball up well on the right in the circle. She waited for Georgia Wilson to make her run into a dangerous area and the Hockeyroo lost her marker to knock the ball in from close range.
Wilson converted the resultant one on one conversion opportunity against Tassie keeper Evie Dalton and the Thundersticks had a 2-0 lead.
An outstanding solo effort from Shanea Tonkin extended the lead in the 42nd minute when she blasted a tomahawk into the back of the net that gave Dalton no chance.
The striker could not repeat the dose with the conversion as the score remained 3-0.
Late in the third quarter Hockeyroos defender Penny Squibb was denied a fourth for Perth when her drag flick hit the crossbar.
Unable to build any substantial momentum or pressure on the Thundersticks goal, the Tassie Tigers’ first penalty corner came with eight minutes remaining.
Perth Thundersticks goalkeeper Elizabeth Duguid, who was a late inclusion for Aleisha Power, reeled off a world class save from a penalty corner late on low to her left to ensure the clean sheet and put the exclamation mark on a valuable five points at home for the team from the west.
“We created chances like we have done over the past three weeks so it was nice to get some in the back of the net,” said Squibb.
“We’ve been working hard defensively on making sure we support our strikers because in the first few weeks we were a bit lazy at the back, so it has been a big focus for us and we’re slowly turning it around.”
The Tassie Tigers return home to take on the NSW Pride on Friday night, while the Thundersticks face another crucial encounter on the road against Canberra Chill on Saturday.
Match Details
Perth Thundersticks 3 (Wilson 19’/19, Tonkin 42’)
Tassie Tigers 0
Saturday 29 October 2022
Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University, WA
Umpires: Tara Leonard & Nicola Brown
Perth Thundersticks Women’s team: 1.Kate Denning, 2.Kyra White (c), 3.Candyce Peacock, 5.Georgina Dowd, 7.Penny Squibb, 8.Georgia Wilson, 9.Shanea Tonkin, 10.Sarah Byrnes, 11.Rachel Frusher, 12.Line Malan, 13.Neasa Flynn, 14.Elizabeth Duguid (gk), 16.Karri Somerville, 17.Annie Gibbs, 18.Renee Rockliff
Tassie Tigers Women’s team: 1.Sarah McCambridge, 2.Jillian Wolgemuth, 3.Hannah Richardson, 4.Maddi Brooks, 5.Taylor Brooks, 7.Maddy Murphy (c), 8.Cassie Sumfest, 9.Emily Donovan, 10.Kiah Williams, 11.Eliza Westland, 12.Lou Maddock, 14.Brooke DeBerdine, 15.Lucy Cooper, 21.Lauren Canning, 25.Evie Dalton (gk)
Men’s Match
The Tassie Tigers have kept their finals hopes alive courtesy of an astonishing 7-6 penalty shootout win over the Perth Thundersticks.
There were a remarkable 20 shootout attempts in total in a gripping finale to an enthralling match that had somehow finished scoreless after regulation time.
After superb displays to ensure the match went to a shootout, both goalkeepers – Tassie’s Henry Chambers and Perth’s Ben Rennie – showed nerves of steel in the shootout before it was Jeremy Edwards who eventually decided the result.
Tassie remain fifth but within touching distance of the top four, while the Thundersticks sit in second spot with just one match to play against Canberra Chill before having the bye in the final round.
After giving up a three goal lead to the Chill at home in their last outing, Tassie Tigers Coach Stephen McMullen said his team was eager for redemption and they started impressively.
The visitors won a penalty corner in the first 30 seconds but the Thundersticks managed to diffuse the threat.
Making his Hockey One League debut, 17 year old Tasmanian Ruben Hoey then almost caught the Thundersticks off guard but Rennie was awake to the youngster’s quick glance on goal.
Rennie was again called upon to deny a Jack Welch drag flick as it took until six minutes to go for the Thundersticks to have their first meaningful foray into the Tigers defensive circle.
As the home side absorbed the early Tassie wave and settled into their groove, it was Chambers’ turn to show his worth as he saved a drag flick in the last 20 seconds of the first quarter to leave it scoreless after 15 minutes.
Chambers was on hand again to make another sharp save from an on target Ben Taylor drag flick as Perth started to arrest some ascendancy.
Tyler McDonald went close to giving the Tigers the lead with a sweetly timed drag flick that flashed just wide of the post, both sides going close from penalty corners.
Welch then produced some great skill and ball control to fire a tomahawk on goal that Rennie managed to parry away.
With the game on a knifes edge heading into the last quarter, the teams’ desperation and willingness saw a player from both sides receive a yellow card to make it 10 against 10.
The Thundersticks survived two Tassie penalty corners with four minutes to go as the urgency lifted all over the pitch.
Zalewski then earned the home side their fourth penalty corner with 10 seconds to go, Liam Flynn’s drag flick saved on the goal line by the glove of a courageous Josh Beltz to send the match to a shootout.
With an all star cast that featured a plethora of Kookaburras lining up for both sides in the shootout, Welch and Tom Wickham both clinically converted their attempts before Rennie saved from Edwards.
Jake Harvie made it two from two for Perth before Eddie Ockenden followed suit for Tassie.
When Chris Bausor converted to make it 4-4 in the shootout and send it to sudden death, the drama continued as both keepers came up with clutch saves.
Harvie missed with his chance leaving Josh Beltz to win it but Rennie kept him out.
Chambers then denied Collins before Rennie produced a stunning stick save to prevent Ockenden from closing it out.
It came down to Edwards who, having missed his first effort, made it count at the second time of asking as he beat Rennie to give the Tassie Tigers three points and keep their finals dreams alive.
“A shout out to Henry…that was really impressive making all of those saves against quality shootout takers,” said Ockenden.
“The game was quite tough. Even though bit was nil-all, both sides had a lot of chances and it was good fun to be part of.”
Match Details
Perth Thundersticks 0
Tassie Tigers 0
Tassie Tigers win shootout 7-6
Saturday 29 October 2022
Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University, WA
Umpires: Dan Johnston & Nathan Jennings
Perth Thundersticks Men’s team: 1.Chris Bausor, 2.Will Battistessa, 3.Tim Geers, 4.Jake Harvie, 5.Bryn de Bes, 6.James Collins, 10.Tom Wickham, 11.Tom Harvie, 12.Alistair Murray, 14.Liam Flynn, 16.Harry Golding, 17.Aran Zalewski (c), 19.Ben Rennie (gk), 22.Ben Taylor, 24.Matt Willis
Tassie Tigers Men’s team: 2.Tyler McDonald, 4.Hayden Beltz, 7.Josh Mardell, 8.Joseph Murphy, 9.Jeremy Edwards, 10.Ruben Hoey, 11.Eddie Ockenden, 13.Joshua Beltz (c), 14.Jack Welch, 15.Kieron Arthur, 19.Tim Deavin, 20.James Bourke, 22.Oliver Pritchard, 23.Henry Chambers (gk), 27.Gobindraj Gill