Tornados Secure Coveted Double in Women's Division 1 (by SHF) The Tornados Hockey Club secured their first ever Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) Women's Division 1 double after beating a determined Hollandse Club Max team with a golden goal yesterday at Delta Sports Complex. Gemma Thomas was in scintillating form as she scored two goals in the Tornados 2-1 triumph the Dutch club. Team Max surprised the league champions with a disciplined display that gave them a lion's share of the proceedings. Gaining six penalty corners during 70-minutes of normal time, Max could only convert one to tie the game 1-1. Geertruida Langezaal cancelled off Thomas' 32rd minute first half strike off a Tornados' penalty corner.
Thomas expertly placed the ball between the legs of onrushing Max defender Alison Shannon and past the hapless Monica Winnubst in the Max goal. The goal was against the run of play as Max were spending increasingly more time in the Tornados' half.
Nonetheless, the champions though somewhat perturbed by Max's command of the game were very much a threat. Much of their lacklustre was due to the adept shackling of Michaela Weiss by Max's Karlijn van de Kamp. The duo were locked in many a battle with van de Kamp availing herself considerably.
With the brilliance of Weiss countered, Max went about in search of that elusive goal in a tight battle under the cool sunset atmosphere at Delta. Thomas and Laura Schmidt continued to provide continued to combine well to breach the Max defence lines, but they could not find the opening they sought.
With captain Melissa Mikaere putting yet another accomplished shift, Max knew that the evening was going to be a long one. To compound the issue, Victoria Tudor Jones was a rock at the back with Tara Quin equally blessed in what was an excellent exhibition of hockey.
Max matched Tornados play for play and Langezaal from the centre of the Max defence launched many attacks through Marike Hordijk in the Max central midfield and the deadly Alexandra Roosen (Sascha) was lurking time and again only to see her efforts either find the wrong sides of the goalpost or stopped by the steady Emilie Petitjean in the Tornados goal.
There was a big sigh of relief and not to mention celebration when Thomas broke the deadlock so close to half time. Tornados' coach Richard Ayres knew that he now had the chance to claim a rare double for a team that finished obliviously in mid-table last season.
Meanwhile, there was relative sombre at the Max bench, mostly due to conceding a goal so late in the half and also because it totally came against the run of play. Licking their wounds, Max together with their coach, Kanan Packrisamy knew that they would get back into the game if they kept playing the same way.
The second half got off at a faster pace than the first and the crowded stands (only in the central areas) were going to be treated to more good hockey. With Patricia van Putten marshalling the Max defence ably, it allowed the rest of the backline to push up more and pressure the Tornados side.
The move paid dividends after 46-minutes when Langezaal shot home a penalty corner from a neat Sascha lay off. The goal turned the heat up once again and both sides were going for the win at this stage, knowing that the next goal would probably win the Play-Off title.
It was not to be despite some good work by Systke Rijkens for Max down the left flank and determined endeavour on the part of Weiss, who at one stage produced a moment of brilliance and escaped the glue of van de Kamp and dribbled her way into the Max scoring circle but banged her trademark reverse shot out, however it did look like Winnubst got her angels right.
The match then went into 15-minutes of golden goal extra-time and it only took Thomas three minutes to deliver the fatal blow to Max's challenge to their supremacy this season. Umpire Mohd Amin awarded a penalty stroke to Tornados following a barrage of tackles from the Max side on Weiss. Despite the astonishment of the Max players and their protest, albeit in subdued fashion the stroke award stood and Thomas stepped up to despatch an unstoppable flick to Winnubst's top right corner.
Tornados cap a wonderful season in which they have remained unbeaten throughout. Going by the standard set this season, we can expect the women's division 1 to be more exciting next season.-story by SHF
Thomas expertly placed the ball between the legs of onrushing Max defender Alison Shannon and past the hapless Monica Winnubst in the Max goal. The goal was against the run of play as Max were spending increasingly more time in the Tornados' half.
Nonetheless, the champions though somewhat perturbed by Max's command of the game were very much a threat. Much of their lacklustre was due to the adept shackling of Michaela Weiss by Max's Karlijn van de Kamp. The duo were locked in many a battle with van de Kamp availing herself considerably.
With the brilliance of Weiss countered, Max went about in search of that elusive goal in a tight battle under the cool sunset atmosphere at Delta. Thomas and Laura Schmidt continued to provide continued to combine well to breach the Max defence lines, but they could not find the opening they sought.
With captain Melissa Mikaere putting yet another accomplished shift, Max knew that the evening was going to be a long one. To compound the issue, Victoria Tudor Jones was a rock at the back with Tara Quin equally blessed in what was an excellent exhibition of hockey.
Max matched Tornados play for play and Langezaal from the centre of the Max defence launched many attacks through Marike Hordijk in the Max central midfield and the deadly Alexandra Roosen (Sascha) was lurking time and again only to see her efforts either find the wrong sides of the goalpost or stopped by the steady Emilie Petitjean in the Tornados goal.
There was a big sigh of relief and not to mention celebration when Thomas broke the deadlock so close to half time. Tornados' coach Richard Ayres knew that he now had the chance to claim a rare double for a team that finished obliviously in mid-table last season.
Meanwhile, there was relative sombre at the Max bench, mostly due to conceding a goal so late in the half and also because it totally came against the run of play. Licking their wounds, Max together with their coach, Kanan Packrisamy knew that they would get back into the game if they kept playing the same way.
The second half got off at a faster pace than the first and the crowded stands (only in the central areas) were going to be treated to more good hockey. With Patricia van Putten marshalling the Max defence ably, it allowed the rest of the backline to push up more and pressure the Tornados side.
The move paid dividends after 46-minutes when Langezaal shot home a penalty corner from a neat Sascha lay off. The goal turned the heat up once again and both sides were going for the win at this stage, knowing that the next goal would probably win the Play-Off title.
It was not to be despite some good work by Systke Rijkens for Max down the left flank and determined endeavour on the part of Weiss, who at one stage produced a moment of brilliance and escaped the glue of van de Kamp and dribbled her way into the Max scoring circle but banged her trademark reverse shot out, however it did look like Winnubst got her angels right.
The match then went into 15-minutes of golden goal extra-time and it only took Thomas three minutes to deliver the fatal blow to Max's challenge to their supremacy this season. Umpire Mohd Amin awarded a penalty stroke to Tornados following a barrage of tackles from the Max side on Weiss. Despite the astonishment of the Max players and their protest, albeit in subdued fashion the stroke award stood and Thomas stepped up to despatch an unstoppable flick to Winnubst's top right corner.
Tornados cap a wonderful season in which they have remained unbeaten throughout. Going by the standard set this season, we can expect the women's division 1 to be more exciting next season.-story by SHF
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