Goalkeeper Amy Rossiter-Stead impressed for Capital Under-18s. PHOTO/JAMES CRAWLEY.
CHRIS COGDALE
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Wairarapa finished a creditable third at the national girls’ Under-18 association tournament that finished in Timaru on Saturday.
Wairarapa were unbeaten through pool play, beating Counties-Manukau 7-2, South Canterbury 4-1, and Southern 6-0.
They then met Waikato in the quarterfinal. The score was tied at 1-1, with Wairarapa going on to win the shootout 3-1.
Wairarapa took on a very physical Canterbury side in the semifinal and stumbled to a 0-2 loss.
In Saturday’s third-fourth playoff against Manawatu, Wairarapa took the lead after 14 minutes through captain Reese Robertson from a penalty corner.
Manawatu equalised in the third quarter, before a second goal from a penalty corner to Robertson, and field goals to Pippa Raleigh and Claire McFetridge in the final quarter sealed an impressive 4-2 victory.
Robertson finished third top goal scorer for the tournament with six goals.
Meanwhile, three members of the Dalefield premier women’s team, goalkeeper Amy Rossiter-Stead, Amy Bunny, and Jaylin Dawson, impressed in the Capital side who finished fourth at the national regional Under-18 tournament in Wellington.
Capital beat North Harbour and Canterbury [in a shootout], and lost to Central, Northland, and Auckland in pool play. Canterbury won the third-fourth playoff 3-1.
Four of the Dalefield premier men’s team were members of the Capital team who finished a disappointing seventh at the boys’ Under-18 regional tournament in Wellington.
Michael Caldwell, Gus Borren, Oliver Bunny, and Joshua Nelson lined up for the side who won only one game, their seventh-eighth playoff with Northland 6-1.
