Finn solidly blocks a run in by his Strikers under-13s opponent. Photo by Winnie He.
Good positioning, strong, short passes and long runs down the field were the way to score at the weekend as Benalla put together some great performances in round six of the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association competition.
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Under 13s vs Strikers Blue
The under-13 Tigers claimed a hard-fought 4-2 win over Strikers Blue in a fast-paced, high-energy contest, with every player contributing to an outstanding team performance.
Goalie Hayden was exceptional in goals, making 12 saves and repeatedly denying Strikers' attacking opportunities to keep Benalla in control.
Finn was strong in defence, disrupting opposition attacks and using the ball effectively to help transition play out of the back line.
Through the midfield, Madeleine and Phoenix worked tirelessly, winning possession, supporting teammates, and linking defence with attack through their relentless effort.
Charlee and Rachel were influential going forward, creating scoring opportunities through quick movement, smart passing, and constant pressure around the circle.
Captain William led from the front, combining determination and positivity with excellent stick skills, winning turnovers to regain possession and provide valuable momentum throughout the game.
Sophie was a standout in attack, using her positioning, pace and skill to beat defenders and drive the ball into the circle, including for two successful solo goals against the goalie.
Goals: Sophie Littler 2, Rachel Erickson, William Keen.
Umpire best and fairest votes: 3 - William, 2 - Phoenix Erickson, 1 - Sophie.
Under 16s vs Strikers
Breanna made two massive runs down the wing, supported by Ineke as under-16’s inner. Photo: Lee Manning.
Benalla-SYC under-16s came out hard against the unbeaten Strikers, holding them to just one goal for the first quarter.
Benalla’s defence had a workout, with Cael, Alida and Lucas halting many runs and providing strong hits out into the midfield.
Jack gets in front to send the ball down towards goals in the udner-16s clash. Photo: Lee Manning.
Goalie Annie bravely ran out to meet many runs, usually repelling the first attack while awaiting defenders to drop back to help.
Half backs Cooper, Jack, and captain Xavier ran hard to channel Strikers attacking runs, with some clean tackles providing opportunities, but the dense midfield was difficult to break through from.
Angus was a strong centre-forward, creating some good short-passing runs with Kobe and Brodie, who broke through into the circle a few times.
Brodie channels Strikers’ under-16s away from the centre line, with Jack and Cael in defence. Photo: Lee Manning.
A strong pass out from Angus to Ineke on the top of a penalty corner saw her belt through a fantastic goal, much to Strikers’ surprise.
Breanna made two huge runs along the right wing right down to the baseline, but Strikers hot pursuit thwarted further attempts at goal, for them to take the win 15-1.
Goals: Ineke Walsh.
Umpire best and fairest votes: 3 - Angus Hayes, 2 - Jack Chittick; 1 - Breanna Graham.
Women’s SYC vs Echuca
The SYC Women played in Echuca with the bare 11, strongly holding Echuca to no goals for half the match after a fast, early goal had the home-side reeling.
Half-backs Lee and Amber forced some handy turnovers and both created space and made runs down the wings.
Jacinta positioned well as inner, often trapping skilfully on her off-side to run through the solid defence.
SYC simply ran out of steam, with Echuca making some fast breaks in the final quarter to win 4:1.
