Prep Girls Through to Plate Final in IAPS Hockey
On Monday 10 October 2022, Woodbridge School Prep Year 6 hockey team took part in the IAPS U11 girls hockey, facing several teams and working hard to win a place in the plate final. Notoriously difficult to predict, and with 12-minute one-way matches, the IAPS tournament games ran with frenetic pace throughout the morning.
Starting slowly the girls played their first match against Beeston Hall (Norfolk), however they had difficultly establishing their passing game and lacked consistency. Despite having a good chance of winning the match, the Beeston goalkeeper made an important save and kept the overall score at 0-0.
The second match saw the girls take on Barnardiston, conceding an early and disappointing goal. However, this thankfully kick-started the team into life, and so playing hockey as they can do, Woodbridge replied almost immediately with a great pass, moving down the right wing and to a composed finish to bring the scores level. From then on Woodbridge were in ascendancy, with midfield marshalling was superb, but we weren’t quite able to force the ball over the goal line to give the deserved win.
On to the third game, filled with great goal saves keeping scores level, Woodbridge took a great move down the right-hand side after some brilliant defending, and on to score!
The fourth and last game of the pool was against Felsted, having won both of their matches as they came to compete with Woodbridge, despite battling hard and keeping into a good save, Felsted managed to score two good goals giving them the win. This defeat placed Woodbridge fourth in their pool, but nonetheless into the plate competition for the afternoon – completely deserved.
The first match of the plate was a knockout game; lose and Woodbridge would be back at School for afternoon lessons – not a popular option with the girls! Facing OBH who had finished third in their pool, Woodbridge played magnificently, putting together a brilliant 12-minute performance to out-play OBH in all aspects. With great defence and attack in equal measure, a powerful drive down the right set up the first goal, the second coming from a brilliant press, resulting in the team winning the ball high up the pitch for a last ball making it 2-0, but it could have been more, such was the dominance of Woodbridge’s performance.
Woodbridge had made it into the plate semi-final against Bedford Modern. Bouyed by the previous result, the girls continued where they had left off against OBH, putting together another really great performance. The ball was transferred from left to right utilising space, with free hits from the side lines catching the opposition off-guard; two great team goals were scored and deserved so, Woodbridge went through to the plate final against the unknown, Russel House.
Woodbridge played brilliantly once more, carving open two chances, but the shots were just narrowly wide and unfortunately Russel House forced two goals past. Although they were upset after losing the final 2-0, the girls were congratulated for their level of play, recognised for improvement throughout the day and they should be exceptionally pleased with their performances.
Huge well done to everyone that took part.
