UWI Blackbirds and Massy United Insurance Empire Club will clash in Sunday’s women’s final of the Barbados Hockey Federation’s Outdoor Classifiers at the Wildey Hockey Centre.
UWI edged Combermere School Old Scholars (CSOS) 2-1 on Saturday in the first semi-final while Empire pipped Maple in the second.
The Blackbirds took an early lead in the seventh when star player and former CSOS youth D’Jamila Edwards hit a penalty corner opportunity past CSOS junior national goalie Anaya Alleyne-Germain.
UWI maintained their lead into the last quarter, seeing off multiple scoring opportunities from CSOS.
CSOS’ efforts saw them equalise in the 51st minute when a somewhat lucky reverse-stick shot from Cher King lobbed over the head of UWI custodian Ingrid Gaskin, to land over the goal line.
UWI grabbed the game winner after being awarded a penalty corner in the 57th minute. Edwards finished the match as she started it, with a determined strike past the right foot of Alleyne-Germain to secure their final berth.
Empire, who came into the semis in fourth position, surprised the top-ranked but depleted Maple side.
From the touch, Maple’s season-long dominance was noticeably missing due to the absence of captain Lisa Crichlow and supporting players Chiaka Drakes, Delia Rock and their goalkeeper, forcing them to play with only a kicker-back.
A youthful Empire played to their strengths and created opportunities that saw them scoring an early 11th minute goal from Charlene Watkins-Lewis.
They scored again early in the second half from Ayanna Nichols in the 31st minute. Maple answered in the 35th when veteran Ellen Benjamin slotted past Empire’s national custodian Sheena Nicholls.
A Maple fightback was short-lived, however, as Watkins-Lewis brandished another finish in the 38th to give Empire a two-goal lead again.
Maple continued to press with searching balls and some individual runs which were rewarded in the 58th minute with a goal from Angela Thompson but it was a little too late. (EZS/PR)
