[S]edbergh School qualify for the England Hockey National School Finals and triumph in the National Independent Schools Hockey Cup quarterfinals.
In one short but monumental week, Sedbergh Hockey 1st XI girls beat their opponents to qualify for the National School Finals held at the Olympic park as well as successfully triumphed in their qualifier to get through to the National Independent Schools Hockey Cup quarterfinals.
On Monday, our girls were up against The Perse School from Cambridge in a tense semi-final for the England Hockey National School cup. Vice-Captain Issy Chamberlain was the standout player of the match scoring three goals, the best of which came from an almost impossible angle on her reverse.
Mary Archner and Josie Coulthard were scintillating in attack providing a number of chances for their teammates, whilst both scoring themselves. Captain Georgina Boyd-Moss was the steady platform the girls attacked from, calm under pressure and the vocal leader on the pitch. Georgina has been the captain of this team since u14 and the 6-1 result paired with a trip to England Hockey’s National School Finals was a brilliant outcome as her school hockey career nears completion.
With the exhilaration of Monday out of the way the 1st XI turned their attention to Thursday, a quarter final of the Independent Schools Hockey Cup, a knockout tournament from the word go. Once again the draw favoured Sedbergh and it was now Queenswood School’s from Hertfordshire turn to travel North.
After a disastrous start the girls found themselves 1-0 down with just 5 minutes on the clock, Issy Chamberlain restored order with a slick short corner move to Josie Coulthard to score the deflection. Two minutes later Issy Chamberlain found the net herself from another impressive short corner routine.
Sedbergh were starting to assert some authority with Imani Botham latching on to a through ball beating the goalie to score in the far corner. The ever impressive Josie Coulthard put the side further ahead as she scored her second of the game, gambling on a missed placed pass to bypass the goalie to make it four. The second half was a much tighter affair with Queenswood keen to get back into the game.
The backline consisting of goalkeeper Katie Gill, defenders Tabby Holdsworth, Eliza Nelstrop, Georgina Boyd-Moss and Holly Dale were resolute in their defending whilst still ensuring our forwards remained a threat going forward. Sedbergh managed to close out the game eventually winning 5-4, a true cup thriller!
This has been the first time the girls have ever qualified for Nationals and the furthest they have gone in the National Cup, quite the week for this group of girls.
